If there is no verification of the things he said, then anyone can make such claims. The Los Angeles Times reported that Zamperini returned to Japan in a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. Yet, the Times wrote that, CBS, which had planned the Zamperini/Watanabe piece for more than a year, hoped to film the two in a moment of reconciliation, but it didnt happen on Zamperinis first visit., According to the LA Times, Zamperini did not want any bowing and scraping from Watanabe, he merely wanted to meet with him, and smooth it out for him and his family.. The corporal's name was Mutsuhiro Watanabe. Then there's the epilogue, which has so many twists and turns it feels like The Usual Suspects. down Mutsuhiro Watanabe, was renewing its effort, sending out photographs of and reports on the fugitive to every police chief in Japan. The book and film tell how the airman was tormented by prison guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe, nicknamed the Bird, who later featured in General Douglas MacArthurs list of the 40 most-wanted war criminals in Japan. Mediaite has uncovered a revealing 1998 interview on 60 Minutes with Zamperini and his torturer, Japanese Army Sergeant Mutsuhiro Watanabe, who died in 2003. But when I leave here today, believe me, I will look back, and I will never forget," Zamperini says. Wade, who was brought up in China, admits that if he were younger he might be tempted to take Watanabe up on the offer of a free hit. As the summer of 1945 swung around, the prisoners knew it would be their last summer - and not necessarily because the Americans were winning the war. But British POW Tom Henling Wade has also catalogued the cruelties meted out by Watanabe, who was known as The Bird among inmates, in a book of his own called Prisoner of The Japanese. He was obsessed with humiliating the famous Olympian, Louis S. Zamperini, by attempting to destroy his dignity, and to dehumanize him.The Bird was classified as a war criminal, placed 23rd on the most wanted list, by the US Occupation authorities for his mistreatment of POWs; along with several others such as the medical officer, a pitiless brute called Sueharu Kitamura, known as the Butcher. Watanabe severely beat Zamperini during his time as a POW, and was reviled among the American captives. Mutsuhiro Watanabe (,born circa 1918 - died April 2003), POW given nickname, "The Bird", was an Imperial Japanese Army sergeant in World War II who served at POW camps in funa, Naoetsu (present day Jetsu, Niigata), and Mitsushima (present day Hiraoka). Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. His wife - he had married a Miami woman named Cynthia Applewhite in 1947 - urged him to go to listen to a young preacher named Billy Graham. No. Watanabe initially worked for the Japanese news agency, Domei. One thing that gives Louie hope is the singing he hearsthe same singing as he had heard when he was on the boat. Zamparini mentioned in the interview that shortly after the war ended he wanted to return to Japan and exact revenge on his tormentor. Failed to report flower. I offered to give the British point of view but they did not reply. As stated in the closing titles, the real Mutsuhiro Watanabe refused to meet with Louis Zamperini, however he did agree to be interviewed for a TV program on the occasion of Zamperini's 1998 run in Tokyo. What makes Louis Zamperini happy? July 3, 2014. But Zamperini could not leave his past behind. Prior to the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, the CBS News program 60 Minutes interviewed Watanabe at the Hotel Okura Tokyo as part of a feature on Louis Zamperini who, four days before his 81st birthday, was returning to carry the Olympic Flame torch through Naoetsu en route to Nagano, not far from the POW camp where he had been held. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. ww2 cruelest Japanese Camp Guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe "The Bird" ww2, World War 2, Japan surrendered, atomic bombs, World history, War History, Shorts, The . He had five siblings, including his eldest sister Michiko. I was just in a great joy of complete release and liberation, he wrote in 1956, that I was not guilty., The modern, Japanese reactions to the Unbroken book and movie have been mixed and many hardline Japanese nationalists are furious about negative portrayal of the Japanese military. MacArthur never found him. Louie describes the barrenness of this camp, which lies just across the water from still-bustling Tokyo. I was obeying orders under Japanese military rule - I had to teach the prisoners military discipline.'