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Post by okla on Dec 12, 2011 5:41:06 GMT 8
Hey Chad....Gotta agree with you about this photo being, in reality, a re-enactment. There is just something about it that seems "stilted" (for lack of a better word). The Japanese guards seem a bit too animated in performing their guard chores, doncha think. So many of the post Bataan/Corregidor capitulation photos have now been proven to be "re-doos", it makes all of these shots suspect. We now know that, probably the most famous pic of our Bataan POWS, was taken a couple of days after they were rounded up and sent North. I am sure you know of this particular photograph. It's the one where this rather large group is heading right into the camera with their hands raised. For starters, that many prisoners, on the march, wouldn't be required (even by the Nipponese) to trudge up toward Balanga,etc with their hands over their head. Gimme a break. I first time I saw this photo was 1943 in Life Magazine. Of course, back then, everybody took it at face value, but a few years ago one of those guys who survived the war, told the author of one of books dealing with POWs, etc that the photo was staged a day or two after their capture. He also identified himself in the photo. He's the tall, bare headed guy with black hair and a pretty good growth of beard, hands aloft along, with his fellow unfortunates. I don't know which one of my books has this info, but this ex-POW was adamant that the pic was staged. Your posted photo has an almost "Hollywood" quality to it, methinks. Is it possible that the photographer went on to bigger and better things, doing Japanese movies??? LOL. Cheers.
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Post by wwalker on Dec 12, 2011 10:34:36 GMT 8
Hey Chad,
Very interesting photo. I'm not so sure its a re-enactment, but its hard to say for sure. It appears that one of the three men on the ground is a Filipino soldier. These three men look to be getting a drink. Notice the man on the ground on the right holding a helmet that appears to have water in it. The soldier in the middle on the ground may be lapping up water directly from the stream. Or am I just imagining this?
As I'm sure many of you know, during the Death March these starved and dehydrated men encountered many streams of water in which some were not able to control themselves from racing to the water and drinking from it. Upon doing this they were subjected to beatings and in many cases execution by the Japanese. A beating is what it looks like these men are being subjected to in the photo. The Japanese soldier, second from the left, looks to be ready to use his rifle butt, as they often did.
In my own opinion I don't think this is a re-enactment, but its only my opinion. The photo looks real to me.
Will
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Post by okla on Dec 13, 2011 4:57:26 GMT 8
Hey Will...I still lean toward this being a re-enactment pic, mainly due to the clarity,etc of the shot. Nothing "grainy" about it. Almost like a "promo still" advertising an upcoming movie release. On the other hand the one thing that makes me consider it being "legit" is the fact that any Japanese propaganda photo I have ever seen generally depicts the invaders in what they might consider as a heroic posture or light. These guys sure as Hell ain't engaged in glorious or valiant activity. Abusing suffering Filipino POWs, attempting to quench their maddening thirst, would not fall into the Code of Bushido as I understand it and I make no claim to understanding same. This photo, whether a re-enactment or the real deal, shows the Japanese troops engaging in one of their favorite pastimes, Brutality to the helpless. Just my ongoing opinion of our former Pacific foe, resilient, tenacious, fanatical, brave and, for certain, brutal to the nth degree. Sorry for my rant, but I get on these kicks every once in a while when I view photos such as this one, whether a propaganda shot or not.  Cheers. |
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Post by wwalker on Dec 13, 2011 9:16:26 GMT 8
Hey okla,
Yeah, it could've been a staged photo. Its really hard to say. It would not surprise me either way. With all of the propaganda that was put forth by the Imperial Japanese during this time it makes it hard to know for sure, in some cases. Now, the "exploding" tank photo that Chad also posted, with the Japanese soldier wielding his samarai sword, thats definitely a staged photo, lol.
Will
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Post by chadhill on Dec 24, 2011 12:12:31 GMT 8
Karl, some time back you asked about the DM rifle memorial photo in Bagac (1986). I recently found a closeup of the inscription on it:   |
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Post by okla on Dec 25, 2011 2:04:00 GMT 8
Hey Chad...Thanks for posting. Lots of folks, who are students of the 1942 Bataan Campaign are unaware that the Bataan Death March wasn't confined to the stretch from Mariveles-Cabcaben northward, but also included the guys in I Corps who had to traverse the East-West route from Bagac to the Manila Bay Hiway and endure the same brutal treatment as did the II Corps and Rear Echelon troops.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Dec 26, 2011 19:49:51 GMT 8
Chad
Thanks for your reply. As you know I have a picture posted of the Zero Death March Marker in Bagac. But the rifle marker and the plaque must be a little closer into Bagac proper and I haven’t seen them yet. I will one of these days or years. The Zero marker is located where the road into Bagac leaves the Bataan West Road into town.
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Post by sherwino on Mar 13, 2012 17:49:45 GMT 8
I've seen this on several websites presented as an authentic Death March photo, but something about it strikes me as a reenactment. Any comments?  Hello, Sirs. The photo is staged. The Filipinos look healthy. I thought the soldiers are starving in Bataan for months. That's my opinion  |
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Post by EXO on Mar 13, 2012 22:19:45 GMT 8
interesting and valid comment. I also notice that there's not a single rifle pointed at these men, but away.
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Post by The Phantom on Mar 14, 2012 5:53:03 GMT 8
A couple of things..............
When during the Death March through Bataan would the prisoners be marched ALONG a stream of this size?
This was the height of a very dry, and an extremely hot summer in 1942.
They were kept to the roads on their march right? Going over the rivers they encountered. I drove the route of the death march at one time and so no rivers that big.
Look at the Japanese uniforms..........all look new, with all their gear intact, some fellas with nice new HATS.
They were pretty beat up after fighting in Bataan if I remember.
If the fancy HATS are officers there are to many of them for that size formation.
How about this was staged at a river in Pampanga, near one of the camps where the rivers were bigger than on Bataan............ with maybe even some healthy looking Philippine civilians forced to do dress up?
And how many Japanese troops, ( Korean or Formosan?) per 100 prisoners on the death march?
Looks like 8 Imperial troopers with how many prisoners in that photo?
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Cheers.
