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an obstructionist (name Udon).
Another (Matsushima) was very helpful.
The distinction between the treatment of Americans and British was noticeable. The opinion of the Japanese was that the British Empire in the Far East was finished and that the Americans were foolish to try to save Britain. Emphasis was placed on the hardships which Americans were stated to be suffering in the States, it being claimed that they were unable to get oil, petrol, food, etc., as a result of their quixotic attempt to bolster up the fallen British Empire.
At the
Bribery, etc., was rife among the Japanese Military and civil officials. The incident in regard to the plane chartered by the Government of India for the evacuation of Indians was typical. last moment the Japanese authorities refused to allow the plane to be used for its proper purpose and sold seats to rich Chinese at four times the proper fare and pocketed the difference.
(10) The behaviour of the Gendarmerie was more brutal than that of the Japanese soldiery. The Gendarmerie were a selected body of men who seemed to be used as shock troops and later as a type of military police. They outraged the feelings of all and organised looting parties with no respect to life of the owner. Kidnapping and ransome was frequent, even in defiance of the orders of the military authorities, who seemed to have little control over the Gendarmerie. They even flouted the civil administrators and their outrageous behaviour continued even after the military had settled down to normal conditions. They were detested by the Japanese soldiery as well as by the local residents. The Japanese civilians and senior military and civil officials appeared to be "kindly disposed" and it was suggested that, notwithstanding the condemnation by Europeans of their behaviour, viewed from the Asiatic standpoint their conduct was (apart from initial excesses) better than they would have accorded to other Asiatics.
(11) Communications. It was exceedingly difficult to obtain news from outside or from other more immediate localities. At first, Bishop Valtorta thought it would be possible to get news of prisoners through the Vatican but the Japanese ignored him and no radio messages were broadcast on behalf of the Vatican or the local Bishop. Up till the time informant left, he had no knowledge of mails having arrived.
(12) General. Informant was insistent that sufficient use was not being made of propaganda directed against the Japanese in India. He was convinced that if the Hindi merchants who had succeeded in making their way back had been allowed to broadcast talks describing their treatment under Japanese rule, a feeling of revulsion against the Japanese would be much more quickly spread. He was surprised at the ignorance of Indians of the true conditions of life under Japanese rule.
In regard to the behaviour of Indians in Hong Kong, the case of a Parsee, named Ruttonjee, was cited. This man is very wealthy but refuses to co-operate with the Japanese although he pretends to meet their wishes in order to get information for transmission to the British. On his first refusal to co-operate, he was put through a form of "third degree" and it was only after this that he feigned co-operation. Reference was also made to a Persian merchant (? Lamarzi). This man was also pro-British and although he was able to get away, his property was confiscated. Contact was made in India with three men who had escaped from the "Lisbon Maru" when it was sunk. According to their reports, conditions were very bad in Kowloon but the men were growing flour in the camp.
The morale of official non-Asiatics in Hong Kong was not destroyed, as it is stated that both the French and American Consuls wanted to remain in the city as they felt it would soon be relieved.
Difficulty existed between the Japanese and Portuguese authorities. No-one was allowed to proceed on a Portuguese ship without a permit. Informant himself had to travel on a Japanese boat because of trouble on Portuguese ships.
Conditions were stated to be better in China than in Kacao and informant was agreeably surprised at the conditions in that part of China
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