. There have been many World War II stories told in film depicting triumphs of personal courage and survival. Mutsuhiro Watanabe was born on January 1, 1918 (age 85) in Japan. There is also plenty of eyewitness and forensic evidence of Japanese cannibalism of prisoners as well of fellow soldiers.. Mutsuhiro Watanabe, known to his relatives as Mu-cchan, was born on 1 January 1918 in Japan. This is Mutsuhiro Watanabe, whom Louie would later call "the Bird.". Once he made Zamperini hold a heavy wooden log over his head for over 37 minutes, at the end of which Watanabe punched him in the stomach. Very severe. What place did Louis Zamperini finish in the 1936 Olympics? camps, Zamperini's main problem was the physical abuse he was taking, including getting repeatedly punched in the face. How did the actors in Unbroken get so skinny? No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. He had served in the Army Air Force on a B-24 Liberator bomber that crashed in the Pacific in 1943 and survived on a raft for over a month before being picked up by a Japanese ship. [1] In 1956, the Japanese literary magazine Bungeishunj published an interview with Watanabe, titled "I do not want to be judged by America." Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew on flight to space station, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Good cop/bad cop: Solving the Heather Bogle murder, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death, Murder charges against Jane Dorotik dropped due to insufficient evidence, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh. At the age of 27, he settled at the Tokyo Headquarters Camp. Mediaite has uncovered a revealing 1998 interview on 60 Minutes with Zamperini and his torturer, Japanese Army Sergeant Mutsuhiro Watanabe, who died in 2003. Known to his family as "Mu-cchan" (4.23. Zamperini reported that Watanabe beat his prisoners often, causing them serious injuries. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. More planes were lost in ____________ than in combat. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. I am the fourth of six children of my father and mother, Shizuka Watanabe. 'As I rose he landed two more punches left and right on my head. In the Army Air Force during WWII, he was one of three who survived their plane's crash into the Pacific. He was a spoiled kid from a wealthy family. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. I can respect him for that but he went too far with the beatings and near torture. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Mutsuhiro Watanabe Interview - The Bird. However, activists hoping to convince Japan to face up to its actions during the war are angry that the experiences of Zamperini, who died in July aged 97, are being questioned. He was drinking heavily. Watanabe was classified as a Class-A war criminal following the war for his abuse of prisoners of war (POWs) held by the Japanese military. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. When did On Watanabe die? Mr Wade said: 'I would like to see the film at the cinema but perhaps I am too old now. He served as a bombardier in B-24 Liberators in the Pacific. In 1998, Zamperini returned to Japan once again to be a torchbearer at the Nagano Winter Games. He looked a perfect miler. 'He was an ebullient character and we liked him. Mutsuhiro Watanabe, known as the Bird to POWs, was a sadistic Japanese leader at two different POW camps, Omori and Naoetsu. In 1945, General Douglas MacArthur included Watanabe as number 23 on his list of the 40 most wanted war criminals in Japan.[1]. This is a carousel with slides. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Good cop/bad cop: Solving the Heather Bogle murder The only British survivor of the brutal Japanese POW camp featuring in Angelina Jolie's new blockbuster has revealed his own ordeal at the hands of the sadistic guard who 'crucifies' his victims. [3] Watanabe also appears in Dr. Alfred A. Weinstein's memoir, Barbed Wire Surgeon, published in 1948. 594. of all the fears the soldiers had what did they fear the most. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. training. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Watanabe openly admitted getting a sexual thrill from beating prisoners. The 81-year-old ran for a kilometer. Answer (1 of 5): Watanabe should not have been charged as a Class A war criminal. On Watanabe died in 1930. It didn't take long for the most viscous guard, Corporal Mutsuhiro Watanabe, who prisoners nicknamed "the Bird," or the "most sadistic man." The Bird said that he felt near sexual excitement. Mutsuhiro "The Bird" Watanabe Character Analysis. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. The second and third times were for telling a lie.'. Then he swung it like a baseball bat against the left side of my head and then the right. "[3] Zamperini forgave Watanabe and wanted to meet with him, but Watanabe declined the meeting, probably fearful of repercussions after some accusatory questions in the earlier press interviews. 'I watched the next blow all the way from his right trouser pocket. But he was famous, as was the fellow who beheaded the Australian coast watcher. And he isn't. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. There was an error deleting this problem. Some emails and online comments in response to Nicolas Gattig's Jan. 7 Foreign Agenda column, "Japan may shun 'Unbroken' just because it's old hat," about the Angelina Jolie film . Driven by a desire to feel powerful, Watanabe derives sexual pleasure and self-worth by using torture to dehumanize the prisoners. