The Last Himeyuri, ひめゆり — Ashitomi’s Milk [part 1 & 2]
Thursday, May 15th, 2008At the heart of the story of the Himeyuri, what turned this from simply being one more example of courage during terrible times into horror (at least for me), was an order given right before Okinawa fell to the Americans; the order commanding the Nurse Corps to be disbanded. I am sure there are many complex reasons to this I cannot even begin to fathom but the history books show that this had two major consequences; the obvious, of course, being that the two hundred girls that made up the Himeyuri no longer were under the protection of the Imperial Army. This certainly sealed their fates since they were caught between the retreating Japanese and the advancing Americans, but there was another outcome that is harder for me to explain but I suspect just as important; since they were now citizens they no longer could expect to win their family the honor of having their names enshrined at Yasukuni; a Shinto shrine in Tokyo dedicated to the spirits of soldiers who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor of Japan.
I will be the first to admit I grossly uninformed about Japanese culture; I am an outsider looking in. Because I come from a culture in which such an honor would be dubious at best, in the first draft of this script I left out the controversy surrounding Yasukuni. It seemed far too complicated to explain in a ten minute film. However, doing so not only simply illustrates my own ignorance but also ignores a large motivating factor in many of these girls' decisions as to enlist with the Himeyuri in the first place. Patriotism for the Emperor was not limited to Japanese men only; in the oral histories I have read and listened to plenty of the Okinawan girls stated one of their motivations was to be rewarded with a chance for their families to receive such a high honor as enshrinement at this Shinto temple.
Whatever the reasons as to why the Himeyuri were disbanded (and scholars much more knowledgeable than I would need to answer for that) the facts remain that they were; the remaining girls who had survived for so long suddenly found themselves abandoned with an advancing enemy that was shooting, bombing and burning everything in its path.
Notes:
Lieutenant General Ushijima Mitsuru – Highest ranking officer coordinating the southern defense of the island.
Naguri – Okinawan for farewell. It can also mean a memory, a keepsake, remains or a faint trace of one who is no longer there.
Shinshii – Teacher. While the Japanese would say Sensei, this is the Okinawan pronunciation.
[The order from the Imperial Army to retreat from the American advancing army has been issued. cut to: the surviving members of the 3rd Army Surgery Unit gathering around a map trying to come up with a way to get all the Himeyuri, themselves as well as all the wounded under their care safely back before their cave is attacked]
Doctor #1: This can be done, I know it.
Shinshii: This is insane, we have nearly five hundred people – most of which can't even walk – under our care. We don't even have a truck to use! We might as well stay here and let the Americans kill us in the caves.
Doctor #3: Now is not the time to lose heart. The Army will provide for us.
Shinshii: Where have you been all this time? Where is the Army now? Do you think they'll come back for us? We have been abandoned.
Doctor #3: Nonsense, our nurses are being addressed right now by the section chief for our unit. His orders come directly from Ushijima. We shall get out of this alive, you just see.
[cut to: Section Chief talking to the last Himeyuri. The sound of distant enemy artillery fire and bombs can be heard, constantly, coming closer]
Section Chief: Nurses of the Star Lily Corps. You have done heroic acts under constant enemy fire, risking your lives for the glory of the Emperor. For that the Imperial Japanese Army salutes you. You might have heard rumors by now that your surgery unit will fall back with the rest of the Imperial Army. This is not true! What I am about to read to you comes directly from Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima himself; consider this, then, law. “The 3rd Army Surgery Unit is no longer a desirable asset in the defense of Japan. The Unit will now be disbanded and all members ordered to return home. It is regrettable to do so but we must sacrifice everything for the Emperor.”
Kohitsuji [suddenly realizing what this means]: But, but if we're not part of the Imperial Army we can't get into Yasukuni.
Katsuko [sobbing]: No! No! They can't, we will all die …
Section Chief: As a way of parting please sing “Farewell Okinawa.”
[cut to: Himeyuri all singing]
“But it's goodbye now and forever, farewell/ Say goodbye to Okinawa/ Naguri/ Naguri/ Goodbye/ Goodbye …”
Doctor #3: I was mistaken, we really are abandoned … there is no way any of us will make it home now.
Wounded Soldier #4: No! No! Don't leave me behind —
Wounded Soldier #5: This is the end, the end –
[cut to: two officers whispering in the dark of the caves]
Officer #1: The order has been given, then. We must be strong and carry out our mission.
