Researches on the Oral History Narrated by Taiwanese Soldier Dispatched by Japanese Militarism in Siberian Concentration Camp A Case of Lai Xing-Yang, an Taiwanese Imperial Japan Servicemen

• Main Authors: SU，YONG-YING, 蘇詠瀅
• Other Authors: YANG,MANG-CHE
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/a82svn

碩士 === 國立臺北教育大學 === 台灣文化研究所 === 106 === Abstract A forgotten history concealed a group of innocent life who were exploited by Japanese Empire and escorted by Russian army to concentration camp in Siberia… The story took place in 1943, or just right before the Japanese Empire was going to be defeated, for the successive setback in warfare, the Japanese rulers took advantage of militarism and obscurantism, as well as the obscurant education in public school, to lure by gain or compel the Taiwanese to voluntarily fight for Japanese emperor and obey orders from Japanese military strategy. The soldiers, armymen’s family, and volunteer then were produced under the deceiving scheme. Ethnic Taiwanese imperial Japan servicemen who die in battle or apprehended in concentration camps should be ignored by Japanese Imperial, much less the death pension. At that time coincided with 228 Event, a domestic town-cleansing movement in Taiwan, they had to rely on themselves painstakingly struggling to return home in peace. This crowd of innocent people, since the very day to enlist themselves in military service, had handed over their destiny to the Japanese Imperial; they didn’t know fight for whom, where to go, and what course to follow? No one could give them an answer, and no one dare to ask. They could only pray Gods in temples to secure an amulet and comfort their fidgety minds. As their prospects were bleak, could they return in life? No one could give them a firm reply. Under such a separation between loved ones in life or death, who could experience their families’ intimate emotion? Who compiled all these tragedies? Who chose these innocent people to perform with? To themselves, who should be liable to these elapsed days? These survived soldiers (ethnic Taiwanese imperial Japan servicemen) were trained by Youth League, as the third-stage navy volunteer, and dispatched to Shanghai, then, transferred to Wansan Port (North Korea) after twists and turns, serving as logistic soldier at the airport in home front of Japanese Empire. They prepared the supplies of bombshells and bullets for Japanese warplanes at the place without any update, unloading guns and ammunitions from airplanes and cleansing gun barrels On Aug. 15, 1945, the eve of Japanese Empire announcing surrender, the Japanese soldiers in Wansan area had stood facing army for one day and one night without a single fire. Aug. 13, they witnessed the Japanese military officer defecting and flying a warplane back to Japan, then, the whole area was occupied by Russian army. On Aug. 14, Russian army ordered them to hand over firearms and congregate all personnel to form into groups, then, transported to Siberia concentration camp, on foot or by ship, without any provision supply; they could only temporarily stop to drink water in ponds or paddy fields and eat the rice stolen from the airport granary--- they survived. From Oct. 1945 to the early of 1949, they lived by “No work, no food” for more than four years in Siberia. During these days, the one and only condition that Russian army could supply food is healthy enough to work. Russian provided no more than iodine, alcohol, or aspirin for those who were injured or sick; these medicines were taking over from Japan; thus, injury or sickness could only be relying on their strong body and resolute volition to recover. The jobs in concentration camp (labor-correctional period) included the logging, mining, building railway, or working in farms; two meals a day, hence, hunger became a constant status. The bitter cold weather, as an ordeal, severely tested those who came from subtropical Taiwan to Siberia. How difficult it is for these fighters with strong vitality and volition can return in peace… .