Survive as a World War II Soldier - Chapter 41



Only Noblemtl

#041

“We need to send a rescue team and relief supplies.”

“That’s already on the Navy side···”

I looked at my Filipino friends who had come with Manuel, interrupting Eisenhower’s words that the Navy already stationed in China was moving quickly.

“It’s not us Americans, it’s you, the Filipinos, who have to take action.”

“we?”

I opened my mouth as I looked at Manuel, who was looking at me as if to say, “What are you talking about when you told me not to be friends with Japanese guys?”

“Asianism”

“!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Manuel’s expression changed.

“Asianism… So you’re saying that we, not you, should be at the forefront.”

“yes.”

As expected, Manuel quickly figured out the intention.

In the past, the United States ate the Philippines and promised to give the Philippines independence someday to show that they had no imperialistic ambitions.

And Japan, which had swallowed up Joseon through the Katsura-Taft secret agreement at the time, was also trying to externally package its ambitions in a plausible manner.

This was the idea that later developed into Asianism, the concept of Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity.

“If you look at it broadly, isn’t the Philippines also part of Asia?”

“Yes. We are Asians too.”

Originally, Asia in Asianism meant Qing Dynasty, Joseon, and Japan.

And Japan’s logic was as follows.

‘Let’s join forces, but I’m the best among the three of us, right? So if we do as I say, all three of us can live well.’

However, this Asianism varies considerably in its content depending on the person making the claim, and in particular, the concept of Asia itself has not yet been clearly defined.

“It’s okay that we are weak and lacking on our own, so we need to unite and have someone to lead us. It’s not a bad idea. But is there a reason why that leader has to be Japan?”

“That’s right. You are right.”

Until the early 20th century, when the United States first took over the Philippines, and until 1910 to be exact, the Philippines was arguably the wealthiest country in Asia.

Until then, the intermediary trade based in the Philippines was still alive.

Japan had proven its power to other powers by winning the Russo-Japanese War, but its economy was still lacking.

It was after the annexation of Korea that Japan began to overtake the Philippines economically.

“Since when did Japan become so successful? No, even our Philippines still has some potential.”

Just as there is light, there is shadow. If there are those who admire Japan, there must have been those who looked upon it with longing.

Like Manuel Quezon.

No, the more those who envied Japan, the more they desperately hoped that their home country, the Philippines, would become a successful country like Japan, and even a better country.

“So, what if we could use this opportunity to show the strength of the Philippines that is different from those guys?”

“oh my god!”

“That’s a really good idea.”

“Things really go smoothly since you came.”

Filipinos were fired up with enthusiasm, saying they needed to quickly form a rescue team and prepare relief supplies.

I grabbed Manuel as they rushed out, saying that they had to move quickly because time was of the essence.

“Wait a minute, you stay here.”

What I’m about to say is the real point.

But it wasn’t something worth openly talking about in front of so many people.

“What?”

“This area is prone to earthquakes, but I heard this earthquake was different.”

“Yeah, so shouldn’t we make good use of this opportunity?”

“But would delivering some relief supplies be enough?”

Manuel’s eyes darkened as he noticed my serious face.

“you···.”

“I’m not saying to do bad things. It’s just that, if you look at the past, similar things always happen again.”

When a disaster like an earthquake occurs, crime inevitably follows.

Even after the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, there were quite a few looters wandering around trying to loot.

“We in the US were in such a mess, so why would Japan be any different?”

“Hmm.”

“People’s true nature is revealed when they face difficult situations. Manuel, what do you think the Japanese are like?”

“well.”

As someone who knows well the ugly nature of the Japanese and the ugly history of what actually happened during the Great Kanto Earthquake, I had no doubts, but others thought differently.

“Isn’t it common for there to be many accidents and incidents after a disaster like an earthquake?”

“When I think of Japanese people, I think of them as polite, gentle, and good at keeping order…”

Even Eisenhower and Bradley shook their heads at my opinion.

It’s something that will be revealed over time anyway.

I had no intention of crying, so I nodded lightly.

“Yes, that could be true. Since we’re sending relief supplies and rescue teams anyway, wouldn’t it be a good idea to prepare for something that might happen?”

“···”

Manuel did not answer easily.

Manuel, who had been thinking for a long time, let out a long sigh and asked.

“Do you really think we can fight and survive against Japan?”

“I’m the one asking. Do you think Japan and the Philippines can be friends? No, do you think the Japanese will consider you as their friends?”

Under the Washington Naval Treaty, Japan worked tirelessly to maintain its hegemony in the Pacific and Asia.

As a result, the US military was blocked from building new military facilities on the Pacific coast, including in the Philippines.

“Why did they act so evil in the Washington Treaty in the first place? Do you think they will stop after they take over Joseon and Manchuria?”

“Even so, would you do something so foolish as fight the United States?”

“Do you think that way after seeing the state of Europe? War is the worst kind of stupidity committed by people who think they are smart.”

“Ha, that’s true.”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll tell those who will be dispatched to the rescue team privately.”

Thus, three days later, the naval ships stationed in Manila departed for Yokohama.

The ship was not only filled with relief supplies prepared by our American soldiers and Filipinos, but also with volunteers.

Most of them were prepared by Manuel and other personnel, but there were also US Army personnel.

The reason the Army, including the Philippine Scouts, joined was to protect the rescue team.

But there was a separate order secretly given to them.

##

“Watching the teacher’s flight, we Koreans will have hope.”

“Yes, you can be a ray of light to the youth of Joseon who have no dreams or hopes.”

Chansu eventually nodded his head in agreement to the words of those who came to him and earnestly begged for his favor.

Come to think of it, wasn’t it the aerobatic performances he saw a long time ago that made him dream of becoming a pilot who flies in the sky?

