The Fallen : A True Story of American POWs and Japanese Wartime Atrocities

Rating:
Summary: Good Story, Could Have Been Told Better
Review: The Fallen, by Marc Landas, is the story of what happened to the crew of B-29 after it was shot down over Kyushu on its way back from a mission. The only survivor, Lieutenant Watkins ended up in Tokyo, a prisoner of the dreaded Japanese secret police. The remaining crew members were either beheaded by the army, taken to a hospital where they were used as guinea pigs for medical experiments, and one took his own life rather than surrender to a mob. The bulk of the book deals with the post-war investigation into these atrocities and the trial that took place afterwards. The author also touches upon the implications of the Cold War and how these affected the investigations, trials, sentences, and ultimate commutation of sentences of many Japanese war criminals. Although this is a very touching and interesting story, it could have been told in a much better manner. First of all, there were numerous typographical errors throughout the book. The first one found is enough to send any WWII buff running, "The Pacific War officially drew to a close on September 2, 1948." However, don't let that deter you because the book is worth reading. Second of all, there are sections of the book that are tough to get through. These mostly deal with the trial. The sections pertaining to Lieutenant Watkins and his fellow airmen are an easy and interesting read. With these shortcomings in mind, I still recommend this book if for no other reason then to honor these brave men.