Threats and Thanks in Post-War China
by Sgt. A.F. Dreves, C-1-1, Pacific Theater, WWII
It all started on November 2, 1945, my 22nd birthday (I was born in 1923. You do the math). I was in C-1-1-, 1st Division, and billeted in the old British Barracks in Tientsin. As most Marines in North China at that time, our duties consisted of guarding Japanese personnel and property, and preparing them for repatriation back to Japan.
On the night of Nov. 2nd, I was on Jeep patrol with my buddy PFC George Brown (now deceased). Our orders were to go to the Shanghai Cotton Manufacturing Company, Tientsin Mill, and see to the security of the Japanese civilians and a few old Japanese soldiers (they looked like 4F retreads). As I recall, this compound was about 5 or 6 miles out of town. It was managed by a Japanese gentleman by the name of E. Fujise.
It was early evening and getting dark when Brown and I arrived at the mill. The whole compound was enclosed by a wall (for security measures, I suppose). Lighting was at a minimum, just a few low-watt bulbs hanging from some old wire.
As we entered the compound, we were "greeted" by about 12 Chinese communist soldiers with rifles at the ready. We were armed with Thompsons and were quickly surrounded and ordered our of our Jeep. They wanted our weapons but no way were we about to give them up.
They spoke no English, and we very little Chinese. Somehow I made it clear that I be allowed to talk to Mr. Fujise, the owner-manager of the mill. We were escorted to a horse stable where we found Mr. Fujise, his wife, 2 daughters about 14 or 15 years old, a few Japanese guards, and some other people all herded into a horse stall. The Chinese troops were a surly, demanding, arrogant bunch of SOBs. Mr. Fujise spoke excellent English and Chinese (as you can see by his letter).
After much "me-you" negotiating, we managed to calm down a very tense situation. To this day, I believe that if Brown and I had not arrived when we did, the Chinese were about to exterminate Mr. Fujise and his family. We allowed the Chinese and Japanese to stay there that night and assured the Chinese that if anything happened to the Japanese, they would all be shot by dawn.
We radioed for backup and eventually the next patrol came out and stayed the night to keep the situation under control. Mr. Fujise was extremely thankful and sent me this invitation for dinner at his residence. Getting permission for an extended libery, I accepted the invitation.
George Brown and I went to the Fujise home for a most interesting and excellent Japanese dinner. George Brown was especially invited because he came from Baltimore MD where the Fujises lived at one time. We were picked up by his driver in a car similar to a Stanley Steamer. It had a large boiler mounted on the back which was heated by coal and was driven by a steam engine.
I remember Mr. Fujise also invited two of his associates and their wives. The dinner consisted of roast duck, pork, and several Japanese vegetable dishes - cabbage, green onions, among others. Vegetables were steamed, prepared with a special sauce and rolled up in a paper thin dough (sort of like a tortilla).
As was the custom in Japan, the men ate first and alone when there were male guests. He acknowledged that the American custom was for the whole family to eat together. He asked if we would like his wife, daughters, and guests' wives to eat with us. I said that would be very nice company and so he broke tradition and we all ate together. His wife and daughters served us and prepared our plates with food.
In a show of good faith and sincerity, Mrs. Fujise and her daughters took small bites of all the food before it was served to assure us that nothing was poisoned. There was much Saki and Japanese beer poured. The conversation was cordial and nothing much was said about the war. This was embarrassing for them. The women were dressed in beautiful kimonos and the men were in business suits.
After dinner, Mr. Fujise said he had been saving a special treat for years that he brought back from his stay in the States and that now was the time to share it. With that said, he went to a cabinet and brought out 2 tins of Lucky Strike cigarettes which I recall as being called the "Flat Fifties". The tins were the original green color with two big red circles saying "Lucky Strikes". When the war started, Luckies were packaged in white because it was said "Lucky Strike Green has gone to war."
Now remember, he probably bought these cigarettes in the 1930s so they were a little aged. He very ceremoniously opened up one tin and passed it around. Neither I nor Brown were big smokers, but we accepted his offer. To refuse would have been poor manners and probably insulting. I have never smoked a stronger cigarette in all my life. But we smiled and puffed away between small cups of warm Sake. Mrs. Fujise was an accomplished pianist and her daughters were good singers. They entertained us with American and Japanese songs.
After some more conversation about the States and Japan and our families, the evening came to a close. As we were leaving, I thanked Mr. Fujise for a wonderful evening and remarked how lovely the ladies looked in their bright kimonos. We were driven back to our barracks with full bellies and fond memories of a truly fine Japanese gentleman and his family (whom I never saw again).
A few days after the dinner, I received a letter from Mr. Fujise saying that he was sending a kimono I had admired for my sister. He said he gave it to a Sgt. to be delivered to me. Needless to say, I never received it. During the evening of our dinner, Mr. Fujise indicated that they were not looking forward to going back to Japan. China was their home and had been for many years. He was very concerned about the destruction in Japan and did not want to see it. I don't know what happened to this Japanese family and I am sorry for not following up with correspondence to him. It was an evening that I shall always remember, and thoughtlessness in not keeping in touch that I shall always regret.
