Description:

JAPANESE SOLDIER'S DIARY AND NOTEBOOKS
Fascinating group of documents belonging to HARUO TOYAMA, a Japanese soldier of Okinawan ethnicity. The principal item in the collection is Toyama's diary, a remarkably well-preserved 3" x 5", 170-page record of Toyama's life in 1941. According to the partially translated diary, Toyama was a gifted student at the Third Okinawa Prefectural Middle School in 1941, training himself to become a soldier. Entries include praise of the Japanese Emperor and attending various military training exercises, including "martial arts" and "training in shooting, bayonet, fencing and fighting". Toyama also records news of Japan's early war victories, including PEARL HARBOR: " [Dec. 7] ...War between Japan and America, the day supposed to come did come. Must fight all the way. Hit the devilish America and England. Everyone was excited at school, air raid on Honolulu...". Additionally, Toyama reports news that, " [Dec. 13]... Germany and Italy declare war against America. Unmarked plane bombs New York..." According to a December 13, 1941 article in the New York Times, Japan had incorrectly reported that unidentified planes had bombed the city and closed the stock exchange. Included in the lot is an additional notebook in Japanese, a tattered soldier's handbook showing first aid and other skills, and a superb set of notes pertaining to aviation and artillery skills. The aviation sketches appear to depict a kamikaze attack on a naval vessel. According to a note written in English on its first free end page, the diary [and most likely the other documents] was recovered in a "...'Foxhole'... NAGO OKINAWA APRIL 20, 1945", which would place place Toyama in the unfortunate position of trying to dodge Allied fire during the Battle of Okinawa. Various conditions; although all covers have significant wear and damage, they have still managed to remarkably preserve the inner pages.

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May 14, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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