The National Broadcasting Company and its affiliated stations present The Pacific Story. [♪triumphant music playing on radio and radio in background.] In the mounting fury of world conflict, events in the Pacific are taking on ever greater importance. Here is the story of the Pacific and the millions of people who live around this greatest sea. And the drama of the peoples whose destiny is at stake in the Pacific War. Here is the tale of the war in the Pacific and its meaning to us and to the generations to come. [♪triumphant music playing on radio and radio in background.] Tonight's Pacific Story comes to you as another public service with drama of the past and present and a special message from Colonel Frank Kurtz, famed pilot of the bomber, the Swoose, and his famed wife, Margo Kurtz. [♪triumphant music playing on radio and radio in background.] High and low shall be of one mind, and social order shall thereby be perfectly maintained. That is the Japanese way of saying that if you know what is good for you, you will think as we wish you to think. Any other thoughts are dangerous thoughts. Today, after years of this thought control, the Japanese think as they are directed to think. And therein lies one of their great powers. The United States would not permit us to emigrate. The United States tried to keep us from getting raw materials. The United States has tried for years to ruin Japan economically. These are some of the directed Japanese thoughts. And here are some more. The United States tried to keep us from developing a fleet. The United States tried to block our expansion. The United States tried to destroy our trade in Asia. These are the thoughts that the government wishes the Japanese people to think. All other thinking is suppressed. And the suppression of dangerous thoughts is the special job of the police. I am a descendant of the samurai. That is what many a tough Japanese police officer would say if he would talk. That's one police officer that you cannot buy off. That's what foreigners who know the Japanese police officers well would say. They're not only tough themselves. They come from a long line of toughs. For centuries that cop people have been using spies and informers to get information. When they can't get it that way, they use torture. That's what observers would tell you. The Japanese police are very efficient. I mostly inspect your house, please. The police regularly inspect every part of the house. Then they ask questions. The names of all who live in this house, please. What do these people in your household do for a living? What is each one interested in at this time? Have you had any guests since my last visit? What are their names? Has anyone in this house been away overnight since my last visit? The periods of inspection and questioning are routine. And supporting the police is a complicated spy system. And supplementing them both are secret societies. For more than half a century, secret societies have played an important role in controlling the thoughts of the Japanese. We must build nationalism. This was Toyama, the powerful head of the Black Dragon Society. Toyama, as far back as 1892, had his own way of building nationalism. We could see that your candidates are erected, Mr. Matsukata. Mm-hmm. And what would you ask in return, Mr. Toyama? Two things. After we have secured the erection, we should expect the government to adopt a strong foreign policy. Yes? And to appropriate more money for the army and navy. That could be managed if we were secured in office. But how could your organization make sure of the election? Your cabinet would listen to reason, would it not, Mr. Matsukata? Unquestionably, Mr. Toyama. Mr. Toyama had a technique for election day. I don't dare go near the polls. Look at those ruffians. Oh, you know why they have started that fight? The ones they are beating did nothing. The ruffians are going to make sure that the vote goes as they wish. Look out. They are coming over here now. Oh, oh, here comes the police. Here comes the police. All right, all right, you two. Come along over here. We did nothing. We only came here to vote. Right over this way, both of you. Why are you attacking us? We did not vote. Those were the ones who started the fight, those ruffians. Never mind them. Get over here, quick. After Toyama's agreement with the cabinet, the police were used to see that the election went the right way. The ruffians in civilian clothes who stirred up the fights were not molested. Those who came to vote found themselves in the hands of the police. Many innocent Japanese were killed, many wounded. Matsukata's candidates were elected. It was the bloodiest election in Japanese history, and it marked an epoch, a way of doing things in Japanese affairs. With this attack upon the people, thinking Japanese saw what lay ahead of them in politics, in thought control, and in the formation of national policy. Liberal elements were to be suppressed. What the people were to think and how they were to act were to be determined by those in power. By the time of the Tokyo-Yokohama earthquake in 1923, the police had become an active tool of this policy. Open up! Open up! Open up! Open the door! What do you wish? You are Professor Onagi? Yes. What do you wish? Take him, Kenji. But I have done nothing. But I have stayed in my house all through the earthquake. Your house will be searched for, say, this is our literature. Now get him out of the way, Kenji. Search every room in the house. Bring out all his books and papers. Where are you taking me? I have done nothing. The earthquake gave the police the opportunity to search for what they called criminal thoughts. From this time on, the relentless drive to control all thought continued. The government issued orders. Confidential. Three million yen will be spent to wipe out dangerous thoughts and to improve the minds of the people. A detective system will be established throughout the schools to watch the trend of thought among students. This was the confidential information. Soon it was translated