Yoko's Diary

by Paul Ham

The discovered diary of Yoko, a 13-year-old Japanese girl who lived near Hiroshima during the war 8-12 the diary of Yoko, a 13-year-old Japanese girl who lived near Hiroshima during the war 1945 was a hard time to be a child in Japan. Many had seen their cities destroyed by US bombers. Food, fuel and materials were in short supply. Yet spirits remained high. In April 1945, Yoko Moriwaki started high school in Hiroshima, excited to be a prestigious 'Kenjo' girl, and full of duty towards her parents, school and country. But the country was falling apart and in four months time her city would become the target for the first atomic bomb ever used as a weapon. In her diary, Yoko provides an account of that time - when conditions were so poor that children as young as twelve were required to work in industry; when fierce battles raged in the Pacific and children like Yoko believed victory was near. With additions by Yoko's relatives and fellow students, and an introduction by award-winning author Paul Ham, Yoko's Diary not only shows us the hopes, beliefs and daily life of a young girl in wartime Japan, it is a touching account of the consequences of the first nuclear bombing of a city. 8-12 SHORtLIStED in the 2014 CBCA Awards SHORtLIStED in the 2014 NSW Premier's History Awards

Genres: Japan, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Diary, Japanese Literature, Middle Grade

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2013

About the author

PAUL HAM is a historian specialising in 20th century conflict, war and politics. Born and raised in Sydney, Paul has spent his working life in London, Sydney and Paris. He teaches narrative non-fiction at SciencesPo in Reims and English at l'École de guerre in Paris. His books have been published to critical acclaim in Australia, Britain and the United States, and include: 'Hiroshima Nagasaki', a controversial new history of the atomic bombings (HarperCollins Australia 2010, Penguin Random House UK 2011, & Pan Macmillan USA 2014-15); '1914: The Year The World Ended' (Penguin Random House 2013); 'Sandakan' (Penguin Random House 2011); 'Vietnam: The Australian War' and 'Kokoda' (both published by HarperCollins, 2007 and 2004). Paul has co-written two ABC documentaries based on his work: 'Kokoda' (2010), a 2-part series on the defeat of the Japanese army in Papua in 1942 (shortlisted for the New York Documentary prize); and 'All the Way' (2012), about Australia's difficult alliance with America during the Vietnam War, which he also narrated and presented (it won the UN's Media Peace prize). Paul is the founding director of Hampress, an independent ebook publisher, and a regular contributor to Kindle Single, Amazon's new 'short book' publishing platform, for which he has written '1913: The Eve of War' and 'Young Hitler', co-written 'Honey, We Forgot the Kids', and published several titles by other authors. Hampress welcomes your ideas! A former Australia correspondent for The Sunday Times (1998-2012), Paul has a Masters degree in Economic History from London School of Economics. He lives in Sydney and Paris, and takes time off now and then to organise the Big Fat Poetry Pig-Out, an annual poetry recital, for charity.

Some relevant links:

http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Ham/e/B001...

https://www.hampress.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ham

http://us.macmillan.com/hiroshimanaga...

http://lareviewofbooks.org/review/hir...

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...

http://www.amazon.com/Sandakan-Paul-H...

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42...

http://www.randomhouse.com.au/authors...

http://www.harpercollins.com.au/97807...

Reviews

[Maziyar Yf · Rating 3 out of 5]

