Search - Horror in the East on DVD

Excellent look at transformation of the Japanese Army betwee

Mike Allensby | 09/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Horror in the East" is a 2-part BBC documentary attempting to explain why the Japanese Army turned from being a westernized, "civilized", military which treated its prisoners well during WWI into the brutal military which fought against the allies in WWII. It is not intended as an account of the Pacific War or a detailed documentation of the numerous atrocities committed by the Japanese. In terms of achieving its aims, it is admirably successful. During the First World War, the Japanese Army followed an Imperial decree that captured prisoners were to be treated with respect. Subsequently, with Japan's withdrawal from the League of Nations and its turning its back on the West, it developed a highly militaristic culture which emphasized brutal, inhuman discipline among its vastly expanded army. Wanton abuse of subordinates was encouraged among the ranks. The humanistic aspects of the Code of Bushido were deliberately downplayed or removed from the military code of ethics. Its most violently belligerent parts were promoted instead. This together with its adoption of a racist policy similar to that of its Nazi allies made for its total conversion from the civilized army the allies had known and fought alongside during WWI to the barbarous army they encountered during WWII. It is an excellent 98 minute documentary which comes with 2 other hour-length documentaries, one on The Indian Army and its contribution to the war and the other, on the War in Burma, also known as the Forgotten War."

Good points and bad points but worth seeing

Gunnarbabramson | 06/29/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Usual British treatment of WWII in Asia and the Pacific is typically extremely myopic and narrow in scope in that the War in Europe was obviously their primary focus during the war and remains so in historical retrospectives. When the Asia-Pacific Theatre is dealt with I find that most time is spent portraying the Japanese, to a man, as ultimately unknowable, opaque, and rapacious automatons whose high degree of self-sacrifice on the battlefield and their frequent abuse of Allied POWs is stated but simply taken as a given but Japanese conduct - nasty though it often was - is never really explained. While this episode had other flaws admittedly it did at least try and give background to the behavior of the Imperial Japanese Army in particular from 1941-45. Ultimately though, the theme of the episode has mostly to do with Japan's treatment of POWs from the opening scenes while other aspects that colored the actions of the Japanese military during the War and before (as far back as the Meiji Restoration of 1868 when the Imperial government and armed forces were established) are glossed over. Japanese domestic politics, the effect of that politics on Japan's decision to invade China first with the Manchurian Incident of 1931 and later with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 1937, as well as a more thorough examination of the motives Japanese Imperialism in general from the 19th century to 1945 are largely alighted. To have really done the huge multifaceted and thoroughly fascinating subject of Japan's role in WWII justice the producers ought to have thought of doing a multi-disk episode - unfortunately I fear this is all we get on Japan and probably not much more on the Pacific Theatre as a whole. Again though, such cursory treatment of half of WWII is largely a function of any British documentary which neccesarily will have a Brits twist on past events as well as a typical Brits idea of what events are of greater importance. Doubtless, however, more could have been done on the topic.



Now for the good points. Though the episode limits much of its focus to Japanese wartime atrocities rather than other topics noted above it does depart from ill-informed assumptions made by British documentarians about Japanese wartime behavior in past productions. The episode notes that the Japanese treatment of German POWs during WWI was quite good (though no mention is made of Russian prisoners during the Russo-Japanese War who also were treated well but this a small matter - at least they made a point that needs making more often) and was at odds with the kind of treatment given Western and Asian POWs after the 1930s. The standard explanations are given for this change in attitude toward prisoners (Emperor worship, resentment of predatory Western Imperialist powers, the shame of surrender - notwithstanding the fact that these factors existed in Japan its armed forces during the same time that Japan entertained its earlier benevolent treatment of war prisoners) but at least they indicate that there was indeed a change.

I also appreciated the widespread use of Japanese veterans and historians who actually give voice to the Japanese side rather than hearing their Allied opponents give their second-hand opinions of the Japanese side. The interviews of Asian victims of Japanese atrocities was a nice addition as well and one that is all too often missing from most documentaries though no mention was made of Unit 731 or Japanese bio-warfare experiments in China. Nevertheless, the prisoner issue, while certainly deserving of coverage, was just one part of Imperial Japanese military history in the first half of the twentieth century. While this episodes excels in a few narrow areas it is not nearly comprehensive enough. World at War had several episodes on Japan which I beleived filled out the topic much better and gave it the attention and scope which it is due.

I actually found the bonus documentaries on Burma and Indian troops during WWII to be very good however. In these cases though, the producers were examining the war as it related to people and places of the British Empire and in so doing were coming at the subject from a much more informed and nuanced vantage point."

Worthwhile, esp. for the supplemental material

Robert D. Harmon | Mill Valley, CA | 10/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've done considerable research on Japanese occupation in WWII and can affirm that the main feature is a rare and illuminating look at Japanese conduct and mindset behind these abuses, something that Ken Burns' recent "The War" series only touched on. This documentary takes a rare look at the brutalized training of the Japanese soldier, a factor in the abuses in the China and Pacific wars. The documentary also examines the Japanese Army's forced suicides of civilians on Okinawa, the subject of a current (Oct. 2007) controversy over school history texts there.



The interviews with British survivors and Japanese participants is an important, if chilling, contribution to the historic record. The location photography is effective and haunting, but does not distract from the main point.



However, I would add that the two supplemental features, BBC programs on "Forgotten Volunteers: The Indian Army" and "Burma: The Forgotten War" make this DVD a must-have for the history-minded. The Indian Army that served the Allied cause seems to have had little coverage or appreciation since WWII, and the documentary also mentions the Indian National Army that fought on the Japanese side. The Burma feature covers a little-mentioned but bloody chapter in WWII, particularly the defense of the Imphal/Kohima stations just over the border in India, as well as the battle at Mandalay. Given the current interest in the Myanmar/Burma uprising, this segment provides at least some history, and recent footage, from that troubled land."

Superficial, But Worth A Watch!

Ernest Jagger | Culver City, California | 12/04/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A better treatment of this subject matter is needed. During the Second World War, when the Pacific Theatre is mentioned, we are usually given a very simplistic viewpoint of the Japanese soldier during the war. What is needed is a much more in-depth view of the Japanese soldier; not as obedient automatons, but why the Japanese military behaved in the manner in which it did during the Second World War. The brutality of the Japanese soldier, which the video clearly shows was absent during World War One, in regards to Germans POW's during the First World War, and more importantly, the Russian prisoners during the Russo-Japan War, [which is not mentioned in the DVD] should be addressed in a more detailed study when comparing Japan's change in behavior during the subsequent years leading up to, and during World War II.



Moreover, when dealing with a subject matter of such importance, 100 minutes of documentary footage is way too little to devote to this all too important subject matter. There just isn't enough time to devote to all the major topics this type of documentary demands. Trying to tackle this subject in such a short time span means too much is left out. For example, the 'Rape of Nanking' is only given superficial treatment. Plus, there is little mention of Japan's use of chemical and biological agents used in China. However, the bonus program of Burma is a welcome addition to the DVD. I recommend the DVD, as a supplement to the war, however, the definitive DVD has yet to be made. [Stars: 3.5]"