大象传媒

The following story appears courtesy of and with thanks to Ronald Parker and Father
Major Maurice Albert Parker:

The British commanders had a view of the Japanese soldier that they passed along to the Canadians as part of the orientation to their new surroundings, and it was incorporated into the 'intelligence reports' presented to the Canadians to make them aware of the 'situation' and the enemy they might have to contend with.

Even if the Japanese did attack, British Intelligence had information that there were only 5,000 poorly-trained, poorly-equipped troops, who could not fight at night because of the shape of their eyes, and besides they were prone to sea sickness. British Intelligence's assessment was that the Japanese were not much to contend with.

"The Japanese", the Canadians were told, "are badly trained, badly equipped, and physiologically unfit to fight. They are buck-toothed, slant-eyed, near-sighted, scrawny little people. Their slanted eyes make them poor night fighters, and prone to sea-sickness. Most of them have to wear thick corrective glasses. Because their diet consists mostly of rice and fish they are weak from malnutrition, and their stamina is poor. There are only 5,000 Japanese on the mainland at any rate, so don't worry. And besides ... they don't even look like soldiers. In their ill-fitting dung coloured uniforms, long leggings to their knees and rubber boots."

Continued...
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