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The Burdens of Survival: Ooka Shohei's Writings on the Pacific War
9780824844202

Author / Uploaded
David C. Stahl

Table of contents :
CONTENTS
Maps
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE Memoirs of a Burdened Survivor
CHAPTER TWO Fires on the Plain
CHAPTER THREE Lady Musashino and In the Shadow of Cherry Blossoms
CHAPTER FOUR The Battle tor Leyte Island
Conclusion LINGERING OBLIGATIONS
APPENDIX: SELECTED WORKS BY ŌOKA SHŌHEI
NOTES
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX

Citation preview

THE BURDENS OF SURVIVAL

D A V I D

C.

S T A H L

THE BURDENS

OOKA SHOHEI'S WRITINGS ON T H E PACIFIC WAR

U N I V E R S I T Y OF HAWAI'I PRESS HONOLULU

© 2003 University of Hawai'i Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America 08 07 06 05 04 03 654321

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Stahl, David C. The burdens of survival: Ooka Shohei's writings on the Pacific war / David C. Stahl. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8248-2540-3 (cloth: alk. paper) 1. Ooka, Shohei, 1909—Criticism and interpretation. 2. World War, 1939-1945—Literature and the war. I. Title. PL835.05 Z88 2003

895.6'35—dc21

2002012309

Cartography by Bradley Corr University of Hawai'i Press books are printed on acid-free paper and meet the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Council on Library Resources. Designed by Trina Stahl Printed by The Maple-Vail Book Manufacturing Group

"Our memory repeats to us what we haven't yet come to terms with, what still haunts us." K A I ERIKSON

"Man is the being who is capable of becoming guilty and is capable of illuminating his guilt." MARTIN

BUBER

"Without a working-through of guilt, however belated, there [can] be no work of mourning." ALEXANDER AND MARGARETE

MITSCHERLICH

"And it's carrying through that responsibility [to the dead] via one's witness, that survivor mission, that enables one to be an integrated human being once more." ROBERT JAY LIFTON

CONTENTS

MAPS

viii

•

INTRODUCTION

•

1

1. Memoirs of a Burdened Survivor . 14 2.

Fires on the Plain

3.

Lady Musashino and In the Shadow of

• 96

Cherry Blossoms • 146 4.

The Battle for Leyte Island • 211

CONCLUSION: Lingering Obligations • 320 A P P E N D I X : S E L E C T E D W O R K S BY Ò O K A S H O H E I NOTES

•

•

ÒLI

337

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

•

•

363

367

vii

200

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