A JAPANESE HISTORY OF A RECENT WAR.*
T1TE joint authors of this history of the Chino-Japanese War claim fairly enough to be the first in the field with an attempt to give a full, comprehensive, and correct account of the war- fare waged between the two Eastern Powers, but one cannot say that their work approaches the standard of European military histories. The dominant note is betrayed even by its title, Heroic Japan. It is little more than a glorification
of the Japanese soldier, and makes no pretence to describe the strategical operations of the campaign. Military readers will gather no instruction whatever from its pages, while the general public, we fancy, will find in them more subject for amusement than amazement. The simple naivete of the authors rather disarms criticism. It does not seem to have occurred to them that there could be any interest in the war except in the conduct and gallantry of the Japanese com- batants, and they present their one-sided view of the struggle with the utmost good faith. It would appear that Dr. Eastlake is the partner responsible for the general scheme of the work, and that his Japanese collaborator, Mr. Yamada, undertook the task of verifying all the facts and stories which Dr. Eastlake succeeded in collecting. Originally these facts were derived from the Japanese newspapers and magazines, until reference to the naval and military authori- ties proved them to be, for the most part, either unfounded or incorrect. We are told inithe preface :- " Immediately on learning the real situation, the test of rigid and impartial criticism was applied to what had already been laboriously compiled—with the result that one half had to be expunged and the other entirely re-written. The authors have often groaned in spirit on learning that what they considered their best bits' were untrue or not borne out by the facts. And we must give the utmost honour to the Army and Navy depart- ments for their excellent conduct in this contest. Time and again have they had the authors ruthlessly strike out stories that had found ready credence the Empire over and been quoted and requoted in the columns of the foreign press at home and abroad. Nothing has been published but actual fact; fact abundantly proved and amply supported by many witnesses."
It is sad to learn that the Japan newspaper is so untruthful, though, no doubt, there is consolation in the rigid honesty of Japanese officials. So anxious, indeed, were the latter that only truth should prevail, that, according to the authors, some portions of this work had to be rewritten no less than six times before their desire for strict exactitude was satisfied.
We are not at all disposed to dispute the trustworthiness of a history written under such conditions, and yet we must confess that it has failed to inspire us with the same exalted idea of Japanese heroism that is entertained by its authors.
They wish to prove "that the qualities of martial heroism, implicit soldierly obedience, unflinching sense of duty, noble unselfishness, and deathless courage are to be found in the Empire of Japan." They are to be found in a greater or less degree in every country in the world, but there is no reason to suspect that Japan enjoys a much larger share than others because she has obtained a series of rather easy victories over the incompetent defence of a demoralised foe. "Withal," they add, " there is one phase of bravery which seems peculiar to this country. It is this, and this alone, which we have tried to emphasise, and thus bring to the notice of the world." We have care- fully considered the abundant instances of courage upon which the authors have laid emphasis, but we are still at a loss to know what this peculiar form of heroism may be. The discipline and military virtue of the Japanese Army were rendered more conspicuous by the lack of both amongst their foes, but until they have been put to the crucial test of defeat one would hesitate to characterise them as extraordinary. There does, indeed, seem to have existed among the Japanese a patriotism which found its expression quite as much in high-flown words as in actual deeds ; but because the words are wanting among other nations it does not follow that the patriotism is absent also. The propensity of Japanese Generals and soldiers to make speeches is certainly peculiar to their country. Not even the Generals immortalised by Thucydides were more verbose on the eve of battle. There is a rather quaint similarity between the ancient Greeks and the Japanese in this respect, and it may well be that the similarity goes deeper than the outward
• Heroic Japan. By P. Warrington Eastlake, Ph.D., and Yamada Yoshi.alri,
LL.B. London : Sampson Low, Marston, sad Oo. expression of sentiment. To turn to the actual narratives— or " storiettes," as the authors are pleased to call them—of individual prowess, there are at least one or two which, unless they escaped the careful revision of the naval and military authorities, seem to lack a little explanation. Take, for example, the tale entitled by the authors " A Quaint Capture " .- " After the storming of the Laot6-shan forts—to the West of the Port—Takahashi Tokichi, a reserve second-class private of the Third Company, Second Regiment, followed Lieutenant Teroda Keitaro around the foot of the hill on which the forts had just been taken. At 8 30 a.m. the Lieutenant descried a small steamer at anchor off the coast, and ordered Takahashi to go and capture it single-handed. Flinging off coat and shoes, Takahashi at once sprang into the water, though it was icily cold, and apparently sure to stop him before getting far out. But the bold swimmer succeeded in reaching a small boat, in which he made his way to the steamer and captured it single-handed, despite the fact of there being a number of Chinese on board. The steamer's name was the Gujungo."
Certainly a remarkable feat to be performed by a naked and unarmed man, by the side of which the taking of Lungtunpen, as recorded by Private Mulvaney, is dwarfed into insignifi- cance. But in spite of the circumstantial character of parts of the narrative, one cannot but feel that some not unimpor- tant details have been omitted. Why did the Lieutenant bid Private Takahashi capture a steamer single-handed, and what kind of resistance did " a number of Chinese " offer to their daring visitor P Most of these " storiettes " become a little vague at the precise point where they should be most clear.
We are invited to admire Lieutenant Tanabe, because he " fought like a lambent flame over the ground." If we remember rightly, Mr. Rudyard Kipling describes a gorgeously dressed player as flickering like a lambent flame over the polo-ground, but the same kind of conduct in an officer commanding his troop on the battle-field does not appear altogether appropriate. We are not very favourably impressed, moreover, with the touching description of a parting between an Admiral and one of his Captains, when the latter was despatched upon a service of some little danger. Nor can we share the author's enthusiastic admiration of the kind-hearted Japanese soldier who picked up a Chinese baby and carried it on his shoulder through an assault on the enemy. If there were any danger in making that assault, it would have been better for the baby to have left it lying where it was found. Of the bravery shown by the Chinese themselves the authors have nothing to say, except in the case of Admiral Ting, to whose stubborn heroism we are glad to see they bear generous testimony. The truth is that the endurance, courage, and discipline of the Japanese troops were never very hardly tried ; and the authors are not acting very wisely in emphasising this fact by exaggerating the importance of the few occasions when these qualities were put to the test.
Nevertheless, their book is not without interest, as it is certainly not without entertainment. One may derive from it, at least, some idea of the immense strides made by Japan during late years in the way of European civilisation. In wartime a nation is seen at its best and at its worst, and it is evident that the best of Japan, from the point of view of humanity, is very good indeed, and may bear comparison with the best of any other nation in the world. The Red Cross Service seems to have been admirably organised and carried out, and the treatment of the wounded, not only Japanese soldiers, but Chinese prisoners also, left nothing to be desired. In that respect the Japanese have every right to show a justifiable pride. Their anxiety, however, to do as Western nations do is sometimes a little amusing. Other nations have war-songs, and Japan must have her war-songs too, of which, and of the accompanying music, the authors furnish some examples. We fancy these martial poems must have suffered a little in the translation, for the strains do not seem particularly inspiriting. " His Majesty is waiting," sings one Japanese Tyrtteus, "and there are Golden Kite medals for those who win merit in the War. Strive to win this mark of Imperial favour. Establish the peace of the Orient ; do your duty ; and, mindful of the Imperial Will, return in triumph to Japan." It is curious, by the way, to note how potent a factor in Japanese patriotism is the filial duty owed by a subject to his Emperor and a son to his parents. The authors quote innumerable stories of Spartan mothers who solemnly devote their children to the Emperor's service.
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