What's new

Need help on my Japanese characters...

gwendy85

~*Proudly Mestiza*~
30 Aug 2005
130
1
28
Hi guys!

As a few of you may be aware, I'm writing a novel on World War II. And I really need some input on a few of my characters:

CHARACTER # 1
(1941) A 19-year-old fresh graduate from an undisclosed high school in Tokyo. He is already betrothed to his childhood friend (the love of his life) and is excited to go home to his home island of Yaku. While in school, he receives the draft card. He is upset but tries not to show it when he goes home. Then, before he and his fiancee could get married, he is escorted out of the island and back to a training camp for his subsequent assignment to another country.

My questions are:

1. Is the situation above plausible?

2. Where would this training camp be and what would the setting be like? I read about something in the Kanagashima prefuncture (forgive the spelling)?

3. Of course, he will be a Private, right? Are Privates entitled to letters or only postcards from home? What about things like pictures, toiletries etc. sent from the family via mail?

4. What month and season do Japanese boys of this age graduate at the time?

5. How does one get from Tokyo to Yakushima during this time?

6. What were the school uniforms like back then?

7. How long would my character be staying in training camp?


CHARACTER #2
(1944) A naive sixteen-year-old who originally went to flight school, sucked, and later, enlisted himself into the Imperial Army to become a soldier so he could work alongside the man he looked up to like a brother, as well as fulfill his boyhood dream of becoming a soldier. He falls head over heels in love with a girl but once the superiors got wind of his knowing how to man a plane, they send him to become part of the Kamikaze corps. He is left with a choice: be with the woman he loves or uphold the honor of the nation he loves. The choice will be mine, as I am the author. LOL! 😊

My questions are:

1. Is the situation above plausible?

2. Did Kamikaze pilots get to write letters before they rode off into the skies? How would these letters be sent?

3. What bandannas were used? I saw there were two: the Japanese flag today and that of the rising sun. So which was it?

4. Did the pilots have (oxygen???) masks on while on the plane? But they did have those goggles (???) right?

Appreciate the input guys. Thanks 😌 👍
 
If you tell me what school you have #1 going to, I'll tell you the exact uniform.

Hehehe 😌 This is exactly why I made it "undisclosed". I don't know in what school to put him, as I don't know what schools in Tokyo were open around 1936-1941. But it's a prestigious school. Do you know any?

Thanks for replying 😊
 
CHARACTER # 1
1.In those days,Examination for conscription is 20 years old.
2.The student was exempted from the draft.
A student soldier is from 1943.
3.A military service period is two years in the army.
The navy is three years
4.The draft enters a local regiment.
If he is from Yakushima, I think that it is the 45th foot soldier regiment of Kagoshima.
5.A postcard is censored.
Letters from a regiment to a family are possible.
 
Thanks a bunch for this info!
But...er...Character #1 is a fresh graduate, so, he's not really a student. So...maybe I'll have him receive the draft card after he graduates? Plus, he has quite a build: 5'8", broad shouldered, muscles here and there (not too bulky, but enough to register admiration) and he can be mistaken for 20.
 
In Japan, there is a copy of a person's family register,
It is impossible to falsify age.
Japanese examination for conscription is done in May from April of the age that became 20 years old.
The draft joins the army on January 10 of the next year when inspection passed.
Therefore character #1 joins the army at 21 years old.
But a volunteer can consist of 17 years old.
 
In Japan, there is a copy of a person's family register,
It is impossible to falsify age.
Japanese examination for conscription is done in May from April of the age that became 20 years old.
The draft joins the army on January 10 of the next year when inspection passed.
Therefore character #1 joins the army at 21 years old.
But a volunteer can consist of 17 years old.

Whoa! Thanks a bunch for all the wonderful details! Ive been looking for these for ages! Guess I have much to revise in the first few chapters of my book.

And a person can volunteer? What processes do they have to go through? I have another character, who's 17 years old (the youngest in the group of friends). So...he has to volunteer? How long would it be before he is accepted to the army?
 
also, my character #1 will be among the troops sent to the philippines, under Lieutenant General Tsuchihashi (I forgot what his unit was). If it's not in Yakushima, where should my character originate for him to be sent under the above?
 
A career of Tsuchihashi Yuitsu.
From January 1, 1891 to May 31, 1972
September 1, 1905.
Kumamoto Army district military preparatory school.
Entrance to school.
July, 1908.
He is a graduate from the school.
September, 1908 1.
Army center military preparatory school.
A core course.
Entrance to school.
May, 1910.
I am a graduate from the school.
June 1, 1910.
The 37th foot soldier regiment.
Assignment.
December 1, 1910.
A military academy.
Entrance to school.
(the 24th).
May, 1912
He is a graduate from the school.
December 24, 1912.
Second Lieutenant foot soldier.
He is belonging to the 37th foot soldier regiment.
September, 1915.
He is belonging to Tianjin foot soldier corps.
December, 1915 25.
First Lieutenant foot soldier.
October, 1916.
The 37th foot soldier regiment return.
December 1, 1917.
The army University.
Entrance to school.
(the 32nd).
November 22, 1920.
He is a graduate from the school.
April 10, 1921.
A duty officer belonging to General Staff Office.
November 22, 1921.
Captain foot soldier.
April 1, 1922.
A member of General Staff Office.
April 1, 1923.
I am belonging to General Staff Office
A foreign language school.
Entrance to school.
April 1, 1924.
He is a graduate from the school.
July, 1924.
French residence.
December 1, 1924.
The League of Nations
Japanese empire Army representative
A follower.
December 1, 1926.
The military duties station
Staff.
(a military section).
August, 1927.
A foot soldier major.
August 1, 1930.
The first foot soldier regiment
A battalion commander.
August 1, 1931.
Lieutenant Colonel foot soldier.
The military duties station
Staff
(a military section).
August 1, 1932.
A member of General Staff Office.
October, 1932.
The League of Nations
A temporary general meeting
A Japanese empire representative department
A follower.
March, 1933.
He went back to his own country.
August 1, 1934.
Military section upper grade staff.
August 1, 1935.
Colonel foot soldier
The 20th foot soldier regimental commander.
August 1, 1937.
A military officer belonging to French embassy.
July 5, 1938.
A major general.
August 1, 1939.
The 21st Army
The chief of staff.
December 1, 1939.
General Staff Office.
Director at the second department.
April 29, 1940.
Order of the Rising Sun.
Order of the Rising Sun - Wikipedia
Order of the Golden Kite
Order of the Golden Kite - Wikipedia
October 25, 1940.
Dispatch Army to China
Vice Director of department of staff officer.
August 25, 1941.
A lieutenant general.
September 15, 1941.
Divisional commander the 48th (Taiwan Army).
December 19, 1942.
Orders of the Sacred Treasure
The conferment.
Order of the Sacred Treasure - Wikipedia
October 1, 1943.
SYOSHI (the best rank with the common people).
November 22, 1944.
Commander Indonesian garrison
December 20, 1944.
The 38th military commander.
(Saigon).
June 3, 1950.
Demobilization.
http://imperialarmy.hp.infoseek.co.jp/general/colonel09/tsuchihashi002.html
His book
"A memory of military uniform life 40"
http://refsys.ndl.go.jp/hito.nsf/cd...d2a691bd07250f2649256c9b00386284?OpenDocument
 
Back
Top Bottom