During World War II, the Japanese army's individual combat capabilities were obvious to all, but the bullets on the battlefield were merciless and there would be casualties. However, most of the Japanese wounded were only slightly wounded, so where did the seriously wounded Japanese troops go?
In the early stages of the war, we went all out to rescue the wounded
During World War II, the Japanese army treated its wounded in two stages. In the early stages of the war, when the Japanese army had the advantage, considering that the attitude toward the wounded would directly affect morale, it would make every effort to rescue the wounded, and the seriously wounded would find a way to transport them back to the country for treatment.
Dong Shi Lang, a veteran of the Japanese army invading China, recorded in the "Diary of Dong Shi Lang" that they would send the wounded and sick to the rear for recuperation, and the daily food was diverse and exquisite, as well as a variety of recreational activities. However, after recovering from his wounds, he was required to return to the troops immediately to participate in the next military operation.
Why there are few seriously wounded Japanese troops in World War II, veteran memories help you unravel the mystery!
Higashi Shiro
Dong Shilang suffered from malaria while fighting in Shandong, and then was hit in the abdomen by the handle of his bayonet and was sent to Dalian for convalescence. He can eat canned oranges and food from Japan every day, can soak in hot springs, and can go out to watch movies and drink alcohol freely.
One of his comrades was envious, and in order to leave the battlefield, he cut his own arm, and from the wound he could see the green tendons beating. However, he did not get his wish, was denounced by others, not only slapped the chief, but also was not allowed to enter the rear for treatment.
Food for the Japanese army in World War II
For the soldiers who died in battle, the Japanese army had to take them back to their hometowns for burial, and after cremation, they packed the ashes in crock pots and brought them back from their fellow villagers. Because the Japanese troops are basically all concentrated units of soldiers in the same place, most of the soldiers of the same company are from the same place, and it is more common for comrades to bring back their ashes.
In some historical photographs, some Japanese soldiers can be seen carrying boxes wrapped in white cloth, which contain the ashes of fallen comrades. Doing so can build morale and make soldiers feel that the troops will not abandon them, so that there is no worries on the battlefield.
Japanese forces in World War II
Brutal killing of the wounded in the middle and late stages of the war
In the middle and late stages of the war, Japan's war environment deteriorated, resources were scarce, and the attitude towards the wounded underwent a 180-degree change, which can be described as inhuman.
In the battlefield, there will be accompanying doctors to treat the wounded, but Japan does not have a medical team to rescue the wounded, nor does it have systematic medical facilities, such as front-line ambulance stations, rear field hospitals, and the establishment of some rehabilitation hospitals far from the front line, etc., as for the supply of medical drugs, it is even more scarce.
For the wounded who were not seriously injured and could walk, the Japanese army would take them to the hospital for treatment and then continue to participate in the battle. For soldiers who are seriously injured and unable to move, they will not give comfort and medical treatment at the first time, but will take the following treatment methods.
The first is to abandon them on the battlefield and leave them to fend for themselves. The second is to shoot to end their lives, and sometimes they end their lives with a knife if they don't want to waste bullets. The third is to force the wounded to commit suicide and let them commit suicide by caesarean section until their deaths are confirmed. The fourth is to give the wounded a direct air injection to let the air enter the human body, resulting in sudden death.
Japanese wounded
Fifth, when the enemy is about to occupy the Japanese temporary hospital, the head of the Japanese hospital will begin to implement the "retreat plan" - that is, to kill all the wounded before leaving, or to leave grenades for the wounded and sick to commit suicide.
At the end of World War II, Japan was undermanned, and many soldiers were forcibly recruited from Okinawa, Taiwan, South Korea, Korea, the Philippines and other occupied areas, and there was no relief for injuries and illnesses from these areas.
Japanese soldiers from Taiwan in World War II
For this inhumane approach, the explanation given by the Japanese army is that the inability of the wounded to move will affect the mobility of the rectification troops; the treatment of the wounded will occupy the resources of the army and waste a lot of manpower and material resources; and the execution of the wounded can avoid leaking information as prisoners.
At that time, China's domestic medicine had been firmly controlled by the army, the Japanese army could not search for medical resources in the towns, and it was very difficult to transport them from Japan, so the Japanese army only brought a small amount of medicine for important officers.
In such a situation, the Japanese wounded often committed suicide by cutting their stomachs, believing in the spirit of "Bushido", believing that sacrifices were all glory and not afraid of death.
Treatment of the wounded in other countries
So, how did other countries in World War II deal with the wounded?
The US military treats the wounded with the most humanitarian spirit and will not give up easily. If one of the U.S. soldier squads is injured, even if it faces the danger of total annihilation, it will not easily abandon its comrades. If a comrade dies, he will try to bring the body back for burial.
U.S. medics rescue the wounded
Harold Gratri, a former Filipino colonel military doctor, was imprisoned for three years in Taiwan.
Describing his experience, he said: "American PRISONERs of war received better treatment than Japanese. In prisoner-of-war camps, American military doctors could take care of their own prisoners of war, while the Japanese army had almost no professional military doctors. For a long time, the only medical staff who treated the Japanese was a lay corporal, and later a sergeant, and the sergeant himself could only see him once or twice a year at most."
In the early stages of World War II, the Japanese army was still more responsible for the wounded, providing high-quality medical assistance for the wounded, and the seriously injured would find ways to transport them back to China for treatment.
In the middle and late stages of the war, due to the unfavorable war situation and lack of resources, the cruelty and ruthlessness of the Japanese army was not only manifested in the treatment of the enemy, but also in the comrades who depended on each other for their lives, and this inhumanity was rare in the countries of World War II.