MURDER: Japan's Prisoner Hell Ships of WW2 - Forgotten History
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- Опубліковано 27 чер 2024
- During World War II, Allied POWs had to endure many dangers and discomforts, from torture, exposure to harsh weather, disease, forced labor, starvation, even execution. This was especially true of those prisoners who fell into Japanese hands. But there was also another horror that few people know about, as it is rarely discussed, and is also a story of friendly fire and tragic casualties that could have been avoided. It was in fact hell on the high seas. Written and Hosted by Colin D. Heaton. Forgotten History is a 10th Legion Pictures Production.
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About us: Host/Military Historian/Film Consultant/US Army and USMC Veteran - Colin Heaton
www.heatonlewisbooks.com
Screenwriter/Director/Producer/US Marine Corps Veteran - Michael Droberg
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www.10thlegionpictures.com
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-COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1976
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allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. #forgottenhistorychannel
My grandpa was a POW in Japan during WW2. He was with the Canadian army and was captured during the Battle of Hong Kong. He ended up in Japan working in a nickel mine. He had lifelong medical conditions due to the torture he endured while a POW. He kept a diary of the food they were given, written on toilet paper, which he gave to the Canadian government when he returned. I have no memories of him because he passed when I was 1.
And the Treaty of San Francisco prevented Americans held as P.O.W.s from suing Japan for compensation.
A British soldier who was interviewed said they had to sign something on the ship on the way home, to say they wouldn't talk about what had happened to them as POW's
This was just too hard to watch. RIP those souls lost.
Dear God. My respect grows for these men more and more as i watch your video's. Thank you again for continuing to remember these brave men.
Let all those young men find peace!! They made the ultimate sacrifice!!
Understand the WW2 attitude towards the Japanese better now...
Almost never discussed is the Japanese so-called medical Unit 731 which performed unspeakable experiments on their victims which would have made Dr. Mengele appalled. They were utterly devoid of any empathy.
We have a video on Unit 731
But yet they are recognized for their ancient culture. Culture of sadism and total lack of humanity.
That fame always goes to Germany 😢
Lost family on Arisan Maru: Major Arlie W. Higgins, US Army.
My wife has a great uncle who got to be on the Oryoku Maru and was transferred to the Enoura Maru where he was supposedly shot by the Japanese while trying to escape the ship after it was hit. He had been in the 95th coastal artillery on Corregidor. I can’t imagine the hell he went through. The family never knew what happened to him. I am sharing your video with them. Thank you for making it.
Glad to help. We appreciate the sharing.
boat that had 1,200 australian/ new zealand citizens just found off philipines.- it sunk bu u.s.a. sub in 1942 gong from new Guinea too japan- Yanks assummed it Jap troopship but was P.O.W. transporter.
Remember, Japan still does not teach it's students of these actions
And they’ve NEVER officially repented of their actions.
@@lifemasterkris1865and now thier bought US STEEL .WTF?
Neither does Germany or US for that matter. I did not learn of the Hell Ships until in my forties and that was by accident because of a war buff buddy and Gavan Daws book. As a child there was only the movie "Three Came Home," I watched with my mom who hated the Japs. But the movie was Hayes Code, censorship compared to "Prisoners of the Japanese."
In 2007, Letters From Iwo Jima movie was a #1 hit for 10 weeks because the Japanese population was shocked that battle was never mentioned.
@@MangoTroubles-007 Eastwood lost his shirt on flags but made it up on letters putting it in Japanese. He's offensive to the Marines and to corpsmen, a punk who sold out to the nips. When my parents were alive, if he made this movie he would never make another one.
Forgotten History is an apt name for your channel. The atrocities and war crimes committed by the Japanese don’t have the same notoriety as the Holocaust, but were every bit as bad as, if not worse than, the Nazis. In terms of cruelty if not body count. Thanks Colin!
