I knew something was wrong even though my family didn't mention it. I went outside and was surprised to see that all of the neighborhood shops were closed. Nothing was open — no fish, no fruit, no vegetables.
My grandmother explained to me that Japan had declared war on the United States and that this was the first day of the war. All food was to go to military officers. There would be no food for ordinary civilians. I was ten years old.
Neighbors and friends — we all had to donate jewelry, pots, pans — anything that could be melted down to make weapons for the military. It was a tense time for all of us but we carried on with our lives.
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Forged In Fire: Stories of wartime Japan
Non-FictionForged In Fire is the true story of a young girl's childhood in pre-WW II Tokyo; her schoolgirl dreams; the violence, starvation and desperation of wartime that drove her family out of the city; and the American Occupation that shaped Japan's future...
