[tarawa]

If you find out anything, please ping me. I have been trying to get information on something slightly related. My Chinese GF’s grandfather was killed in the PI in WWII. I know he wasn’t fighting for the US, and I don’t believe any Chinese willingly fought for the Japanese. Her family, as per cultural habit, does not talk about it, even within the family.

[zeestephen]

tarawa - I know the Japanese had a military presence in Manchuria almost from the beginning of the 20th Century - in the 1930’s the Japanese began expanding southward in China - their treatment of Chinese civilians was savage - the USA and other western nations began to sanction Japan in various ways in the 1930’s because of this - tension between Japan and the USA continued to escalate until 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor - the PI’s were captured by Japanese forces soon after that - I would guess your great grandfather was a conscripted laborer taken to PI after the Japanese invasion - remember, conditions in China were horrifying at that time - it's also quite possible your great grandfather was starving to death in China - the Japanese may have offered him food and a place to sleep, and your great grandfather made the best decision he could, namely, trying to stay alive