The sheer amount of horrors the Japanese committed during WW2 is conveniently forgotten when trying to dunk on the US for the atom bombs (which plenty of warnings to the government and locals were given prior)
That's true and luckily the Japanese didn't have gas chambers like in Europe
Another part of history that gets little attention on, good work in showing this.
My Jr.High teacher read true stories of American GI’s that had lived out months & years in Japanese POW camps, eventually liberated by Allies.
Their treatment while confined was savage…
"Humans"
Don't mean to quote a comic book villain but the Joker said it correctly we are a power outage away from being animals.
Again caught my morning commute. Thanks Colin Heaton!
Any time!
Now this is legit forgotten history. Thanks for this wonderful presentation Colin. Knew nothing about the Wahoo incident 😮
I have heard of the Montevideo Maru though from a article written by Michno in the magazine series Wartime published by the Australian War Memorial.
BTW you should do a show on the Sandakan Death March, that’s a war crime that is seriously deserves more coverage please 🙏
I know of it, great suggestion thanks.
Horrifying facts of war. I remember reading through and looking at the pictures of world war books and magazines that my parents subscribed to.
👍
What a horror! We were blowing up ships that had our guys on them because we had no way of knowing they were transporting prisoners of war. Imagine surviving a battle where you are captured by the enemy and abused and then crowded onto a ship with terrible conditions with sick and dying fellows on it and later on the ship is attacked and sunk and you are stuck on board, and then die of drowning
Horrible indeed
I can only imagine but I think there were maybe some who would've thought when they heard the sirens "F these Japanese. Sink us all and send them to hell."
Maybe a few.
Not most. There had to be some.
Brutal and heartless treatment. God Bless all those poor souls. The WWII generation were truly heroic and selfless.
Truly a tragedy!
Thank you all for not letting it be forgotten!!!
It needs to be brought to light but I can't watch anymore. It's too horrific.
Really history that is not reported. Thankfully it is saved in these documentaries.
It's so sad how we treat one another
My uncle, Richard H. Mayberry, was a pharmacist’s mate on the USS Canopus, AS-9. He survived the Bataan Death March, only to die trying to get food and medical supplies to thr other POW’s in the Oryoku Maru’s hold. The survivors were liberated by the U.S. Marines 7-10 days later, around Christmas Day. My uncle’s killer, (he was bayoneted, & left to bleed out on deck) was pointed out and executed on the spot. My uncle, who I never met, recieved the POW medal, Purple Heart, and a Bronze Star. From the accounts if his fellow POW’s, he was a caring, dependable, resourceful guy who was well liked. There’s a documentary that’s been stalled since COVID, I haven’t seen any recent progress on it.
The Japanese go on about Nagasaki and Hiroshima, but purposely have amnesia when such things as the 'hell ships" and the ways POWs were treated. I do not condone dropping atomic bombs on Japan, but I am more so appalled by the Japanese treatment of their POWs. They did not sign the Geneva Convention, however that was no excuse for how they abused, starved, and killed POWs, not to mention forced slave labor. They have never apologized to China for their Manchurian invasion and the The Nanjing Massacre or the Rape of Nanjing. Japan today remains an ally of the U.S., and forgiven of their sins by the world. Considering the mess the world is in right now, that is comforting.
"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." -Proverbs 12:10
Never in my life have I heard a Japanese person "go on" about Hiroshima or Nagasaki. I've heard many Americans complain that it was unnecessary, but never a Japanese person.
@nonamenamenamenone That's personal bias your anecdotal experience means absolutely nothing unless you've met every Japanese person alive
Every country on Earth commited some " attrocity" what would happen if they apologize? Nothing
@@Ohnonono123oh don't get it wrong they are Japanese people who do complain about it they are what we call revisionist. But most definitely there are plenty of Americans that talk about the bombs were unnecessary I'll be about a god damn damn I wonder if they would say the same thing if we were to drop the nukes on Germany instead which we were supposed to do simultaneously along side the nuking of Japan but Germany fold like bitch. And I guarantee you every American that says the bombs were necessary for Japan would beg to differ when it comes to Germany I just don't pay them people no mind
The more I learn about "the evil Empire of the blood Red Sun" Japan, during WW2 and in the years before WW2, the more I'm astounded by their obscenely insane evil sadism and cruelty. They killed far more innocent civilians than the Nazi's did.
