The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-02-23
jAPANESEBRAVEF|GHTERS
Everlasting Reward for Bloody
Death Not Promised.
BUDDHISM REAL RELIGION
Cool Courage, But Not Rashness Dis
tnguishes the Most Scientific
Warfare Ever Vet Waged--Jap-
anese Pride Of Heart and Surface
Humility-Admirabl Qualities.


"They fight like fanatics seems
to have become a stereotyped phrase
on the lips of all travelling Americans
in the Far East whenever they refer
to the remarkable feats at arms of
the Japanese.
My personal observations have led
me to the opinion that the origin of
the expression lies in the occidental
! idea that the Japanese are a semi-bar-
barrie race, with a heather religion
holding forth to warped and misguided
intelects promises of everlasting re-
ward for bloody death
Cause for the remark is more din.
cult to discover, and it would be In.
teresting to know whether it is not
due, in some degree, to the patroniz,
ing pride of the white man toward all
others not of his color.
Fighting fanaticism" suggests the
running amuck of the Mohammedan
who wildly, blindly kills in order
that for each thrust his future re.
ward in heavenly bliss may be the
richer.
There is no such spirit in the Jap
anese army-absolutely nothing.
Shintoism-the imperial religion, or
| philosCphy-is a reverencing of the
emperor and of ones ancestors. 1t
teaches that the highest duty Of every
man is to his country. Buddhism, the
real religion of Japan, is distinctly
pacific in it's teachings.
What we do find in the Japanese
soldier is love of country and will
ingness to shed his last drop of blood
to preserve its honor and the honor OF
his emperor. Almost every Japanese
soldier knows the slogan of the lead
ers, I'VE are fighting a battle for the
benefit of the world, for the open door
of commerce in the orient" He be.
| lieves that If he fails the national
existence of Japan will cease, He
! fights, not TO pay the price of future
life in his own blood, but TO preserve
that which is dearer than life, for his
emperor, for his leaders and for pos
| terity-Japan for the Japanese The
/ sentiment is one which has been hon
ored by us from the dawning of our
civilization.
The strategy, tactics and individual
conduct of the soldier are all against
the assumption of fighting fanatcism.
Perhaps no army has ever taken the
| field whose movements were so large
! ly on the lines prescribed for scien-
tific warfare. Grand strategy is
| ynl nj tn 40 Inn on nn
The tactics adopted have in view the
least sacrifice of life possible for a
| given result.
No one has ever seen the Japanese
engage in such daredevil charges as
the British made in South Africa, for
example where thousands of men
went forward in rushes in the open,
and yet no one cried "fanaticism" in
speaking of them.
The carping critic might say:
"Humph! The Japanese learned what
not to do from the British"
The Japanese soldier often secures
his development and general align
ment--if the advance is made in day
light-just ouside the zone of rifle
/
the line breaks up irregularly taking
to bitches, gulches, ravines, under
brush and growing crops-to any
cover which will hide the men. They
rush forward singly and in punches,
every man knowing approximately his
destination before the enemy's lines,
and unless stopped by bullet he
s.s-
in this intrepid but intelligent indi-
vidual bravery The first line may
have to wait for a second or a third
line of men before there is sufficient
strength for the final charge. Ii is
then that wild rush is made over
the short intervening space through
shuddering rifle fire, and the Japanese
soldier accomplishes the feat-hither.
to supposed to be impossible with
modern weapons-of a hand-to-hand
combat with fixed bayonets and club
bed guns.
Ii is true that Japanese officers com
nit suicide when they believe they
have disgraced themselves by failure,
when they are so cruelty wounded
tudl uedlu Will tHSuti VI Wutn luey
have been captured. This is matter
of ethical training, punishment self.
inflicted to escape disgrace or to end
useless suffering. 1t has no more to
do with religion than has the act OF
the defaulting cashier at home who
blows out his brains.
The word "cocky" implies AFRO
gance and ostentation, qualities never
present--on the surface at least--iI
the Japanese.
Ii "cocky" suggests that the Jap
anese have confidence in their coun
try and their future, that they have
personal pride and a pride of ma
tion. then perhaps no people are more
"coclly exhibit it less.
No one has ever heard Japanese
officer assume a boastful tone; on the
contrary, in speaking of the war, he
usually deprecates the efforts of his
people and gives hearty credit TO Rus