This book is divided into two parts: the build-up to and including the Battle of Muar and the aftermath of the massacre in Parit Sulong. I really appreciate the inclusion of the first part for so few books were written on the Australian experience in Malaya. So much of what I have read has but included a mention of the Australian and where they fought (or giving them the dubious distinction of having deserted before Singapore fell) but none like this book, gave such a blow by blow account of the 27th Brigade, 8th Division, 2nd AIF in action in Malaya. What I have read generally focused on the British experience and the undeserved Impregnable Fortress that is Singapore. Yet this is not just a general description of the major battles and lines of movement. The author recounted the actions of individuals so dramatically that makes you think that she must have spoken to the men individually. Her description of the village in Parit Sulong where the battle and then massacre took place was so vivid that you think she might have been there. This, of course, is not possible because while some buildings remain today, so much has changed. If anything, this provides evidence of the depth the author went to research the book.
The battle ended, the massacre took place, and many of the remaining men were taken prisoner. First in Pudu Goal in Kuala Lumpur, then to Changi in Singapore and for many, the Death Railway in Thailand. The author wisely stayed away from talking too much of that last place that is so notorious already so that she would not distract the readers from the next part of the book: the investigation, falling into oblivion, revival, pursuit, politics, and prosecution.
The second part of the book lays bear the difficulties involved in investigating and prosecuting the war criminals that perpetuated the massacre. To be sure, the effort by the Allies to bring the war criminals to justice started out well enough. But even without the 'external factors' coming into play, investigating a particular incident is terribly difficult. Particularly in the case of Parit Sulong, there were but two survivors out of the more than 100 massacred. After a few years, memories faded or got distorted. Cyril Ward, the first investigator of the massacre was killed in the middle of his work in an accident. The massacre was at risk of being forgotten if not for Captain James Godwin who came across the file while investigating other incidents. But the 'external factors' would quickly make his work close to impossible. These would include the devious nature of the accused, the collusion of the Japanese police and underworld with those being investigated, and the geo-political developments that dictated the cessation of all investigation work by 30 September 1950. It was to Godwin's credit that the accused were eventually apprehended and prosecuted.
The obstruction of the investigations due to geo-political expediency was unfortunate and would have enduring consequences. Japan feels that since they are accepted as the new allies against Communism, they have paid their dues, there was therefore no need for further delving into their deeds in the War. China and Korea would milk this against the Japanese right up to this day and as predicted by Godwin, the whitewashing of Japanese deeds from the history textbooks would lead to a generation who did not know what happened allowing some right-wingers today to accuse the USA of war crimes during the War.
One other aspect that caught my attention was the author's description of the Indians in the book. There are different dimensions to this. The Indian troops, the Rajputana Rifles in particular, was a disaster. But most of them were young, unprepared and untrained, some would later turn after the Fall of Singapore. There is always ambivalence in the portrayal of the Indians in the war. This happens at two levels. At the geo-political level, India was part of the British empire and so a big number of Indians served (and served well) in the Indian Army. On the other hand, there were those taking advantage of the British's war with the Japanese to try and fight off the British through the Indian National Army (INA). At the other level there were the Indians who were in Malaya during the War.
In the book, half the time, the escaping Australian soldiers would be helped by the Indians but equally frequently, they would be betrayed to the Japanese. Contrast that to the help the local Chinese population rendered to the Australians almost all the time, the Indians did not come out well. But one has to view this from the perspective of who the 'mother country' was fighting. The Chinese in Southeast Asia closely identified themselves with China. The businessmen in Southeast Asia were doing their utmost to raise funds to support the Kuomingtang in the fight against the Japanese who had invaded China. The Sino-Japanese War had gone on for five years by 1942, longer if we start counting from the Manchurian Incident. The local Indians' equivalent would be the British, and by extension, her allies including Australia. Unfortunately for the Indians, the Japanese lost eventually and they would always be viewed as people who allied themselves with the enemy. In my conversation with the author which occurred after I read A Gentleman's Word: The Legacy of Subhas Chandra Bose in Southeast Asia, but before I read this book, I brought this issue up (due to currency). Ms Silver's merely said "They switched sides". That was spoken in a matter-of-fact way and she left it at that. Now having read the book, I must state my respect for how she was so unusually calm, in no way did she try to influence me with her opinion. In my ignorance, I had thought that she did not have a strong opinion because it was 'not her area'. Now I know better. How can anyone researching into the Malayan Campaign not know a lot about the Indians' participation at all levels? If I need more evidence, it was all in the book.
This book provides many more issues for the reader to ponder upon: the change in the Japanese attitudes from demanding that everyone dies for the Emperor to finger-pointing once they knew they were implicated; the morality of sending one to death even though the ambiguous Japanese language might have given grounds for doubts; the controversy behind Ian Ward's accusation of Godwin's method of extracting confessions (very well rebuffed by Ms Silver) among others. This event is so little known that there are only two books written on it. This being one and the other is from the recollection of one of the two survivors, Lt Ben Hackney. It is a shame that this book is not more well-known or more easily available for it is a thoroughly researched, engagingly written and highly educational. Those who are interested in the Malayan Campaign should not miss this one.
