Noboru Yoshimura oral history interview, part 1 of 2, June 25, 2009

Yoshimura begins the interview discussing how he came to be on the USS Missouri with General MacArthur when the emperor of Japan was announcing his surrender. As a child, Yoshimura had moved from America to Japan to begin his education and to learn the Japanese culture. He would attend high school, but would feel that he didn't believe in the teachings of the Japanese teachers, so after graduation, moved back to the United States to begin his life anew. As he had always seen himself as an American, he would head back with one hundred yen given by his mother, and he would begin working on a farm. Next, he talks about the pressures to become Japanese and conform to the Japanese ways while living there. Once he had joined the Army, he was given an assignment to be part of the public relations team, interpreting for General Headquarters. He would talk to many Japanese civilians during the occupation, treating them as he would a close friend. He discusses the importance of understanding Japanese culture when being a part of occupation for the winning side.

video/m4v

0:57:46

2009OH0971_01_Yoshimura

http://www.goforbroke.org/oral_histories/mp4/974-Yoshimura-Noboru-1.m4v

Yes