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I'm reading Nofi's "Victory at sea, WW2 in the Pacific" On page 63, second paragraph.. "Japanese troops on thest bypassed islands often starved before the war ended, but not before resorting to cannibalism. Even some shot-down American pilots ended up in the stewpot." [X(][X(] I Know the Japanese did some very bad things (understatement) but i had no idea that they cut up Joe-Flyer from VB-10 and had dinner.. Is this true, i haven't ever heard of that before, and i consider myself well read- and a bad speller.. Anyone??

ORIGINAL: Hornblower

I'm reading Nofi's "Victory at sea, WW2 in the Pacific" On page 63, second paragraph.. "Japanese troops on thest bypassed islands often starved before the war ended, but not before resorting to cannibalism. Even some shot-down American pilots ended up in the stewpot." [X(][X(] I Know the Japanese did some very bad things (understatement) but i had no idea that they cut up Joe-Flyer from VB-10 and had dinner.. Is this true, i haven't ever heard of that before, and i consider myself well read- and a bad speller.. Anyone??

Dunno if this was a generalized problem, but it apparently occured. One of the considerations noted when George H.W. Bush attacked Chichi Jima was that the commanding officer there was known to kill and EAT Allied POWs. This turned out not to be just a rumor on post-war investigation. Some of the Japanese survivors from Chichi Jima were tried and admitted to committing cannibalism under oath) - and were convicted of war crimes.

ORIGINAL: Hornblower

I'm reading Nofi's "Victory at sea, WW2 in the Pacific" On page 63, second paragraph.. "Japanese troops on thest bypassed islands often starved before the war ended, but not before resorting to cannibalism. Even some shot-down American pilots ended up in the stewpot." [X(][X(] I Know the Japanese did some very bad things (understatement) but i had no idea that they cut up Joe-Flyer from VB-10 and had dinner.. Is this true, i haven't ever heard of that before, and i consider myself well read- and a bad speller.. Anyone??

More info on Chichi jima from:
http://members.tripod.com/~John_Wick/ho ... i_jima.htm


"Rixey engaged Fred* as an interpreter. He soon proved invaluable by furnishing the evidence of American fliers being clubbed, bayoneted and beheaded, of their bodies being mutilated, of their livers being served in sukiyaki, and strips of their flesh used to flavor soup."

*a Japanese educated descendent of a US-expatriate Chichi jima colonial.

Again, i have no idea how widespread the problem was.

Any one else?? I still can't believe this

Read "Flyboys" by James Bradley... It documents what happened to various flyers that were shot down over Chichi - and yes, there was some cannibalism by the Japanese troops. They were incredibly drunk at the time and after torturing a couple of the airmen, they did in fact eat parts of them.

ORIGINAL: madflava13

Read "Flyboys" by James Bradley... It documents what happened to various flyers that were shot down over Chichi - and yes, there was some cannibalism by the Japanese troops. They were incredibly drunk at the time and after torturing a couple of the airmen, they did in fact eat parts of them.

The Japanese still believe in the sexually enhancing powers of animal "parts" and buy dirty school girl undies out of vending machines...I'll believe anything. They were pretty weird according to western standards back then. We must look weird as hell to them as well. Every nation has had a history of cannibalism at one point. Not to far off from this, just look at military recruit behavior among males or watch a rugby team getting tanked in a sports bar on a "social."[:'(]

There is a famous post-war Japanese film which deals with cannabilism among their troops.

Mostly these events happened in locations where they were absolutely starving - New Guinea, Burma and China. Remember Japanese logistics were appalling at the best of times.

Another sad example of how low humans can go.

ORIGINAL: bbbf

There is a famous post-war Japanese film which deals with cannabilism among their troops.

Mostly these events happened in locations where they were absolutely starving - New Guinea, Burma and China. Remember Japanese logistics were appalling at the best of times.

Another sad example of how low humans can go.

Right, most of known cases were in part where Japanese troops had no more food in New Guinea and Burma. Most of the cases were Japanese easting Japanese corpses.