Thank you for the upload. Very informative and taught me something that I didn't know about.
This was a tuff one Colin especially, in light of current world dynamics...
I remember reading a memoir by a survivor of a hell ship while in high school.. the experience these poor men suffered was gruesome beyond belief. One of the horrible things he witnessed was a son strangling his father to death for his pitiful portion of water. 😢
This is the sacrifice for freedom! This is why we can walk around in freedom now. Never let the sacrifice be forgotten or unappreciated. I personally never forget, and I personally greatly appreciate my freedom! Freedom and liberty is never free!
At a local veterans memorial (Delhi, Ohio) there is a binder for those who died in war. One man was among those who died on the Arisan Maru.
It's that time, let's check it out.
I went to a U.S. "public" school, AKA "government" school. I'd never heard of this nightmare, until now. Colin, thanks so much for posting this. If it weren't for your channel, I'd not know real history at all.
Thank you kindly
I don't care how much I already know about a subject if Colin's putting out a video I'm watching it.
We appreciate that
The war generation hated the Japanese for their behaviour. The Germans were seen in a much more favourable light.
Mention Germany to any American and the first thing comes to mind is hitler. Mention Japan, what? Clever propaganda. Dropping the bomb eliminated the Kill the Emperor syndrome overnight and left Japan untainted unlike Germany that is forever nazi.
I’d like to see you do a series about Iran and how Jimmy Carter played a serious roll in changing the Middle East into what it is today.
I read the book, "The Forgotten Highlander", who endured all that, and survived the war to return to Scotland. As I remember, amazingly it resulted in giving him a lifelong addiction to rice!
Thank you Colin! We so very much appreciate your subject matter & your reporting of this information!
Much appreciated!
Now this is something I never knew about.
Thanks for watching.
My Great Uncle, Lawrence P. Morvan, was one of 400 U.S. Marines who were captured on Corregidor and sent by hell ship to Osaka, Japan, Tsuruga Camp "B". He was 17 years old at the time and was considered a "China Marine". While in China he "dated" a Russian Embassy workers daughter and she got pregnant, something he never knew. She tried to find him but he was reported as "MIA" until 1944. I now have relatives outside of Moscow. He was fortunate to be in a camp run by civilians as they were not as abusive as military run camps. He survived and was very kind to me as a little boy. He is the reason I became a United States Marine. RIP, Uncle Larry, I miss you.
As a kid in SF, and even then a WW2 study, I refused to visit the museum sub Pampanito. Not in anger of its crews but in reverence of its allied victims. Just me..
Thanks for watching
every year in Japan a small bell is rung on the anniversary of the atomic bombings that ended WW2. does Japan ever ring a bell for it's own war atrocities ?
Horrifying.....i remember an interview with a marine or seaman(i can't remember which)that spoke of the sheer brutality......again, horrifying
Amazing. I have never heard of this. Just goes to show what is not taught in history class (public school). Thankyou for bringing this to light. Evil is real and should fought on every front.
Someone else may have mentioned this, but I believe The Smother Brothers (Tom and Dicks) father was a Major in the US Army and was captured by the Japanese army, survived the Baateen death march only to go down with one of these FF incidents.
Have to check that out, unaware. Thanks.
Thank You for Your efforts Colin. Best Wishes to everyone.
Great video,...looking at a letter dated 12 Jan. 1942...instructions from Otori Shima (Commander of Prison Escort Navy of the Great Japanese Empire), "Regulations for Prisoners" 1. The prisoners disobeying the following orders will be punished by immediate death. a) Those disobeying orders or instructions. b) Those showing emotion of antagonism and raising sign of opposition. c) Those talking without permission. d) Those touching the boats materials, wires, switches, etc... e) Those using two or more blankets. etc, etc The buckets and cans used for "toilets" were hoisted up when filled, but frequently dumped on the prisoners "accidentally" by the Japanese guards above...Sgt Ernest G. Rogers Wake Island We need to stop and consider the sacrifice of these men..incredible.