Officer #2: This is too cruel, I cannot believe Ushijima would tell us to do such a thing! There is no honor in this.
Officer#1: Idiot! We are not to question orders, just to execute them. You call yourself an officer? Bah! You know what to do, now do it!
[cut to: Himeyuri, doctors, medics all sleeping on mats together. They will march away in the morning. Even at night the room is full of tense, miserable energy. Shinshii rises, worried and restless]
Shinshii [to himself]: Tomorrow we leave and … what is going to happen? All these girls are going to die and there is nothing I can do.
Katsuko: Shinshii, I am hungry.
[voices in the dark: yes, hungry, we are hungry too]
Shinshii [getting up]: Yes, food will help! I didn't want to say anything because it is suppose to last us on our trip home but a Colonel left us a box of food. He said “use it as soon as possible.”
[suddenly everyone is awake, excited. Cut to: Shinshii dragging a large box into the room]
Shinshii: Everyone, come here! Let us celebrate our leaving with some good food!
[cut to: row after row of hand grenades, enough for each girl. dead silence as everyone realize what this means for them. fade out]
[The next morning in pouring rain. The Himeyuri are gathered outside their cave, waiting to start the long journey home]
Katsuko: I can't find her – where is Kohitsuji-san?
Higa: She's helping Ashitomi-san get ready.
Tira: Where have you been all this time? Ashitomi-san can't even get up! She's been ill for the last week.
Katsuko [stunned]: What? How can that be? How are we going to take her with us?
Higa: Carry her, I guess.
[cut to: interior of the cave. The wounded have yet to be removed. Shinshii and Kohitsuji find Ashitomi slumped in a corner, too weak to even sit up]
Kohitsuji: [panic at seeing her best friend so ill] No, no, no! We have to get you out of here. Shinshii, what are we going to do?
Shinshii: I am going to carry her all the way back home.
[they attempt to get Ashitomi to grab onto Shinshii's back, but she is coughing up blood and can barely raise her head]
Kohitsuji: Ashitomi-san, don't give up please!
[suddenly Ashitomi begins screaming, struggling, sobbing]
Ashitomi: Let me go, I won't go, let me go!
Kohitsuji: Don't say that! You are my best friend!
Ashitomi: Let me die here! Let me die! I can't even move …
[a roar; outside the cave explosions, screams; a soldier rushes in]
Soldier: Shinshii! Run! The enemy has arrived! They are on the other side of the hill! Run!
Kohitsuji [sobbing]: No, my love! I won't leave you!
Ashitomi: Kohitsuji-san?
Kohitsuji: Yes?
Ashitomi: If … if you love me then please, go now.
Kohitsuji: What?
Ashitomi: Hell must be so full … I don't want to bring anyone else. Please, Kohitsuji-san, live.
Shinshii [utterly wretched]: I … see …
Kohitsuji: My friend, my heart …
Ashitomi: I hate this … so much … so much.
Kohitsuji [whimpering, moaning]: Oooooh ….
[they leave as bombs begin falling steadily outside]
Wounded Man [terrified]: They … they left us …
[cut to: the Himeyuri, marching in rain. Kohitsuji and Shinshii defeated, frightened. Bombs begin dropping on either side of the long line of girls. f/x: the sound of gunfire can be heard in the caves they just left]
Kohitsuji: Wh- what is that? Guns? Are the Americans killing them?
Shinshii [softly]: Those aren't American guns.
Kohitsuji: What?! We must go back! Ashitomi-san!
Shinshii: Kohitsuji-san … no.
[cut to: the last remaining doctor, going from body to body, pouring a mixture of milk and cyanide into their bowls]
Doctor: For the Emperor … banzai …
Ashitomi: Hey, don't forget me.
Doctor: No, not you. The Americans won't kill you … you're a girl.
Ashitomi: What the hell does that mean? Am I not to have honor? You stupid men escape and leave me behind? Damn you!
Kohitsuji: Ashitomi, where are you? I have to go back! For all my love I have to go back!
Note on Music Used:
Schubert's “Piano Trio E flat major op.100” arranged and performed on a rainy day in a downtown parking lot by the Armenian cello jam-band Horny Goat Weed (May 10, 2008; Detroit, Michigan) … cellos rule!