از هیروشیما با عشق، خاطرات یوکو موری‌واکی، دختر نوجوان ژاپنی، از زندگی در ژاپن در پنج ماه پایانی جنگ جهانی دوم است. در زمانی که، بمباران‌های آمریکا از یک سو و گرسنگی ناشی از محاصره ژاپن از سوی دیگر، زندگی در ژاپن و به خصوص در شهرهای بزرگ را تقریباً غیرممکن کرده بود. خاطراتی که با وجود تمام سختی‌ها یوکو به گونه ای با خوش‌خیالی و امیدواری البته ناشی از کنترل ذهن نوشته شده بود .
از آن جا که یوکو ساعاتی پس از انفجار بمب اتمی ، کشته شد خاطرات اوچندان به درازا نکشیده. از هیروشیما با عشق ، در مورد هیروشیما پس از بمباران اتمی نیست . خاطرات یوکی بیشتر در مورد کار سخت و طاقت فرسا کودکان ، کمبود شدید غذا ، پیاده روی های طولانی ، استرس ناشی از جنگ و بمباران است تا چگونگی جنگ .
دولت نظامی ژاپن ، بخش مهمی از بار جنگ را به دوش ضعیف کودکان انداخته بود ، گرچه سن اعزام به جنگ برای پسران ۱۵ سال و دختران ۱۷ سال بوده اما در مراحل پایانی جنگ، دولت ژاپن برای جبران کمبود نیرو، نوجوانانی را که سن آنها کمتر از سن اعزام بود نیز به جنگ می‌فرستاد.
کودکان کم سن و سال تر هم چندان خوش شانس نبودند ، آنها معمولا از 8 یا 9 سالگی برای کار اجباری در کارخانه‌ها، مزارع و سایر بخش‌های اقتصاد ژاپن استفاده می‌شدند وسپس به جنگ فرستاده می شدند .
دولت نظامی ژاپن برای کنترل ذهن کودکان و نوجوانان هم برنامه های خاصی داشته ، این را از یادداشت های یوکو می توان فهمید . با وجود بمباران های سخت گسترده و نابودی و ویرانی شهرهای بزرگ ژاپن ، یوکو هم مانند دیگر شهروندان اسیر پروپاگاندا دولت شده و ژاپن را در آستانه پیروزی می دانست . بی خبری ژاپنی ها از جریان جنگ ،گویی سبب شده بود که آنها خود را به صورت کامل وقف سربازان و نیازهای تمام نشدنی آنان کنند . یوکو هر زمانی که دچار خستگی ، یا بیماری و یا ضعف شدید به سبب گرسنگی می شود از خود می پرسد که این ها در برابر زحمات سربازان چه اهمیتی دارد ؟؟ او آن قدر این پرسش را تکرار می کند که خواننده از این حجم ندیدن و نفهمیدن ، ابتدا شگفت زده و سپس سخت عصبانی می شود .
بر خلاف دیگر شهرهای ژاپن که به جز خرابه و ویرانه چیزی از آن باقی نمانده بود ، هیروشیما و ناکازاکی ، کاملا سالم و دست نخورده بودند . حتی بمب افکن های آمریکایی که بر آسمان شهر پدیدار می شدند ، آنها را نادیده گرفته و پس از اندکی چرخیدن روی آن ، به پایگاه های خود باز می گشتند . این امر ژاپنی ها را متعجب کرده بود تا سرانجام روز 6 آگوست ، ساعت 8:15 فرا رسید ، پسر کوچک در ارتفاع تقریبا 600 متری بالای شهر منفجر شد و 100 هزار نفر را در جا کشت . یکی از آنان همین یوکو ذوب شده در میلیتاریسم ژاپنی بوده که در فاصله 700 متری محل انفجار ، سرگرم کار بوده .
یک پر در دل طوفان
پل هم ، ویراستار نسخه انگلیسی کتاب ، زندگی یوکو را مانند یک پر در دل طوفان توصیف کرده ، داستان او تنها روایت یکی از هزاران کودکی ایست که در هیروشیما کشته شده اند . کودکانی که هر یک احتمالا داستان متفاوت خود را داشته اند از هیروشیما با عشق را می توان گواه و سندی بر معصومیت کودکان و نوجوانان دانست که چگونه جسم و روح آنها در جنگ آزار دیده و سرانجام نابود می شود .

[Gelareh Askari · Rating 2 out of 5]

ممنون از جناب کتابفروش که با پیشنهاد این کتاب وقتم رو تلف کردم.

[7jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

August 6, 1945. After waking up around 5 am, Yoko Moriwaki, 13, takes the ferry from her home on Miyayima Island to the mainland, then tram to the city of Hiroshima where she will walk another 40 mins to school. Today she'll clear demolition debris with her group, starting from 7am. At 8:15am, the atomic bomb explodes, above the ground 700 m away from where Yoko is working...