into action. Effective at once. This study of politics is forbidden in the middle schools. The boys were to be taught what the powers wished them taught and nothing else. Effective at once. The instruction of a university of students in political thought will be taken over by the police. Police and their spies kept a close watch on university students, particularly the brighter one. The receptive mind is our greatest danger. Ideas cling to them like steel to a magnet. It is therefore necessary that all large gatherings be policed and all meetings of the intellectuals supervised. No dangerous thoughts were to be given a chance to fall upon fertile soil, nor to grow if they did fall. Effective at once. All students will be given periodic examinations to determine if they have dangerous thoughts. Those found with such thoughts will not be permitted to develop into readers. But it may not be possible to determine through these examinations if a student has dangerous thoughts. The examinations will only be part of it. One with dangerous thoughts will somehow, somewhere speak them. We will have monitors to check on them. Even monitors will not be enough. We will see that there are informers in each group around those suspected of dangerous thoughts. And those with dangerous thoughts will not be awarded diplomas. And without a diploma, the individual will be unable to win promotion. The year after the great earthquake, the Japanese made capital of another event, the adoption in the United States of the immigration law against Orientals. Down with America! Hate everything American! A frenzied mob gathered in front of the United States Embassy. Signs and banners against the United States were held high over the milling mass. Japan must never forget the July 4th when America inflicted in a terrible insult upon us. Cut down the American flag! They're moving down! They're moving down! They're moving down! They're moving down! The flag was dragged down, a hostile attitude was fomented against foreigners. All foreigners are inferior to Japanese. This was the line of thinking that was advanced. But more actively, the Japanese took steps to see that all foreigners were watched as never before. And the next year, they put teeth into their thought control by passing what is known as the Peace Preservation Law. Under this law, enforced by the police, anyone guilty of thinking anything but the prescribed thoughts could be arrested. You are a student, Awagami? No, sir. I did not finish university. Were you a good student? I won many honors during my first three years. Ah, yes. Why did you not complete your education? I wanted to, but somehow I was prevented from finishing. Ah? Who prevented you? I do not know, but I was not permitted to finish. Could it be that you were not acceptable because of your activities with a society such as this one you have been trying to organize? I have not been trying to organize a society. Have you ever talked about a society? I have heard talk about it. Well, I never paid much attention. What did you hope to accomplish by such a society? I had nothing to do with the society. Ah, then the society was actually formed. Well, I... What were the aims of the society? I only heard the others talking about... about conditions. The others? Who were they? I do not know. For your information, they are all under arrest. They are being questioned now, as you are. And those who speak would, of course, be most fortunate. Now, what were the objects of the society? I do not know. You know the penalty for criminal thinking can be death. But I do not know. Take this man into this squad room and find out the objects of the society. Those suspected of dangerous thoughts were swept up wholesale. Thousands were caught in the dragnet. So many thousands that wholesale trials were suggested in order to save time and meet out proper justice. The police and their spies were everywhere. What the people must think had been made clear. Those who dared to think otherwise stood out like sore thumbs. And 60,000 of these were rounded up in the three years from 1933 to 1936. By this time, Manchuria had been invaded and occupied and pacified. Now Japan was looking ahead to its war on China. While the police continued their systematic and ceaseless control of criminal thought, other Japanese turned their attention to what the populace must think. War is the highest ideal of humanity, the father of culture and the mother of creation. This was a statement of the War Ministry. World observers in Japan saw the meaning behind it. You know what that means, Weldon? It's pretty obvious. You mean that Japan's headed for another war? Yes, but it means more than that. It's another evidence of the way the Japanese are cementing themselves into one purpose. What's important is that the rest of the world realize how desperately dangerous Japan is. I know something about that, Ames. They're a team. They work together. Yes, look at them in school or in the factory or on the playground. The individual is nothing. The team is what counts. What it really amounts to is that every Japanese is being taught to work with every other Japanese for the Emperor. Yes, and those who dare to think or act as individuals will be rubbed out. That's what the War Ministry means when it says all ideas of internationalism or individualism or liberalism must be eliminated. That means us too, doesn't it? We're not Japanese. But we're in Japan. And you can be sure that the proper people know everything we do. Foreigners, as well as Japanese, were constantly under the surveillance of the police. The chambermaids who cleaned their rooms, the men who waited on them in restaurants, the boys who ran their errands, the loiterers in theater lobbies. All were in touch with the police. In some cases, there was a go-between. Yes, this is the Fujiyama Employment Service. How can I serve you? Your people are all trained? Yes, sir, and all experienced. I will need a room boy. Room boy? Yes, sir. I shall have him at the police station for instructions within the