“What? A pilot? What’s that?”

“Oh. Didn’t you see that plane yesterday? They say the person who flies that is a pilot.”

“Really? But isn’t that something that only those nosey guys can do?”

It was Japan that we, Koreans, crossed over to, leaving behind the laughter of our relatives who told us to stop talking nonsense like asking what kind of airplane it was.

After going through many twists and turns, I entered flight school, took classes, and graduated.

“Huh? You’re saying I didn’t get a certificate? Is it because I’m Korean…”

“No. That’s not it. I heard that pilot’s licenses are still only issued to military personnel.”

Japan also did not yet have regulations regarding civilian pilot qualifications.

“Do you know what would happen if a Korean like you were caught flying without a license?”

I wasted my time like that for a while.

“Hey, Chansu. I found a way.”

“Is that true?”

It was the postal flying competition held by the Imperial Aviation Association in August 1921.

Chansu, who achieved excellent results in the competition, received a third-class pilot’s license and prize money.

As Chansu began to gain fame, people from his home country began to come to him.

Chan-su, who initially refused several times because it was burdensome, eventually decided to board his own plane, Geumgangho, and fly back home.

Thus, Chansu, who arrived at the beach of Yeouido in December 1922 in front of a crowd of 50,000 people, boarded the Geumgangho and decorated the skies of his homeland like the American pilots he had seen in the past.

“Do you know that kids these days sing your song?”

“huh?”

In response to Chansu’s question of what he was talking about, his friend chuckled and started singing a song that he said was being sung on the street.

“Look at the Ahn Chan-soo plane that has risen”

“Oh my, this guy. What is he doing that makes him look so embarrassed?”

“It’s embarrassing. You are the hero and hope of this Korean peninsula.”

Even though he was told that he had become as famous as Eom Bok-dong, Chan-su felt burdened.

He came to his homeland not because of some grand cause like independence, but because he remembered the day long ago when he first saw an airplane.

His only interest was in the sky.

Of course, I knew that my roots were Joseon, but somehow, I felt burdened by people who kept praising me and calling me a hero.

Because of that, Chansu finished his short schedule and returned to Japan right away.

And in September 1923.

“Oh, it’s an earthquake.”

The Great Kanto Earthquake changed his life completely. The city collapsed in an instant, and…

“Chansu, this won’t do. If you keep doing this, you might die…”

“It doesn’t matter. What’s the point of living like this?”

Chan-su, who was at the flight school when the earthquake occurred and escaped the disaster, shook off his colleagues who tried to dissuade him and set out to find his wife.

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Moore?”

“If you go up to that high sky···.”

“It’s scary. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is.”

“Is that so?”

When he was asked to go to Japan to become a pilot right after getting married, he went along without saying a word of no.

He was the eldest son and had a hard time supporting himself by going back to school, let alone earning money.

I thought that now that I was finally able to live comfortably, all that was left was to live comfortably from now on…

I couldn’t just give up on someone like that.

Chansu, who had set out to find his wife, sighed involuntarily at the sight of the city before his eyes.

The city was a battlefield.

“Kill the Joseon people.”

“They say Joseonjing poisoned the well.”

He was terrified at the sight of rioters running around with spears and a ferocious demeanor, calling for the killing of Koreans.

“There’s Joseonjing over there.”

“Kill him.”

The one who helped him when he was almost killed by the Japanese was someone wearing an American military uniform.

“Are you okay?”

“yes.”

“This place is dangerous, so come with us.”

“No, I can’t do that. I have to find my wife. Please, please help me.”

They did not ignore Chansu, who bowed his head and earnestly pleaded.

“Since we came here to save people anyway, let’s go together.”

The house we arrived at with the help of the American soldiers.

Although it was broken in some places, I breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of it still maintaining its shape.

“Madam, madam. Please, open your eyes.”

Chan-su couldn’t come to his senses at the sight of his wife lying there covered in blood.

“Listen. Calm down. You’re still alive.”

“There are casualties here.”

“Take this guy away from me.”

Fortunately, his wife was able to survive thanks to treatment by American soldiers.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

As Chan-su was shedding tears and expressing his gratitude, he patted him on the shoulder, telling him that he was not a stranger.

And only on that day, Chansu was able to feel the sorrow of the colonized people with his whole body. Only then was he able to engrave the two letters of independence in his heart.

“The Philippines?”

“We’re opening a flight school in the Philippines. How about becoming an instructor there? I heard you’re famous as a pilot.”

At first I refused, because I wanted to go back to my home country and see my friends.

‘At that time, there was definitely a guy who said he was fighting for independence···.’

He heard that there were quite a few independence activists active in China, so he planned to go there.

“They say the Philippines will become independent soon.”

“is it so?”

“Oh, so it’s not an American colony as you know, but more like a protectorate?”

The information he learned during his stay at the shelter changed his thinking.

“Is the Philippines really going to be independent soon?”

“Yes. The United States promised. Even now, the governor is American, but the government is formed by Filipino elected members of the National Assembly and Filipino officials.”

And there

“I, sir.”

“Tell me.”

“Excuse me, can I pilot that plane too?”

“Of course. I’ll teach you as much as you want.”

It was the first question from my wife, who had been absent-minded for the past few days.

Whatever his wife wanted to do, he would have given the same answer.

“Then I also want to learn about flying. So, so···.”

Chansoo couldn’t say anything to his wife’s words that she wanted to drop a bomb on the heads of those bastards.

“If I go and become an instructor, can you enroll my wife in the school instead?”

The Filipino answered Chansu’s question with a bright smile.

“Of course.”

So Chansu accepted the position of instructor at Manila Flight School.

And dozens of Koreans with the same aspirations as Chan-su and his wife boarded American ships bound for Manila to enroll in flight school.

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