Showa 1939-1944 A History of Japan

Showa 1939-1944: A History of Japan author Shigeru Mizuki continues his autobiographical and historical account of Showa Era Japan. This volume covers the final moments of the lead-up to World War II and the first few years of the Pacific War, a reminder of the harshness of life in Japan during this highly militarized epoch.

In Showa 1939-1944, Mizuki writes about the impact on the Japanese populace of world-changing moments, including the devastating Second Sino-Japanese War, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the first half of the Pacific War.

On a personal level, these years mark a dramatic transformation in Mizuki’s life, too. His idyllic childhood in the countryside comes to a definitive end when he’s drafted into the army and shipped off to the tiny island of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. His life becomes a constant struggle for survival, not only against the constant Allied attacks but because he must face the harsh discipline of the Japanese army officers. During his time in Rabaul, Mizuki comes to understand the misery and beauty of the island itself – a place that will permanently mark him and haunt him for the rest of his life.

By Shigeru Mizuki.