This book is about her diary, started as a class project in April of that year, which explains some comments one of her teacher's leaves within. It is started when she begins her first year of school in one of Hiroshima most pretigious school, the 'Kenjo' high school. The diary itself is fairly short, but there are are also reflections from those who knew her, a good map of the city (you could keep a bookmark here so you can look at where some places are as you read the diary), and even a moving note from her father, with a song made for her included.

Throughout the diary text, we also get information bits, which give us knowledge of her world at the time, and explaining what sort of attitude people were then, especially the younger ones. Things like letters to soldiers, evacuees, what the city sounded like, what the homes were like (catching fire easily), power blackouts... There are some photographs, including of her handwritten ferry timetable, some of her commuter passes, and her little money purse.

Yoko's life was hard: full of hard work, a lot of walking (up to 25 km). Food, fuel and materials were in short supply to due to US blockade. By the time she started her diary, her father had been away at war already one year. She was malnourished, often very tired after day's hard work: only some of the time would she get to have proper school, and that could be interrupted by air raid warnings. Work was demolition work (demolishing houses to improve fire safety), farm work at her grandparents', tending to the school's vegetable spot - all days of the week, with only occasional home days.

But she was a good girl, doing well at school, helping at home, believing in being hardworking and optimistic, believing in Japan's victory and remembering that soldiers were having it harder than her. And then she dies in a relief centre late in August 6, waiting for her mother, severely burned. It was hard to finish the book, especially look at the song her father had composed (he was a music teacher). She became a 'feather in a hurricane'.

This is a book for older children, but easily readable for those who are older. This was first published in Japan in 1996, and translated into English in 2013. It is a quick read, but surprisingly deep, even if the diary was clearly written knowing that a teacher would read it, and some harder feelings could've been left out. But she was an optimistic, 13-year-old good student and daughter, taken away too early, mourned for years. A moving read.

[Sharon Marchingo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yoko’s Diary is a very moving account of a 12 year old girl’s experiences during World War 2. Yoko attended a select entry school in Hiroshima, Japan and this book outlines her experiences of living in a war torn country. She experienced air raids and the deprivation of food shortages and hard manual labour but she always enjoyed learning and spending time with her family. Her positive attitude and dedication to her Emperor and her country were amazing. She implicitly believed, right up until the dropping of the nuclear bombs, that the Japanese Army would win the war. The book is a diary that she kept as a part of a school project. It captures the simple aspects of daily life as well as the traditions and beliefs of the Japanese people. The book contains chapters written her by her relatives and fellow students to add authentication to her story. On the 6th of August 1945 Yoko was working outdoors 700m from the bomb site and she was critically injured. Miraculously she survived the initial hit to be taken to a relief centre only to die some hours later in the arms of a kindly woman. She called for her mother to come but she did not get there in time. This is poignant true story about the tragedy of war and the implications on the lives of innocent people caught up in the fray. Black and white photos as well as explanatory notes add to the body of knowledge contained in this book.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since arriving home from our holiday in Japan, I've been trying to get my hands on anything that is related to the culture, history etc.
This is a perfect find.

Heartbreaking. Brutally honest. And you have to keep reminding yourself that Yoko is only THIRTEEN years old. She shows courage and maturity well beyond her age and I was in fear of finishing the book as well as being very aware of the dates as they got closer to that horrific day.

Visiting Hiroshima was one of the most humbling experiences I will ever have. To see the A-bomb dome, the peace park and museum. The victims mostly children, their clothes, lunch boxes, HAIR or fingernails survived and yet, they perished...

I am sure we can ALL agree for the world to have peace.

[Rehan Abd Jamil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sad.. Deeply touched..

[Jessica Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) Moriwaki Yoko was a 12 year old girl from Hiroshima. In April 1945, she started a diary recording the details about her life in wartime Japan. However, the diary only lasted for 4 months, until the day the atomic bomb struck the city of Hiroshima.

Yoko's diary seems repetitive and slightly dull initially (because it was, after all, written by a 12 year old girl for a school project). However, Paul Ham's short excerpts about the significant events happening to Hiroshima around that time (and inserted very appropriately between diary entries) made it more interesting. However, nearing the end of the diary, Yoko starts writing about how tired she has become, and how she started having to rest from her work. Couple that with knowing what was about to happen to her, you can't help but feel sad for this bright and positive little girl who had been led to believe that her country was nearing victory for the war. The memoirs and letters written by her family and friends also contributed to the haunting sadness of her story, especially the one by the volunteer who nursed her during her final moments.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

A beautifully presented book.......