It all started on November 2, 1945, my 22nd birthday (I was born in 1923. You do the math). I was in C-1-1-, 1st Division, and billeted in the old British Barracks in Tientsin. As most Marines in North China at that time, our duties consisted of guarding Japanese personnel and property, and preparing them for repatriation back to Japan.
On the night of Nov. 2nd, I was on Jeep patrol with my buddy PFC George Brown (now deceased). Our orders were to go to the Shanghai Cotton Manufacturing Company, Tientsin Mill, and see to the security of the Japanese civilians and a few old Japanese soldiers (they looked like 4F retreads). As I recall, this compound was about 5 or 6 miles out of town. It was managed by a Japanese gentleman by the name of E. Fujise.
It was early evening and getting dark when Brown and I arrived at the mill. The whole compound was enclosed by a wall (for security measures, I suppose). Lighting was at a minimum, just a few low-watt bulbs hanging from some old wire.
As we entered the compound, we were "greeted" by about 12 Chinese communist soldiers with rifles at the ready. We were armed with Thompsons and were quickly surrounded and ordered our of our Jeep. They wanted our weapons but no way were we about to give them up.
They spoke no English, and we very little Chinese. Somehow I made it clear that I be allowed to talk to Mr. Fujise, the owner-manager of the mill. We were escorted to a horse stable where we found Mr. Fujise, his wife, 2 daughters about 14 or 15 years old, a few Japanese guards, and some other people all herded into a horse stall. The Chinese troops were a surly, demanding, arrogant bunch of SOBs. Mr. Fujise spoke excellent English and Chinese (as you can see by his letter).
After much "me-you" negotiating, we managed to calm down a very tense situation. To this day, I believe that if Brown and I had not arrived when we did, the Chinese were about to exterminate Mr. Fujise and his family. We allowed the Chinese and Japanese to stay there that night and assured the Chinese that if anything happened to the Japanese, they would all be shot by dawn.
We radioed for backup and eventually the next patrol came out and stayed the night to keep the situation under control. Mr. Fujise was extremely thankful and sent me this invitation for dinner at his residence. Getting permission for an extended libery, I accepted the invitation.
George Brown and I went to the Fujise home for a most interesting and excellent Japanese dinner. George Brown was especially invited because he came from Baltimore MD where the Fujises lived at one time. We were picked up by his driver in a car similar to a Stanley Steamer. It had a large boiler mounted on the back which was heated by coal and was driven by a steam engine.
I remember Mr. Fujise also invited two of his associates and their wives. The dinner consisted of roast duck, pork, and several Japanese vegetable dishes - cabbage, green onions, among others. Vegetables were steamed, prepared with a special sauce and rolled up in a paper thin dough (sort of like a tortilla).
As was the custom in Japan, the men ate first and alone when there were male guests. He acknowledged that the American custom was for the whole family to eat together. He asked if we would like his wife, daughters, and guests' wives to eat with us. I said that would be very nice company and so he broke tradition and we all ate together. His wife and daughters served us and prepared our plates with food.
In a show of good faith and sincerity, Mrs. Fujise and her daughters took small bites of all the food before it was served to assure us that nothing was poisoned. There was much Saki and Japanese beer poured. The conversation was cordial and nothing much was said about the war. This was embarrassing for them. The women were dressed in beautiful kimonos and the men were in business suits.
After dinner, Mr. Fujise said he had been saving a special treat for years that he brought back from his stay in the States and that now was the time to share it. With that said, he went to a cabinet and brought out 2 tins of Lucky Strike cigarettes which I recall as being called the "Flat Fifties". The tins were the original green color with two big red circles saying "Lucky Strikes". When the war started, Luckies were packaged in white because it was said "Lucky Strike Green has gone to war."
Now remember, he probably bought these cigarettes in the 1930s so they were a little aged. He very ceremoniously opened up one tin and passed it around. Neither I nor Brown were big smokers, but we accepted his offer. To refuse would have been poor manners and probably insulting. I have never smoked a stronger cigarette in all my life. But we smiled and puffed away between small cups of warm Sake. Mrs. Fujise was an accomplished pianist and her daughters were good singers. They entertained us with American and Japanese songs.
After some more conversation about the States and Japan and our families, the evening came to a close. As we were leaving, I thanked Mr. Fujise for a wonderful evening and remarked how lovely the ladies looked in their bright kimonos. We were driven back to our barracks with full bellies and fond memories of a truly fine Japanese gentleman and his family (whom I never saw again).
A few days after the dinner, I received a letter from Mr. Fujise saying that he was sending a kimono I had admired for my sister. He said he gave it to a Sgt. to be delivered to me. Needless to say, I never received it. During the evening of our dinner, Mr. Fujise indicated that they were not looking forward to going back to Japan. China was their home and had been for many years. He was very concerned about the destruction in Japan and did not want to see it. I don't know what happened to this Japanese family and I am sorry for not following up with correspondence to him. It was an evening that I shall always remember, and thoughtlessness in not keeping in touch that I shall always regret.
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