Evening star., 1945-09-15
Honnnnu
Continued From First Page.)

was so strong that he was about
ready to conclude that his assault
was failure when he saw the dying
American garrison run up the white
flag.
He said Japanese landing forces
lost % out of their so boats in the
final assault on ~Corregidor. If the
crippled, desperate garrison had
been able to take the offensive then,
he said they would have won" But
he conceded that the Americans de-
Tending Corregidor were virtually
on their last legs when he began
his amphibious attacks on the island
fortress in Manila Bay.
Homma expressed surprise to find
himself on Gen. MacArthur's want
ed" list. He also was surprised, he
remarked, when he learned on De-
cember 8, 1941 Japanese time), oil
Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.
Did Not Like War. >
Homma said he was retired from
the arn<r in August, 1943-he was
not sure why-but he remarked al
one point in the interview that ii
may have been because II did not
like war"
Homma, bigger than most JAP
anese, but looking nothing at all like
the popular concept of a general
was calm as he stepped from the
train. Slightly stopped and in his
impressed civilian suit, he would
have escaped recognition in crowd
if it had not been for the four po-
licemen-two civilian and two mil
itary-who met him.
He said he came from his native
island of Sado by ferry to Niigata
where he boarded the train for his
10-hour ride to Tokyo. He had moi
fled to Sado, he insisted. He sale
he returned to Tokyo of his own
accord after a friend heard on the
radio that he was No. II on Gen
MacArthur's wanted" list.
From the station, he went to hi.
Tokyo residence to prepare his owr
defense, explaining that it woulo
take several hours.
Brought Souvenir Picture.
With him he brought one souvenir
picture-a photograph of himself
and a Japanese marine officer pa.
rading together in China.
Homma, an army officer for Sc
years, spoke English throughout the
interview He said he learned the
language in England. where I spent
a great deal of time" He also served
in India, and twice visited the
United States.
Relaxing at his Tokyo residence
over cup of tea with two members
of the Philippine Society and three
Associated Press correspondents, hi
said the Philippines assault had beer
his last campaign of the war.
Homma added that he was con.
vinced Japan's wartime Premier
Hideko TOTO thought he was "toe
pro- o-British."
Il am neither pro-British nor pro-
American, but am pro-Japanese," he
asserted. Naturally, however, wher
a man spends some time in another
nation, he becomes more friendly
with that country than one he has
never been in"
Vague on Bataan March.
OF the murderous Bataan death
March, with its thirst, hunger, sun
strokes, beatings and gamut of wan
ton brutalities by Japanese troops
he talked vaguely. He said he had
not ordered the march, but that he
did not know exactly how his staff
officers arranged surrender details.
Il know they (the Americans) had
to march because of lack OF con-
veyances, but I don't think it was
such tough march," he declared
Homma said there was plenty OF
water along the way, but again he
was not sure whether Americans
were permitted to drink from the
streams. He reminded me severa
times that his own forces were also
hard-pressed for food, and addec
there was great confusion during
the surrender"
At his first meeting with Gen
Wainwright, who surrendered tn,
Corregidor garrison to end American
defense of the Philippines in 1912
he related, he was rather taker
aback" when he found Gen. Vain
wright unprepared at their frs
meeting to- surrender the entir,
garrison in the Philippines. Homms
said he asked Gen. Wainwright tt
surrender all American and Filipino
forces in the Philippines. which Gen
Wainwright did next day.
Able to Land Only 1000.
| BY the time Corregidor fell, hi
own troops were in pitiful state
Homam continued. He claimed h,
was able to land only 1000 Japanes,
on the rock fortress. II underesti
mated the number of landing boat.
they could knock out" he acknowl
edged.
The battle for Bataan also hat
taken much longer than he had ex
pected, he said, and he was sur
prised when he heard on the Amer
ican radio how many troops tn,
| Americans thought he had in th
Philippines.
Actually, I landed with two divi
sions-well. one division and mike,
brigade" he said. How many fol
lowed his spearhead force he dil
| not say.
He reported he had heard of n,
incidents In which Japanese soldier
abused Americans after their sur
render.
II did not see anything like thai
and no American officers complaine,
to me-"
Repeatedly during the Interview
however. Homma made 1t clear b