BUT.... to be brutally honest - this is an example of one of the books chosen by (knowledgeable) adults (Children's Book Council) for children - that will be of little interest to most children.

The editor (Paul Ham) has done a nice job of adding explanatory text - helping us understand the mood of Hiroshima just prior to the fateful dropping of the atomic bomb. I was very interested in one page in particular - I knew nothing about the 1945 "Battle of Okinawa" - an island America was determined to capture but Japan was determined to defend to the death.
Paul Ham says "100,000 Japanese troops were killed, captured or committed suicide; and more than 70,000 Americans.... were killed or wounded. As well as this, tens of thousands of Okinawan civilians.... killed themselves by jumping off the cliffs."

Yoko's diary entries are all a little too similar and the 54 pages of 'forwards' mean, in my opinion, that it is not a book to appeal to a child. I can, however, see it used as a 'text' in a school's history component ... but I don't think it will be the first to fly off a library shelf.

[Louise Umehara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating story about an ordinary girl who worked hard to honour her family and Excel at school. Set in Hiroshima, Japan in the spring of 1945 just days before the hydrogen bomb destroyed the city.
I read it on the way to Japan which made my visit to Hiroshima all the more special. I was able to reflect on her life as I made my way through the museum, peace park and children's memorial. Similarly catching the ferry across to Iwagima Island, her childhood home, gave me an understanding of generations past and the sacrifice of ordinary people who had no part in the horrors of war until it was thrust upon them.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 9 year old daughter bought this book home from the library having previously read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.

Even though it is a Junior book, I felt it might be too 'heavy' for her so asked if I could read it first. I am so thankful I did that.

It is a heartbreaking encounter of the Hiroshima bombing told through diary entries and short chapters from loved ones and friends of Yoko Moriwaki.

This is an emotional read but one that needs to be read.

[Jayne Downes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting because it provides us with a snapshot of life for a 12 year old Japanese schoolgirl living in Hiroshima in1945. It is not an exciting book because her life was very spartan- she goes to school and participates in work groups such as growing crops and clearing bomb debris. It is so sad to think that she was killed by the atomic bomb- she survived long enough to be taken to a medical depot but died before her Mother could get to her.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

The diary entries themselves are rather bland and tedious and were clearly written as a school exercise with very little reflection or depth. The inclusion of the insights into life in Japan at the time and contributions from family and friends makes it a worthwhile read. It's such a sad story but one that needs to be heard.

Memorable Quotes

"Yoko is a feather in a hurricane."

[Saturday's Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is so poignant about this diary is that it was written by a young school-girl who had her whole life ahead of her. She could have been from any country during any period of time as it is just a day to day recording of her school and home life. Tragically, Yoko like so many others had her life cut short by one the the most horrifics acts of war.

[Krystelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting (albeit tiny) book detailing the historical context as well as the diary of a young girl who lived in Hiroshima at the time of the nuclear bombing. There’s a lot to take in from her story, but saddest of all is that this is just the story of a little girl trying her best and not grasping her situation. The diary is not overly engaging and is very repetitive, but it’s also simplistic and shows a very young view of the war. It was lacking in a lot of ways as a whole book, and I had hoped for more survival context in the wake of it, but nothing came to that.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly devastating. I can't put it into words.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my teenage daughter. An emotive book everyone should read. Saddened we both are to have a deeper understanding of this horrific event, especially through a child’s eyes and the hard work they were required to do.

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad but sweet diary of good girl Yoko. Always out visiting family, doing her chores, and helping her mum. I borrowed this book from the library as it was short, which it was, but some of the diary entries repeat themselves - as it is a 13 year old's diary, no matter how mature she is. I learnt a little while reading this, but mostly about how busy children were during the war time

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had many mixed feelings while reading this, as well as many questions. I have recently been to Japan and visited both Miyajima and Hiroshima (including the dome), So I have a pretty clear picture of Yoko's travels.

