The Occupiers

The Occupiers

Alison Parr

Publisher: Penguin Group (NZ)

Format: Paperback

Twelve thousand New Zealand men and women served in the occupation of Japan immediately after the Second World War. This book records memories from those we know as 'J Force'. Based on revealing interviews with soldiers, airmen, nurses and members of the New Zealand Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, The Occupiers explores Kiwi life in the former enemy territory between 1946 and 1948. Veterans recall the horror of witnessing the devastated city of Hiroshima. They describe their culture shock and adjustment to unfamiliar customs. And they revisit the often challenging conditions faced in a broken country. Some also reflect on shedding their intense wartime hostility and distrust to gain a surprising new understanding of the Japanese - achieved as they worked and lived alongside the ordinary people of the occupied land. Unexpected, honest and touching, these stories uncover a little-known but fascinating aspect of New Zealand's post-war experience.

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