I lived in Kagoshima in Japan. As a kid an old man let us in to see hiw WW2 paraphernalia. It was amazing, even his pistol, he never handed it back to the authorities!
Man I love this channel
Thank you for your support.
Grim, but educational and interesting.
Another great video, sir…enjoy the beautiful day
The Pacific War was a brutal, no-holds-barred fight, to say the least; this was just one part of that war. It's all on the Imperial Japanese. The Subs had orders to sink Japanese shipping, which they did; unless you mark the ships that have POWs on them, there was no way to tell. Kind of like the problem of the present day when some wag war but hide behind non-combatants, and the policy is for as many of them to die as possible. The Pacific War always got as much play as did Europe or, for that matter, Italy. Europe was seen as a clean war, I never understood that notion, but there it was. The Pacific was a hot, dirty, disease-ridden affair. In my opinion, the ones that fought in the Pacific had the hardest war with less material support since it was Germany first and all the aid that was needed to be sent to Britain and the USSR.
Thanks you for this very informative video.
Oh man this is brutal
I suddenly remember that Korean period movie Battleship Island.
I thank the US submarine crews that saved Australian pilots and men traveling in these hell ships.
What got me was after the war the United States didn't go after the Japanese for war crimes as hard as they did the Germans.
Japan always gets a pass. They actually showed the Nazis what they could get away with. Most know nothing of their sadistic work. Most pacific vets forgave, as the son of one, I never have.
A very important video
Thank You for making it
I hope UA-cam doesn't ban it.
Another terrible tragedy of war , few understand why it should be avoided at almost any cost. God rest their souls.😢
I had no idea. Thank you.
No problem!
It's no wonder this is never talked about. What soldier would ever surrender if he had any idea that this likely awaited him? Engagements would continue down to the last man.
Horrific conditions.
Kids, never surrender.
Nice video
Thanks
My father survived the entire pacific campaign 3rd 🥉 Div 4 Bronze 4 Silver including Iwo Jima only two of the original 3rd survived so I was told …. He watched victory at Sea and other history programs and would tell me how the history was actually wrong with the sequence that they hit islands in were different from what was told in the programs as or many other things they really don’t make them like that anymore .
No mention of Gavan Daws work "Prisoners of the Japanese," which I read 20 years ago. Why? He spent 10 years interviewing pow survivors. First time I heard of the Hell Ships, an incredible candid account, atrocity after atrocity. He mentions that the American officer pow's were the worst of the pow officers. One Hell ship had only American officers who killed each other drinking their blood and that never happened on any of the other ships with allied officers only American. He mentions that even after they surrendered they were still burning Airmen alive packed tightly in pig stys.They were considered war criminals. The American academy officers were the worst leaders more so than the reservists. It's Japan bashing. On the Bataan Death March, Japanese soldiers marched up and down the long line of Soldiers(a dead body every 7 paces) taking their wrist watches and WP class rings. If they could not remove the ring, they would cut off the finger. If you were caught with Japanese currency you were executed. I don't remember in Daws book him mentioning gunning the pow's in the the water. With the ship sinking, they must have had quite a HO to do that. One Dutch doctor was worth the whole AMA for treating tropical ulcers. If it was known that the pow's were aboard these transport ships, would they be sunk anyway? We will never know, regardless. Probably one reason why they were treated so badly after the war.
THANK YOU....I am a Veteran and salute you!
I have been a history buff of the world wars for a very many years. Thank you Dr Heaton for teaching me something new.
If I ever became a time traveler, watch out Imperial Japan.....!
Forgotten History rocks!
Wow, thank you
It's funny that my sister thinks that Japan is a gun-free, nonracist utopia
They are gun free at least
Tragic. Can you do a video on the huge camps made for German POWs after WW2? I read how many thousands of them starved in allied care.
