11/13/2002

In Mr. Takashi Tachibana's article titled as "Warship Yamato and Second Defeat" on Bungei-Shunjyu Magazine's December, 2002 issue, the author wrote that he encountered Yamato fist time through a book titled as " Death of Warship Yamato" written by Mr. Mitsuru Yoshida (published by Kodansha Bungei-bunko ISBN4-06-196287-6.) Mr. Tachibana was so impressed by the book that it motivated him to enter the world of non-fiction reports by departing from the literary world. Fortunately I could get a copy of book at the Yaesu Book Center this morning. On my way back, I visited the Tokyo Kyosai Hospital to get machine massage on both of my legs. I started to read it at the hospital while I was treated and read it up until late in evening at my home. I was more than overwhelmed with the record of defeat war. It was a tragedy far beyond my imagination.

Ensign Mitsuru Yoshida was mobilized to the Imperial Navy from a university student and was trained as a radar system operating officer. He joined the defeat battle of warship Yamato in April 1945 as a deputy radar system officer of Yamato. The book is a record of tragic battle of Yamato's suicide attack to rescue the Japanese army on Okinawa Islands. Admiral Seiichi Ito, the commander of the second fleet, and all captains of attack ships and high class officers of the fleet did not accept the attack plan at first. Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka, Chief of Staff of Imperil Navy Joint Forces, told Admiral Ito that "In short, I want you to die." Ito was obliged to approve the attack plan unwillingly. Almost all officers of the fleet recognized that the attack plan was foolish. It was just the waste of human lives. They made a sortie for the death battle and Yamato was sunk by U.S. planes without getting any result. Mr. Yosida recorded all his experience form the start of action through the end of Warship Yamato in details. He added hard arguments at the gun room, hand to hand fights among officers, low spirit of old sailors, naive young sailors, etc. The author made efforts to carry out his important task until the end of warship. I think there has been no similar documents in human history with his record of big suicide attack of 3,300 men. I hope not only aged but young people to read it.

Back to Calender