There may some cases where it was ritual cannibalism (eating liver of powerful foes) rather than hunger. Especially in Pacific Islands.

First let's point out that the general rule is that "attrocities" are committed by all military organizations in all wars" ...

Yes, Japanese cannabalism was practiced by the military in WW2.

Two sources I grabbed off my shelf in the first few minutes of looking.

Tanaka, Yuki, "Hidden Horrors - Japanese War Crimes in WWII",chapter 4. Tanaka focuses on the post-war allied tribunal's investigations and trials. He breaks victims down into 4 categories: Japanese, Allied, Asian POW, indigenous population. Sources Tanaka quotes seem to have the pattern that Japanese sources indicate Japanese were primary victims. Australian sources indicate Australian ( soldiers ) were the primary victims. Tanaka does not specifically discuss detailed evidence of US flyers being victims.

Russell, Lord, "The Knights of Bushido", chapter 12. Russell gives detailed evidence of a case involving an American flyer and showing text of a written order for eating of human flash. Presumably this evidence comes from a USN tribunal run by the USN Commander of Guam and the Marinas in 1946. This chapter also gives evidence that cannabalism was institutionalized at least in some areas partly based on a literal interpretation of the widespread ( for example by Tojo ) use of a word that apparently translates to "Beastly" in speeches referring to the enemy [ implying the eating of beasts is not the same as the eating of real people ].

But regardless, these events happened 60+ years ago ... and bad things happen in wars ... and hopefully we aren't proposing to model this in the game !

But regardless, these events happened 60+ years ago ... and bad things happen in wars ... and hopefully we aren't proposing to model this in the game !

"SLDR Smith-Robertson shot down, and is CAPTURED, and EATEN!"

EatenInAction. EIA...
Sounds reasonable enough.
From memory I remember a story from Toland's "Rise and Fall of the Japanese Empire" (I read the translation so don't exacty know the original title, but I can't be far of with this). It was about a IJA sqad or something in the PI in '45. They were cut off, alone (not even 10 of them), and decided to scavange for food in enemy bases. Anyway, starving, their "commender" of maybe better, "elder", started proposing they eat the sick guy that had malaria and was slowing them down. He had dreams of the sick guy being served to him by lovely young girls as it was totaly normal. The funniest thing is that only he and the sick guy (of all people) were the only survivors. The sick guy had nightmares about him all his life and would break down at the mere mention of his name.

Just think, for every ten allied a/c shot down over a Japanese base, the supply level goes up 1 point.

Kinda reminds me of a T-shirt I bought at a Grateful Dead show at Boreal Ridge (ski resort in the Sierra Nevada right off I-80): the shirt's logo was a bear (one of the symbols used for the band) sitting at a table with a knife and fork and said "The Donner Party." It was the only rock'n'roll T-shirt that my mother ever appreciated...

I would imagine that if you're hungry enough you'll eat anything. They could have run out of grenades for fishing. There were reports that it took years for the fishing industry in the Pacific to recover from Japanese dynamite fishing.[:D]

ORIGINAL: Halsey

I would imagine that if you're hungry enough you'll eat anything.

Or anybody. Must be the originating reason for the DSC (delicious service cross).

Red or white with that, do you think?

Pass the A1 please![:D]

I hear it tastes like chicken - but maybe that only applies to French dishes...

I do believe we are the other other white meat.

ORIGINAL: pasternakski

I hear it tastes like chicken - but maybe that only applies to French dishes...

Naw - I've often seen it referred to as "Long Pig", so it'll be Pork. Needs to be cooked thoroughly...

Are we into enough bad taste now, or do we need go any further? [;)]

Hi, I want to know. Do you use chop sticks or is it considered alright to use your fingers?

ORIGINAL: Mogami

Hi, I want to know. Do you use chop sticks or is it considered alright to use your fingers?

According to cannibal tradition, the hands are the tenderest and tastiest parts. Gives a whole 'nuther meaning to "finger food"[X(]