The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-09-15
Homma Denies Deaf March
Jap Commander Says He
Did Not Issue Order,
Accepts Responsibility

Yokohama, Sept. 15-AP-Lt.
Gems. Msrsharu Homma and Shi-
genori Kuroda, successive com.
manders OF Japanese troops in the
Philippines, walked into Kanaga-
wa perfect rural police station at
3:45 p. m. today (2:45 a. M, EWT)
to give themselves up to Allied
Questioners.
They had driven leisurely from
Tokyo in a Japanese war depart
ment automobile. Both wore civil
ian clothing and appeared calm and
unperturbed throughout the ADMIN
ute trip in a Ford coupe. Both are
on general MacArthur's list OF
Orientals wanted for questioning
about war crimes.
Homma denied that he had ord
cred the death march of Americans
from Bataan but acknowledged
readiness as commander.in-chief Of
Philippine forces to take full re-
sponsibility for any OF the acts OF
his subordlnates.
He said that in that spring OF
1912 the defense OF Corregidor was
so strong that he had been about
ready to conclude that his assault
was a failure when he saw the dy-
ing American garrison run up the
white flag.
Homma insisted that he was sur
prised TO find himself on General
MacArthur's wanted" list. He also
was surprised, he remarked. when
he learned on Dec. s. 1871, (Japa-
nese time) OF Japan's attack on
Pearl Harbor.
He said Japanese landing forces
lost 2S out OF their 80 boats in the
final assault on Corregidor. and ne
was about ready to conclude ne
had failed when the Americans ran
out of supplies and were forced to
raise the white f'.g. II the Grip
pied, desperate garrison had been
able to take the offensive then, he
said. they would have won"
BY the time Corregidor fell. HIS
own troops were in pitiful state,
Homma continued. He claimed he
was able to land only 1000 Japa-
nese on the rock fortress, with 2S
out OF 80 OF his landing boats
smashed by American guns during
the assault. 81 underestimated the
number Of landing boats they could
knock out" he acknowledged.
The battle for Bataan also had
taken much longer than he had
expected. he said. and he was SUI
prised when he heard on the Ameri-
can radio how many troops the
Americans thought he had in the
Philippines.
Actually. landed with two d.
visions-well. one division and
mixed brigade" he said. How
many followed this spearhead force
he did not say.
He reported he had heard OF no
incidents in which japanese sol
diers abused Americans after their
surrender.
Il did not see anything like that.
and no American officers complain
ed to me-"
Repeatedly during the interview.
however, Homma made it clear
he did not wish to be in the posi-
ton of trying to eyade RESPONSE
bility for what his stan officers
may have done, with or without his
orders.
I'VE have been beaten. and I
wanted to be good loser he in
sisted.
Homma said he heard that Amer
leans had been given food on the
death march, at Orani on Ba-
taan Peninsula. He expressed
doubt that the Japanese could have
abused the Americans as charged
because. I'VE had only a small num-
Der OF men watching the prisoners,
and they we're outnumbered by the
1t. Gen. Wachi. his chief OF staff
in the Philippines invasion, now is
in China, Homma added.
Only a few top military and gov
ernmental leaders in Japan knew
of the plans to attack Pearl Har-
Dor. he said he was convinced-and
they kept the secret well.
Despite early successes, Japan
made mistakes in their war against
Homma volunteered.
The japanese lacked appreciation
OF the potential strength of the
United States. They only looked
at the first shot, and you know
how these things always spread TO
a second shot" he said and added
that a second mistake was that
Japan overextended her supply
lines-for example, in Guadalcanal.
Homma said he was retired from
the Army in August. l943,-he was
not sure vhy-but he remarked at
one point in the interview that II
may have been because Il did not
like war
Homma. bigger than most Japa.
nese but looking nothing at all like
the popular concept OF a general,
was calm as he stepped from the
train to surrender TO American oc-
forces later today at Yo-
kohama. Slightly stopped and in
his impressed civilian suit, he
would have escaped recognition IN
a crowd IL II had not been for the
four policemen-two civilian and
two military-who met him.
He said he CANA from his ma