Densho Digital Repository - Susumu Nakanishi Interview (Densho ID: ddr-densho-1000-496-6)

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BY: And so because you were such a good student, how did that help you during the war?

SN: During the war, we had the special privilege positions which exempted from draft. And I was fortunately in that group. Therefore, after the war, most people draft at the farm, they didn't have any classes, and I had the very fortunate group, so always answered questions when professor asked. But most people who worked at the farm were drafted.

BY: So people were either in the military or working, but you were able to continue going to school during the war?

SN: Yes.

TI: Did very many of your classmates, did they go to the war? Did very many of them fight?

SN: Yes, yes. Actually, I have seven boys in my village, and all of them went to war. And one went to China and then became a prisoner or something and then came back later. But none of them died. But I was fortunate not going, well, so could continue study.

BY: So what about your brothers and sisters? What happened to them during the war? Particularly your older brothers.

SN: My eldest brother sent to China and then Philippines, and after the war became a prisoner in Philippines and came back I think a couple years after the war. And next, my brother was fortunate, he was drafted, but the neighbor communication school, he became a teacher there, so he didn't go to the war. And my youngest one was still too young to join the war, so I was lucky.

BY: It must have been so hard for your parents to... your oldest brother was a prisoner of war. Did they know what was happening to him, or did they...

SN: No. No communication whatsoever. So all of a sudden, one day, show up station, railway station, then came back home.

BY: Oh, my goodness. That must have been so hard for them. So what did your parents and your other siblings do during the war?

SN: During the war, everybody drafted to work, and there was a ration for the farmers, how much rice you donate the government and so forth. It's kind of rough because you work hard and got a certain crop of rice, about half, the government took it.

BY: So how did your family live during the war? Did they have enough food?

SN: Yeah, fortunately, they are farmers, so their own food, see. But the people in, living in cities really had a hard time. They have to live on rations and black market rice. Pretty messy.

BY: And you were going to school. So where were you going to school during the war?

SN: Kyoto.

BY: Oh, so you were in Kyoto. And what were living conditions like in Kyoto for you during the war?

SN: Again, very fortunately, I went to Doshisha University in Kyoto. And after the war, American missionary came and became a director of a dormitory. So I could live in that dormitory, only selected people, and I learned my English from my missionary. And then more chance to come over here, U.S.

BY: But before the war ended, during the war, before you moved to the dormitory, where did you live in Kyoto during the war and what were living conditions like then?

SN: Well, during, actually, I went to Kyoto after the war.

BY: Oh, okay, so during the war.

SN: Yeah. But I was in the country farm, so own produce, own food. So some people were real, had a hard time, black market, or they have to look around for something to eat and so forth.