hour. In addition, I shall need three men. But none of these must know the other. Three men? Yes, sir. I can take care of that too. The boy was assigned to a hotel where the foreigners lived. The first man was assigned to watch the boy. The second man was assigned to watch the first man. And the third man was assigned to keep an eye on all three. Soon, they showed results. Excuse me. You are Mr. Harrison Ames? Yes. You will accompany me, please, to the police station. Police station? What for? The inspector wishes to speak with you. Just a routine matter, Mr. Ames. Of course, but unfortunately I have an appointment in a few minutes. Suppose I drop in tomorrow, say, about noon. I am afraid that will not be possible, Mr. Ames. I say this is very awkward. I have an appointment with Ross Weldon, the American correspondent. You are welcome this way, please. Now, Mr. Ames, you know that Heinrich Stammer, the German minister, is visiting in Tokyo? Is he really? You know that he is stopping at the German embassy? You're telling me. Mr. Ames, do you recognize this? Yes. The dispatch I sent out about Stammer coming here on a special mission. Who told you he was in Tokyo? Who told you he was here on a special mission? Oh, come now. Every correspondent has his sources. The name of your source, please. You realize that no official information has been released on the visit of Herr Stammer? Has any order been issued against mentioning Herr Stammer? Who informed you of his recent movements? Now, look here. I might ask, who informed you that I'd sent out this dispatch? I've sent out hundreds like this during my years here in Tokyo. We are not discussing how we got position of this dispatch. I can tell you. For the past several weeks, you've had half a dozen informers watching every move I've made. If I put my room in order, the waiters will serve me in the dining room, the men who... This, sir, this should convince you of your foolishness in trying to deceive us. You will save yourself trouble by telling the name of the one who gave you the information about Herr Stammer. Who was it? There is nothing to tell. We will decide that. Who was it? Who was it? Who was it? Who was it? I'd like to talk with the chief of police. Your name and credentials, please. Yes, right here. Weldon's the name. Yes. What is the nature of your business with the chief of police? About Harrison Ames. Unfortunately, the chief of police is not available. Uh-huh. Okay, then let me talk with Ames. Ames, who is he? He's the Britisher. I understand that he was picked up yesterday and taken here. Ames, we have no record of anyone named Ames under arrest here. He was to have met me at the hotel yesterday. I just found out that he was arrested on the way to the hotel. Sorry, we know nothing of anyone named Ames. What charge are you holding Ames on? If a man is not here, how could we be holding him on charge? You know, don't you, that under the 23rd article of your national constitution, that you can't hold a man after sundown of the second day unless you file a specific charge against him? We know this very well. Good day. Ames was not permitted any contact with the outside. The beatings went on. He refused to give the source of his information. Under Japanese law, he could not be convicted until he confessed. And until he confessed, no specific charge could be filed against him. And unless a specific charge were filed against him, he would have to be released before sundown of the second day. But the Japanese had a way of handling this too. Come with me. Are you going to start all over again? This way please. Where are you taking me? Out the back door. You are now free. So letting me go? Yes. Go now. Excuse me. You are Mr. Harrison Ames? Yes. Yes. I'm Ames. You are under arrest. You will come with me. Ames was hurried into a waiting automobile and driven to another police station. There he was thrust into a small cell with 11 other prisoners. I... I can't believe this. I can't breathe. You are standing on my foot. Get off me. Stay away from me. You are insane. Stay away. Who have they got you in here for? I... I don't know. How long have you been here? I... I don't know. Days. I can't remember. Are Harrison Ames? Yes. I'm Ames. You will come with me. What are you going to do with me? It started all over again. Who gave you the information? Who was it? Who was it? Before sundown of the second day, Ames was again released, again arrested and taken to the different police station and put through the same routine. This continued until influential foreign officials were able to prove that he was at a certain police station, that he was being held illegally. He was released unconditioned that he leave Japan at once. As indirect representatives of the divine emperor, the police can do no wrong. And as they control dangerous thoughts, they also promote what the Japanese leaders call spiritual power. The spirit of the Japanese race is invisible. Because we have this spiritual power, we will always win. The police see that this line of thinking, evolved by the leaders, is conveyed to the masses. They see that the masses are saturated with it. So well has this been done that today the average Japanese mirrors this thought. The United States is responsible for the war. Supporting this line of thinking are many reasons, all cleverly woven together. Did not the United States try for years to destroy Japan without going to war? And then on November 26, 1941, give us a note of medium. The average Japanese was surprised and shocked to learn about Pearl Harbor. But soon he was provided a justification for this too. Japan honor was at stake. We have no other recourse but to strike the enemy. It was for the good of the world. By the time of Pearl Harbor, the average Japanese had been conditioned to the demands of war. When his sons went, the police again played an important part. When will your sons leave? Both of them will leave tomorrow. Perhaps they will earn the honor as heroes killed in battle to have their ashes perpetrated forever in the Yasukuni