The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1945-09-07
5IlSs]S; sIS
CEREMONIAL EXECUTION OF
AN ALLIED AIRMAN

THERE is another aspect "a
Shinto which explains japanese
treachery and cruelty. For Shin
to, the Way of the Gods" has
only one moral imperative, and
that is proclaimed by its name;
il is the duty to follow the way
of the gods" But the gods whose
ways" are to be followed were
conceived in a primitive jungle
age. and therefore display all the
characteristics of the jungle age.
They are murderous. cruel,
tricky, treacherous, dirty, and
incidentally obscene.
Lest other influences like Bud
dhism or Western civilization
should have softened the Jap
anese fiber, the Shinto states
men, like Hitter in Germany,
have carried through q process
which one japanese professor
so aptly describes as "re-barbar-
ization." 1t, too, was accomplish
ed by training which deliber-
ately educates the nations youth
in cruelty, brutality, and MUIR
der, and encourages the prac-
tise of them to make it hard
much as primitive savages edu-
cate their youth at the torture
stake. This training finds its eli
max on the battle fields, where
Japanese soldiers are rewarded
for victory by permission and
encouragement to indugle in de-
moniacal outbursts of rapine,
torture, and murder as means
of stimulating primitive blood
lust and the desire to kill.
The course of the Pacific war
has demonstrated that neither
his savagery nor his training
have been able to make the jap
anese soldier a match for the Al
lied fighting men, whose faith
passes his understanding. But
it is we'll to remember that the
tortures and atrocities inflicted
by the Japanese on their victims
are no excuses of individuals,
but the planned results OF a sys-
tenn deliberately created TO
promote the aggressive designs
of a savage theocratic state of
which the japanese Emperor is
God, ruler and high priest, VINO
gives his Imperial Sanction" 20
IL all.
From the Diary Of q japanese
soldier killed at Salamaua, New
Guinea, entry for March 20,
l943:
WE all assembled at headquar-
tiers where one of the crew of a
Douglas shot down by anti-air-
craft March 10 was brought un-
der guard.
Tai Commander (Sub-Lieuten-
ant First Glass; Komai tod
us it had been decided to ex-
ecute him and he was to be &C
corded q Samurais death.
We were assembled to witness
the execution. The prisoner was
given a drink of water outside
the guard house. The chief sur
geon, Lieutenant Komai and a
platoon commander bearing
sword came from the officers
mess.
The time has come. The pris-
oner of war totters forward with
his arms tied. His hair Is cut
close.
l feel he suspects what Is afoot
but he is more composed than /
thought he would be. Without
more ado he Is put on a truck
and taken to the place Of ex-
ecution.
The prisoner sits beside the
chief surgeon and about ten
guards accompany him. The noise
OF the engine echoes along the
road in the hush Of twilight The
sun has set and columns OF
clouds rise before us.
I glance at the prisoner and he
seems prepared. He gazes at the
grass, now at the mountains and
sea.
At the execution ground Lieu
tenant Komai faces the prisoner
and said: You are TO die. I am
going to kill you with this Japa-
nese sword according to the
Samurai code"
The commanders face Is stern.
Now the time has come. The
prisoner Is made to sit on the
edge of a water-filled bomb craft