Gathering Fragments of War: Receding Soldiers and Our Historical Practice

I have conducted research with an interest in 'connections.' In my book 'Sociology of the "Yokaren" Veterans Association' (Shinyosha, 2022), which was based on my doctoral dissertation, I explored the process of forming cross-generational connections among former child soldiers who survived the war. More than 70 years after the war, interviews with survivors alone are no longer sufficient. There was a need for the practice of searching for documents and photographs left behind by survivors who have already passed away.

Former soldiers are a minor research theme, but looking around, I found researchers of my generation pursuing similar studies. From those connections, the project for this edited volume began. This book was created by a group of 11 researchers who have explored war and postwar experiences by connecting with former soldiers in various ways.

For example, Keio University alumni Shuichi Tsukada examines the life and veterans association connections of Takanori Nakajo, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy who became a business elite at Asahi Breweries after the war. Miyuki Endo, who introduced her book in the "Writing Notes" section of the March issue of this magazine, wrote about the process of taking over the "Association of Non-War Soldiers," which was founded by former soldiers acting for anti-war peace.

Including the three editors, more than half of the authors were born in the 1990s. For example, Marika Tsukahara visited a memorial service for the battleship Kongo in search of clues about her great-uncle who died in battle, and Yuna Horikawa carefully organizes and deciphers the vast amount of notebooks and memos left behind by Siberian internees.

That war 79 years ago is now becoming history. However, through historical materials, objects, and secondary testimonies, it is possible to connect even with deceased survivors depending on the ingenuity and methods used. To that end, it is also important to share the experiences and practices accumulated by the postwar generations who have faced the war. On the other hand, it is also a time to think about what can be seen by maintaining a temporal distance. With that message in mind, for the keyword running through the entire book, I chose "historical practice"—referring to the act of connecting with the past in daily life—rather than face-to-face or direct "inheritance of experience."

I also took up my post at SFC in April, and my days are filled with new connections and stimulation. I have also begun fieldwork in Fujisawa City and learned that Tsujido Coast in Shonan was once a training ground for the former Imperial Navy and U.S. military, and that there were nine small underground bunkers dug by the military at SFC toward the end of the war. We just don't notice them, but fragments of war are scattered everywhere.

Gathering Fragments of War: Receding Soldiers and Our Historical Practice

Ryo Shimizu (Co-editor/Author)

Tosho Shuppan Migiwa

302 pages, 3,520 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.