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? He was nicknamed by the prisoners as the Bird. He treated all prisoners cruelly, by beating, kicking, and choking them. Known to his family as "Mu-cchan" (4.23. . After the war was over, Watanabe was placed on #23 on the most-wanted war criminals list. [2] In an interview last year, Watanabe defended himself, saying that his behavior had been normal for a prison camp. Louie carves his name into the wall, beside the names of the other marines who have carved their names there. I can understand how Watanabe was trying to be a good Japanese. } Then he swung it like a baseball bat against the left side of my head and then the right. However, in 1952, the United States granted amnesty to Japanese war criminals, after which he emerged to become an insurance salesman. Adam Luck for MailOnline I wanted to call him 'The Snake' but an American said we should call him 'The Bird' and that stuck. They'd barely gotten their feet wet, when an American plane appeared overhead blinking its red lights, sending a message in Morse code. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Mutsuhiro Watanabe, the real-life Bird, was not captured when the war ended. Son of an adoring mother Shizuka Watanabe, he studied French literature at the Waseda University. ', Laughing, Wade added: 'He was not as fast as the three British runners who were there but he was good!'. Legendary historian Max Hastings wrote in Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45 about the shocking Japanese treatment of POWs that has horrified and fascinated Westerners ever since. In 1945, General Douglas MacArthur included Watanabe as number 23 on his list of the 40 most wanted war criminals in Japan. Angelina Jolies new World War II movie, based on Laura Hillenbrands bestselling book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, follows the story of Olympic athlete Louis Zamperini and the torturous treatment he received at the hands of his Japanese captors while he was held as a prisoner of war. Go to Japan. Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Japanese: , 18 January 1918 1 April2003) nicknamed "the Bird" by his prisoners was a known war criminal and Imperial Japanese Army soldier in World War II who served in a number of military internment camps. Bird of Prey. Watanabes favorite punishments included ordering some men to punch their officials in the head. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh This movie has no credibility and is immoral.. Zamperini was pummeled with clubs, belts, and fists, and on one occasion, was ordered to hold a heavy wooden beam over his head. Resend Activation Email. They have launched a petition on the website Change.org so far it has more than 8,000 signatures calling for the film to be banned on the grounds that it is contradictory to the facts. Unbroken was initially pitched as an Oscars contender, but Jolies latest film has so far received only lukewarm reviews. An apology can mean something and it can mean nothing but in his case it probably meant something.'. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Zamperini had survived. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Hillenbrand wrote about The Birds attitude toward his role in the war and brutal treatment of prisoners in her book: Watanabe would later admit that in the beginning of his life in exile, he had pondered the question of whether or not he had committed any crime. "[2], Following the Occupation, Watanabe became a life insurance salesman and was reportedly wealthy, owning a $1.5 million apartment in Tokyo and a vacation condominium on the Gold Coast of Australia. To English-speaking audiences, he is known for playing tragic hero characters, such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Letters from Iwo Jima and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in The Last Samurai, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.Among other awards, he has won the Japan . By Laura Hillenbrand That's the last chapter of Unbroken. Although Mac dies, Phil and Louie make it for forty-six days, at which point they are captured by the Japanese. Drag images here or select from your computer for Mutsuhiro Watanabe memorial. After drifting at sea on a lifeboat for 47 days, with two other crewmates, he landed on the Japanese occupied Marshall Islands and was captured. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. The novel's antagonist and the epitome of evil, Watanabe is the cruel and psychopathic prison guard who singles out Louie for emotional and physical torture. After being rescued from the water by enemy forces, both men became prisoners of war and were eventually sent to Japanese POW camps. The Bird in Unbroken was known to be ruthless and violent, and he especially targeted Louis. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. He was captured by the Japanese in World War II and subjected to years of brutal treatment. 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