Evening star., 1945-07-31
Jap Counted Dead
Qualification Urged
Writer Fears Rumors May Arise
OF Americans Killing Wounded
BY Dapid Laurence

BY Dapid Laurence
Every now and then oficial figures
are given out by the commanders in the
held or by the War Department here
purporting to show that large number
OF Japanese were killed In action. as
compared with relatively small losses
by American troops. What Is not being
given out Is just how the Japanese died.
How many japanese were killed by
our own troops and how many were
killed by the Japanese themselves?
There may never be any accurate fis-
ures on this subject because a dead
Japanese is being counted as a casualty
irrespective Of how he met his death.
In modern warfare 1t Is likely that
for every man killed there will be at
least four or five wounded. The deaths
in some particular engagements run as
high as so per cent, but customarily a
20 per cent ratio of killed to wounded
is high proportion. 1t is not plausible
that the American marksmen are able
to kill everyone they hit. Nor does shell
fire kill everybody.
There have been rumors for some time
that the Japanese were systematically
engaged in going through their hospitals
and killing the wounded and that before
retreating the enemy usually disposes
OF It's own wounded on the field OF battle.
Counted Dead" Phrase.
1t is significant that the Macarthur
communicates from the Philippines early
adopted the phrase counted dead" and
specifically avoided any inference that
American troops were killing Japanese
wounded. Nevertheless in statements At
press conferences at the War Depart
ment from time to time the phraseology
OF counted dead" is occasionauy-per-
haps inadyertently-omitte and the
implication is that the American forces
have inflicted the losses on the enemy.
There Is no doubt that the American
troops would like to have taken more
prisoners. Thus in a statement on Juns
"a, referring to the Luzon operations,
the War Department says: I'VE are be-
ginning to take more prisoners On
Northern Luzon. one days report showed
200 Japs killed and AT captured-an
unusual proportion to say the least. On
Luzon a total of $500 prisoners have
been taken. but, of course, that should
be assessed against $4,000 counted
killed
The fact remains that while $500
Jap soldiers and 2,500 labor troops sur
rendered In Okinawa, $1,000 were killed"
1t would be violation Of every tradi-
tion OF American arms to kill the
wounded. The American people would
disapprove of such a practice and, while
there may have been isolated cases. it
is not to be presumed that any ofic:nl
order to kill Japanese wounded has
gone out from any responsible source.
Hand Grenade Stories.
From time to time it has been hinted
that surrendering Japanese are no.
trusted and that they throw hand
grenades when approached. Instances
of this kind doubtless have occurred
and will occur but it may be asked
what has become of the large number
Of Japanese who were wounded ard
rendered helpless to throw any hand
grenades or inflict harm on their would
be captors? >~
The few surrending Japanese have
told Of how officers have agreed with
fellow officers to kill each other and
there is no doubt that most of these
oficers have ordered the Japanese
wounded to be killed. So it would be
a grave mistake for the oficial state
ments of our commanders In the Pacific
or for officials in any of the armed serv-
ices here to give the impression. so to
speak, that our forces killed such .
high proportion of the enemy losses.
1t would be a shocking circumstance
II history were permitted to record that
the troops of the United States, which
is signatory Of the Geneva Convention
regarding the treatment of prisoners
and wounded persons, took few prison :
ers and failed to take steps to capturs
the wounded and care for them. IN
Europe the wounded Germans were
cared for whenever captured. Failure,
to explain what has been happening to2
the Japanese wounded may lead to ths-
impression that either American troops
have been killing the Japanese wounded
or that the officers who send in the
figures would like to have the people
think they are better marksmen than
they really are