The British treated the German POW's well , they used to try and surrender to the British as opposed to the Americans or Russians.
@@joanmatchett8100 "The Dark Secret of America’s WWII German Death Camps
By Richard Stockton", look it up
I'm not surprised by the great content, though I'm always delighted! Fairly new subscriber in it for the long run. I'd like to make a suggestion for your consideration. In light of recent events and the opposition of it's return due to what I believe to be improper information. Would you please consider doing a video about Francis Scott Key? It's sad how our history is under attack being removed, misinterpreted, re-written etc. it's feeling so strange these days and I truly believe a boost to the moral of the American spirit is needed desperately. We need more "The American Christian will die on their feet rather than live on their knees" G.W.
Great suggestion. We will consider
The Pacific War was far more brutal especially if captured by the Japanese who believe a soldier never surrenders
Hell would have been a Holiday ….
Imperial Japan’s cruelty EARNED those nukes and firebombings for their citizens.
Curious why WW2 Japan named ships like the Suez maru? And other geographic places...great video.
Because Japan captured many ships during the war or bought ships before the war and did not change the names.
Please do a video on Roman von Ungern-Sternberg
It’s macabre but fascinating. A strange guy in a strange part of history.
I couldnt watch this all the way through. All those men died and for what!!!????
My grand dad was on such a ship, taking him to Kuching POW camp
Really interesting history. I assume the Japanese were brutal in world war 2 but somehow the degree of brutality always surprises me.
Yes they really were trash. They’re kind of our friends now. But it ain’t been long enough yet.
As a Micronesian this makes me sick.
Great video, it would be mercy when the ships sank. I mentioned it before but would you be interested in covering the bombing of USS Cole? Not many folks know of this terrorist attack on a US ship in 2000
I like the Japanese people , and Arts .. but this is a sore spot, a shame upon the Japanese .... and as you say , the friendly fire upon Prisoner Transports is the real tragedy.
20 thousand died ..by friendly fire... terrible.
I believe you already covered this subject
No, we did a few on Japanese, but not this
😢 wow!
WE WERE TOO GOOD TO THEM AFTER THE WAR
During the Russo Japanese War I was told the the Japanese treated their prisoners humanely .
Yes, that was more or less true.
Read Michno book about the hellships, if you can stand it. Thanks for telling the truth.
As bad as the POW suffering had become, and it was horrible, we should remember that our 21st Century (tech advanced peace loving) Japan is entirely different from its WWII version counterpart. The USA should facilitate Japan's rebirth of military might, and their constitution should be revised to suit it.
My Lord how evil man can be & now they have learned more evil inhuman ways ,,, so very very sad . 😭🤦♀️🙏
So many things these days cause another embarrassment of being a human being, especially the past!❤
The Japanese generation responsible was never truly punished for so many war crimes.
War is a racket
Suggestion: Japanese unit 731.
That’s been mentioned millions of times
@@peanutrbuckle9123 I believe you. Colin must have a reason for not doing it. It is pretty horrific.
We have a video on 731
@@FORGOTTENHISTORYCHANNEL Awesome. Thanks.
1990 united states navy station in Yokosuka japan
Minnesota Starvation Experiment film
Thanks for watching
as far as brutality during WW2, the Japanese transcend the evils of the Nazi & Soviet regimes
Never heard of this, the Japanese were so cruel.
My mum's cousin was sunk and captured by the Japanese at Singapore and when he was transferred the ship he was on was sunk by a u,s, sub he survived the war
They should teach this in Japanese middle schools so they never forget
They are still unaware, they are taught nothing about their WW II history.
Humph, it seems that so much of our human time has been spent on ways to create suffering and hell on earth.
Not all of us are interested in creating war and destruction, some of us would really love to work together to build a stable future for all countries.
Looking back through history we can see that war and destruction has been too often the outcome, why can't we work together for the whole of humanity