The book even admits that you need to take the diary with a grain of salt because the diary is a class project, so you wouldn't be putting your inner most personal thoughts in here. The Diary covers from early April through to the 5th of August (the day before the bomb). It's hard to describe because sometimes she shows wisdom beyond her years and other times she is definitely a normal 13 year old. Sometimes you can almost here the complacency when the air raid sirens are constantly going off but then it swings around and the fear is back again.

The additional notes through the book are interesting too and for me this drew the most questions. Other cities were air raided and burned to the ground, so people were sent to Hiroshima to be 'safe' and the planes kept flying over and nothing was happening. Were they watching to see how many people had been moved to Hiroshima to increase the body count? I was shocked to find out that in other cities prior to air raids they would drop fliers to tell them they were going to do it.

The two letters at the end, a diary entry from her father and a letter from the lady that tended to Yoko as she passed, brought me to tears. These are the things that made it real and broke my heart.

A silly little sidebar: Yoko talks through most of the diary about sewing her dress and as the date was getting closer and closer I was really worried that she wouldn't finish sewing her dress (she did, on the 31st July)

I also enjoyed some of the subjects they had at her school! I wish they still taught some of these things.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a beautifully presented book and whilst it is extremely sad that Yoko Moriwaki lost her life at such an early age the day the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, I'm not sure about the book's appeal, especially for students. The start is too slow with a number of people talking about their memories of Yoko and the diary entries themselves are very simple, repetitive and often boring. What makes the book, in my opinion, are the photos of Yoko, the explanatory text throughout the book by editor, Paul Ham, expanding the reader's knowledge of certain events and living conditions at the time, and the final diary entry written by Yoko's father when he returned from the war two years later only to find that his daughter had passed away. Overall, a disappointing read.

[Sharlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is actually one of Sophie's books, but after peering over her shoulder so much while she was reading it, I want to read it for myself. The diary of a little girl in the months leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima.
It's hard to rate, as it is a kids' book, and was written as a diary by a kid. It's obviously not the greatest piece of literature I've ever read, but it was interesting seeing how a school girl lived during war time in Japan. I did find it very sad when the diary ended the day before the bombing and started crying on the train when I was reading that bit!

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has stories from family members and others who knew Yoko, and her diary is translated into English and provides an account for her day to day life in war time. As it is mainly a diary, it is easy to read, although emotionally it hits you when all the pieces come together and the pain that people suffered and the terribleness of nuclear weapons is revealed. A nice addition for readers are the explanations of traditional culture and words that might be unknown.

[Miss Irah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a sweet diary made by a teen girl. The compilations of the sweet messages received from her family members and those who knew her touch my heart and soul. On TOP of this great experience, I had already watched an animated movie that was related to Hiroshima bombing and war. The movie called, In This Corner Of The World, helps a lot in refining the experience of how the lives of a japanaese women and girl faced during the war.

[Linda Weeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting memoir taken from the diary of a child caught in the grip of WW2 in Japan.

Her day-to-day observations are interspersed with accounts of Japanese culture and the events of her time - culminating in her death on August 6 when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima.

Lengthier review at: https://crewsreviews.edublogs.org/201...

[Lisa Dyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly the work of a twelve year old required to keep a journal for school yet it is an interesting and frank account of life at the time of the 'Pacific War'. I found the author's explanations and the statements from school friends and family to be the most engaging part of this book. Makes all our first world problems fade in comparison to what these people endured.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it as my students were reading it and enjoyed the first part that was the story of the diary, however the actual diary was not as engaging...yes I was reading something that was not written for an audience and by a twelve year old. I skipped much of that part and then read the last few pages. I liked the explanations throughout the book along with the photos.

[Amanda_u]

The introduction was tedious, but once over that, the diary was interesting.

Great integrated Australian Curriculum links with English, History, Chemistry, Civics and Citizenship, Asia & Australia's engagement with Asia.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book made me appreciate what we have now before it goes

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is very touching. From reading this book you can tell that Yoko is a feather in a hurricane

[Nilah Savage · Rating 5 out of 5]

sad,tradgic story

[Aoife Cunningham]

.