In the course of doing some research on Koreans who lived on Tinian during World War two, I came across a couple of examples of leaflets that the US military used to encourage the Japanese, Koreans and natives on the island to surrender, along with instructions on how to do so.
The Korean texts are below:
Text One:
KOREAN TEXT NO. 1
KOREANS!
The Japanese cannot protect you! Even though the Japanese are unable to protect you, you will still die because of them.
Have the Japanese bayoneted or shot your people?
Kill the Japanese if they threaten to bayonet or shoot you!
Even if they haven’t bayoneted or shot you it is of course an actual fact that they don’t trust you. If you haven’t been bayoneted or shot, look out for yourselves and think of the ways to save your lives. Without hesitation come quickly toward the American lines. Don’t worry because the American definitely will not kill you.
Use this opportunity to save your lives! You are KOREANS!
You are not Japanese!
Why should you die for the Japanese?
Use this opportunity to save yourselves NOW!! Act immediately!
Even if you are not able to get ahold of this all-important Life-Saving Guarantee, if you raise your hands over your heads and come toward the American lines, you will be in no danger. Why should you die for the Japanese? Save yourselves!!
Text Two:
KOREAN SURRENDER TICKET
Life-Saving Guarantee
All persons coming to the American side bearing this paper will be saved.
This is in accordance with international law.
You will receive sufficient food, clothing, tobacco and medical treatment.
All of you who want to save your lives use this Life-Saving Guarantee and be saved by the American troops.
With both hands over your heads and holding up this paper, go to the American troops.
Come individually, not in a group!
Don’t go to the American positions at night.
Even during the daytime, wait until the Americans give the order.
Japanese soldiers, Japanese and Korean laborers, islanders, Japanese civilians all can use this ticket.
Take this paper and save your life.
Follow the link to compare the texts with those use for Japanese and natives (Chamoros and Carolinians).
4 Comments
How come they didn’t just say “hey japs! put your hands up and come out, or else you’re gonna die!”
PsyOps found that due to this
ticket #1 was a miserable failure.
A new ticket that included this
was more successful.
A third ticket, that read simply
was printed but never dropped due to the Japanese surrender.
It should be noted that upon disclosure of the FREE SOJU tickets in 1987 US-Korean relations nosedived. At every negotiation the Koreans’ first demand was “Pay up, Cowboy!”
“Free Soju” would have ended the war in 1942.