Members of MPOWRS may borrow books from our Library.  If you see something on the list below that you would like to borrow, please contact Pat Wang (PatWangNC@yahoo.com).  Terms are that you keep the book no longer than one month and pay return postage costs.

Books primarily about Mukden POW Camp

Never Plan Tomorrow – Joseph A. Petak, Delta, 1991 - ISBN 0963160966 

From Corregidor to 3.5 years in Mukden.  Many details of daily life, stories, lists of prisoners.

Undaunted Valor: The men of Mukden in their own words – Sheldon Zimbler – Tri State Publishing, 2008 ­- ISBN 9780972221511

Over 7-8 years, Shelly interviewed several dozen men at Mukden and ADBC reunions and videotaped them as they spoke.  He has managed to turn this huge mass of information into a very readable story that starts as they arrive in the Philippines and continues until their freedom.

Guests of the Emperor: The Secret History of Japan's Mukden POW Camp – Linda Goetz Holmes ISBN to be assigned Naval institute press 2010

Linda has spent 10 – 12 years interviewing and researching for this book. She also helps declassify materials at the National Archives and gets a first look at what is there.

Due out by June 15, 2010

Books by or about Mukden POWs

Abandoned on Bataan: One Man’s Story of Survival – Oliver “Red” Allen as told to Mildred Allen, Crimson Horse, 2002 -  ISBN 0971318409

Five months in the Philippines, surrender, the story of life in Mukden, and beyond.             Fascinating section relating to Unit 731 and the Mukden POWs.

Rice, Men, and Barbed Wire – Arnold Bocksel, Glass and Assoc, 1991 - ISBN 094042908X

Personal observations of the POW experience from arriving at Manila, the POW years, and back home. 

Mission Scapula - Arthur Christie

Life at Mukden from a British soldier's point of view.  Due in late May 2010

By the Grace of God – Erwin R. Johnson   no publishing info.

Erwin tells his story, then those of Pilot Paul Hallberg, linguist Hal Leith, Lt Col. W.E. Dyess and has a huge number of documents, person and other, as well as unusual photos.  Book is copied and bound.

Biography of John S. Koot – John S. Fluder and Patricia Schaffer.  Privately published.

The story of one man from a small town in PA. It paints a great picture of life as it was for many men who were at Mukden. It details his life after the war and the special fund he set up to benefit the community. As an added bonus, it also has a chapter on Bob Wolfersberger who grew up in the same town.

Manila Bay Sunset: Long March into Hell - Billy D. Templeton, River Road Press, 2006 - ISBN 0978515803        

Book covers time from joining the military to problems arriving home.  Eye for small details make it especially interesting.

Books that mention Mukden

Unjust Enrichment:  How Japan’s companies built Postwar Fortunes Using American POWs– Linda Goetz Holmes – 2001  ISBN 0811718441

Chapter on MKK in Mukden where POWs worked.

Mr. Michel’s War – from Manila to Mukden -  John J. A. Michel  1998 ISBN 089149436

Experiences of Naval Officer who was freed from Mukden.

General Wainwright’s Story – General Jonathan M. Wainwright, Bantam Books, 1946         - ISBN 0553240617 

The General was held for a while in Si An which was a branch of Mukden, thus had a Mukden POW number #43. Good overview from the Brass.

Hell and Beyond - Diary of War and Captivity - Col Josiah Wistar Worthington Compiled and edited by Frances Worthington Lipe, Worthington Books, 2007  ISBN 0615132391

Diary and poems written by Col Worthington who was held in several camps and released from Mukden.

Surrender on Cebu: a POWs: a  POWs Diary – WWll  -  LTC William D Miner, Turner Publishing, 2001  ISBN 1563117118

Diary of his time as a POW with the last few pages a day to day accounting of the activities leading to his release in Mukden.

Unit 731

Were they or were they not experimented on?

Unit 731 Testimony – Hal Gold – Yen Books, 1996  - ISBN4900737399

A brief history of the Unit and several of the sub units and testimonials of various lengths (some anonymous) which tell the story of Unit 731.

Hidden Horrors Japanese War Crimes in WW II – Yuki Tanaka  1998  ISBN 0813327180

Particularly interesting as it examines the Japanese psyche and is by a native Japanese able to speak directly to the people involved without relying on others to translate.

Unit 731: Japan’s secret biological warfare in World War II -  Peter Williams and David Wallace – ISBN 0029353017 From TVS program of the same name. Free Press (Macmillan) 1989

Incredibly well researched.  Outlines the history of Unit 731.  Mentions Mukden POW camp.

Other POWs

Bataan Uncensored – Col. E.B. Miller 1949, Hart Publications, 1949 and 1991, ISBN 093164201

Colonel in National Guard

Background Books

Betrayal in High Places – James MacKay – 1996  ISBN047308188

Built on the diary and papers of James Gowing Godwin, from his time as a POW to his work as an investigator during the war crimes trials.

B-29 Superfortress Units of WWll – Robert F Dorr , Osprey Press - 2002 ISBN: 1841792857

History of the aircraft in the war and color plates of 33 of them and nose art of 44 of them. Stories of several in action and crew names. T he 14 surviving crew members of planes shot down in Mukden area were housed close to the camp and the Mukden kitchen provided their food.

Books by Members of MPOWRS

Japan’s Gestapo  Murder, Mayhem and torture in Wartime Asia – Mark Felton – 2009 – Pen and Sword – ISBN: 9781844159123

This answers the question of how so many Japanese soldiers could become so willing to commit such evil acts.  From this, we can extrapolate the unwillingness of modern Japanese leaders to deal with the errors of the past.

Slaughter at Sea - The Story of Japan’s Naval War Crimes – Mark Felton – 2007 – Naval Institute Press - ISBN: 9781591142638

Many of us know about the atrocities of the Japanese Army, but the Japanese Navy had its own culture of depravity.

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