H10, Maria Imai ‘00, Toshiko Endō, Friend’s grandmother, 1920, Tōkyō
I chose to interview my friend’s grandmother. She is 78 years old and was a participant in World War II in Japan. I asked her some questions about what it was like to take part in a terrifying, tragic period of history. She was reluctant to talk about this, but she tried to help me as much as she could by answering some of my questions.
Q: What was it like to experience World War II ?
A: It was the most frightening experience I’ve ever had. Every day was like living in hell. I saw people without homes and children crying, looking for their parents. It was just too much to cope with
Q: Were there enough food supplies?
A: No, people were suffering from starvation. We ate sweet potatoes instead of rice, because there was almost no rice.
Q: What was your most bitter experience?
A: My best friend died. There was a fire downtown, and she was burned to death.
Q: Were there regulations or rules that you had to follow?
A: Yes, we had to cover our lamps with a black cloth. Curtains had to be a very dark material
Q: Is it different to experience war than to learn about it in a history class?
A: Yes, experiencing it made a big impact on my life. and it is so much different than learning about it in history. It was bloody, terrifying, and horrifying.