Shrine. If they must die, we pray that they will earn this honor. There is one factor, a new development. About my sons? Oh yes. Modern battle is more violent than ever before. It is sometimes not possible to bring back the bodies so that the ashes may be preserved. We understand. To be certain that you have something that might be enshrined at Yasukuni, we advise you to take rocks of hair and pieces of fingernails from your sons before they leave tomorrow. The police and their spies and informers are the active force that control the thought of the Japanese. But far more dangerous are the leaders whose policies the police enforce. Why should we worry about our numerical inferiority in manpower? The spirit of our men will pierce through even steel and rock. Japan's leaders for generations have worked to eliminate individualism, to promote collective action, to regiment their own 100 million people so that they move as one overwhelming force. Today the Japanese stand together with a formidable, indomitable spirit. In the present leaders of Japan, world observers see the gravest threat to any possible peace. Right now, the powerful leaders are preparing the Japanese people for a spiritual victory, which will convince them that they have not lost the war. Unless these leaders are effectively dealt with, they will be the spearhead who will keep alive the spirit of aggression and will eventually make another, more vigorous bid for world domination. ["The Star-Spangled Banner"] Again this evening, the Pacific story is presented in behalf of the Sixth War Loan to remind us that we have only six days left in which to make the campaign a success, Pacific story presents Colonel Frank Kurtz and his wife Margo. You remember both Margo and the Colonel as the hero and heroine in that great story, Queens Die Proudly. Colonel Kurtz was the pilot of the B-17 called the Swoose. His wife is the girl he called from Java that night as the Japs were rushing in. Since then, he has commanded a heavy bombardment group in the European theater, flown 60 missions, and has just arrived home with 19 decorations. Margo Kurtz is the author of a new book entitled My Rival, the Sky, which will appear next spring. Pacific Story is proud to present Margo and Colonel Frank Kurtz. Go ahead, Margo. You're the co-pilot. Take over. My heart, too, is an old battleground scarred by the struggle that has so often occurred between hope on the one hand and bitter despair on the other. My mind flashes back to three years ago tonight. Where were you and what were you doing, Frank? I was at Clark Field, Manila, picking up one by one the lifeless bodies of my boys who had been bombed and strafed without a chance to fight back. And in the days and weeks following, the Swoose and her crew and her sisterships were surely and gradually beaten back from the Philippines on past Celebes to Sumatra, Java, and finally to Australia. All the while, the original bomber force was being depleted ship by ship, crew by crew. I can tell you, Americans, what Frank was thinking and feeling through all those days and weeks. It was a constant and never-ending question. What has happened at home? In God's name, aren't the folks at home going to help us out? Believe me, our current Sixth War loan is so important. If the quotas are met and oversubscribed, it will be a shout that will carry over all the oceans to every American boy, telling him that he's back to the limit, that he's our champion, that we'll never let him down. But if we should fail, then what? I assure you that every soldier, every sailor will interpret it to mean that he's stranded, left alone, forgotten. Please, America, don't let that happen. As Frank has so often said, we're in the day-by-day business of dying. Please, let us here at home engage in the day-by-day business of buying, buying war bonds. Frank, there's so much more I could say, but what about you? As far as the men overseas are concerned, I believe you've gone directly to the point, Margot. I believe that war has never been described. It's just simply too overwhelming for little things like words to cope with. But in addition to a lot of other things, such as pain and fear and cold and absolute weariness, war is despair. It's the despair of never seeing home again. It's the despair of not being able to see the end. You hit the enemy again and again, yet he's always there. You think, won't he ever give up? So under those conditions, you have no idea what torture it is for the man in combat when he gets the idea, real or imaginary, that the people back home are letting him down. The buying of war bonds is just like a letter from his girl or his wife or his mother. It's a tangible something that tells him he's not forgotten, that he's being backed up, that the folks at home are planning on his return. Believe me, I'd hate to think of what the reaction would be if the GI newspapers should carry the word that this sixth war loan had failed. Right now, so they tell me, the sale of bonds to individual buyers is not as it should be. We have six more days to convert this potential failure into a victory. America, I hope you won't let us down. Thank you, Margot, and Colonel Frank Kurtz. Music You have been listening to the Pacific Story, presented by the National Broadcasting Company and its affiliated independent stations as a public service to clarify events in the Pacific and to make understandable the cross-currents of life in the Pacific Basin. A reprint of this Pacific Story program is available at the cost of ten cents. Send 10 cents in stamps or coins to the University of California Press, Berkeley, California. To repeat, a reprint of the Pacific Story program is available at the cost of 10 cents. Send 10 cents in stamps or coins to the University of California Press, Berkeley, California. The Pacific Story is written and directed by Arnold Marquis. The original musical score was composed and conducted by Thomas Peluso. Your narrator, Gain Whitman. This program came to you from Hollywood. This is the National Broadcasting Company.
