Banzai You Bastards!

by Jack Edwards, Sharp

The story of the hell-mine of Kinkaseki ranks with the Bridge over the River Kwai as one of the most appalling episodes of the war in the Far East. Yet until now it has been known only to a few.At Kinkaseki, on the island of Taiwan, Allied POWs were forced by the Japanese to slave underground, year after year, in conditions of extreme danger, subjected to savage floggings if weakness or illness prevented them from digging their required quota of copper ore. Starved, tortured, ravaged by dysentery, they died in hundreds.Written by one of the men who survived, who has since fought ceaselessly for compensation, Banzai, You Bastards! describes with moving simplicity the indomitable spirit of men who refused to be beaten into submission. An important first-hand document of history, it publishes for the first time a copy of the secret order from the Japanese High Command to massacre all POWs and 'leave no traces'. This order, known only to a select, secret committee of prisoners, which included the author, hung over them for nearly a year before the A Bombs and until they were released by the US Marines, after the surrender of the Japanese in September 1945.This book records one of the most terrible aspects of warfare. Its closing words "None of us should forget" have been choses for use on six War Memorials to date in Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand and Yeovilton, England.

Genres: Asia

378 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 1991

Reviews

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense read, for sure. Not the most coherent of narratives, but that is somewhat understandable. It would be interesting to know what the author did after he survived the war. He talks about being involved in the investigation to gather evidence for a war crimes tribunal but doesn't talk about the results of the investigation or the tribunal itself. The book fills an important gap by talking about the POW camps in Taiwan during WW2, and the author who was Welsh and in the British Army's incredible survival. Some of the things that stood out for me was how the author emphasized his survival - first, in learning some Japanese, second in trying to befriend or gain sympathy of the lower ranking camp guards (most of whom were Taiwanese) in order to gain news and information. Third, the prisoners' efforts to help each other was a constant throughout the book. Fourth, their efforts to sabotage (in the best way they could, which was severely limited due to intense starvation, lack of medicine and severe beatings) the mine workings. Lastly the book documents the discovery of orders to kill all the POWs and hide their bodies in the event of the American/Allied invasion... terrifying and luckily wasn't implemented. True survivor story.

[Simon Beechinor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Edwards' highly personal and harrowing account of his captivity by the Japanese in WW2 following the fall of Singapore. I think this book is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand life as a POW in WW2. His book is thoroughly readable and is in the same vein as Eric Lomax's 'The Railwayman' although perhaps not as well written as that account. I hope that in writing the book Edwards was able to lay some ghosts as his bitterness and anger at the POW's treatment is tangible and clearly threaded throughout the book. Unlike some of his peers Edwards does not forgive. I'm pleased that I had the opportunity to meet the author once in Hong Kong and he was kind enough then to sign my copy of his book.