The Purple Heart Page #3

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and especially deplores its nature.

The Chinese are a treacherous people.

Try as we will to enlighten them,

they remain barbarians who will strike down

even their own flesh and blood,

if the price is high enough.

I believe we can spare ourselves

further visual testimony.

General Mitsubi.

Can you tell the court

the base from which these prisoners came?

Yes, Excellency.

As a result of our preliminary investigation,

we have every reason to believe

that they came from an aircraft carrier...

of the Hornet type.

I trust Your Excellencies

will pardon my interruption.

Proceed, Admiral Yamagichi.

General Mitsubi, your brilliance

in matters of military investigation

is famous throughout the empire.

I rebuke myself

for calling to your attention

certain matters which you must already

have investigated most exhaustively -

certain findings of a naval board of inquiry.

I am grateful

for Your Excellency's assistance.

In a spirit of the most respectful cooperation,

I should like to place these findings

at Your Excellency's disposal...

in private.

The prisoners will be removed.

Court is adjourned

until tomorrow at the same hour.

The emperor has charged this court

with the responsibility of learning the exact

base from which this attack was launched.

I will countenance no political bickering

between the navy and the army.

You are convinced that

the planes came from a carrier?

Yes, Excellency.

And you, Admiral Yamagichi, you disagree?

I would not so far humiliate

either the general or myself.

I merely wish you to consider certain facts.

If it is proved that I am in error,

I shall feel that I have falsely accused

the Imperial Navy of negligence,

and I shall apologise with my life.

(knock at door)

(Toyama speaks Japanese)

With Your Excellency's permission, I can

produce immediate proof of my contention.

Proceed, General Mitsubi.

- What is your name?

- Saburo Goto, Excellency.

- You are a sailor in the Japanese navy?

- Yes.

Where were you on April 18?

On my ship, the Ni-ju-ni-nichi Maru,

a converted trawler.

- Where was your ship?

- On patrol 800 miles at sea.

- What happened?

- We were sunk by an enemy vessel.

- At what time of day was this?

- Shortly after eight o'clock in the morning.

I submit that the sinking of this man's ship

by a carrier at eight o'clock in the morning

would time perfectly with the arrival

of the bombers over Tokyo at midday.

You may go.

One moment, please.

You have been taught to identify

enemy vessels of various types?

Yes, Excellency.

Describe the type of enemy vessel

which sank you.

- I cannot tell you, Excellency.

- Why not?

I was below deck in the boiler room

when we were hit,

and yet I was the only survivor.

You did not yourself see the enemy ship?

When I recovered consciousness,

I saw only the wreckage of our own ship.

It was raining and the visibility was poor.

Excellency, this man's vessel was patrolling

an area which the navy has heavily mined.

It is not uncommon for a mine to break loose

and sink or damage one of our own vessels.

I submit that such an accident

is far more probable

than the presence of an enemy carrier

in a zone which the Imperial Navy

regards as impregnable.

That is all.

I have technical information, Excellency,

which I consider conclusive proof

that the American planes

could not have come from a carrier.

The American planes which bombed Japan

have been officially identified

as the type known as the B-25 bomber.

It has a wingspread of 67 feet

and an overall length of 54.1875 feet.

This is the largest type

of American aircraft carrier -

the Hornet type.

It has a flight deck

which is 809.6 feet in length.

The presence on this flight deck of 16 B-25s

would reduce the deck space

by more than two thirds,

making a takeoff at sea

mathematically impossible.

Can you refute these facts?

I should like time to examine them.

I expect this examination

to be completed without delay.

Again, I wish to remind you of

the emperor's personal interest in this matter.

You are excused, gentlemen.

Shoe! Take off shoe!

I've been thinking, and I can't figure out what

made him say we came from an aircraft...

He was just trying

to get the navy's goat, you dope.

(knocking)

It is I, Moy Ling.

It's our Chinese friend.

I propose we elect him

an honorary member of our squadron.

- All in favour say aye.

- (all) Aye.

Do you hear that, Moy Ling?

Yes, my captain.

I wish to explain

why I did not act sooner than I did.

It required much time

to decide to kill my own father.

Goodbye, friend.

- Bye, Captain.

- Bye.

I'd have him on my team any time.

(door opens)

- Captain Ross?

- Yes.

You come. (speaks Japanese)

Well, boys, I'll see you again.

Soon, I hope.

You go in there.

- Captain Ross?

- Yes, sir.

At last. My name is Keppel.

Karl Keppel of the Swiss Red Cross.

- Well, I'm sure mighty glad to see you, sir.

- And I to see you.

Ever since I learned you were captured,

I have tried to reach you,

but nobody would admit

knowing anything about you -

where you were

or what had happened to you.

I'd still be cooling my heels in somebody's

office if it hadn't been for General Mitsubi.

Mr Keppel, may I see your credentials?

We're charged with murder. Mitsubi

is the star witness for the prosecution.

- Murder? You are on trial?

- In a civilian criminal court, Mr Keppel.

They claim we bombed civilians and are not

entitled to be considered prisoners of war.

I'll get word to Washington immediately.

They will take steps to stop this outrage.

Forgive me for being suspicious.

You see the spot we're in.

I do indeed, and I shall do

everything in my power to help you.

I'll come again and report my progress.

Meanwhile, Captain,

goodbye and good luck to you and your men.

Thank you, sir.

Could you spare me a moment, Mr Keppel?

I am at your service, General.

Captain Ross no doubt told you about

the charges against him and his men.

Yes, sir. He did.

Tell me, Mr Keppel, in your opinion, can

Washington force us to drop these charges?

It most certainly can and will.

There are over 100,000 Japanese nationals

in internment camps in the United States.

Thank you very much, Mr Keppel.

Your observations are most interesting.

If there's anything further I can do for you,

don't hesitate to call upon me.

Sit down, please.

Ever been in California, Captain?

Lots of times.

Recently?

You're a soldier and an officer.

You know as well as I do

I can't give you any information

other than name, rank and serial number.

I was only curious about Santa Barbara.

I lived there for some time.

A beautiful town.

Worked on a fishing boat...

and charted every inch of water

from San Diego to Seattle.

- Those charts will be useful some day.

- Don't bet on it, General.

Perhaps you do not believe

Japan will win the war.

Me and 140 million others.

You still doubt it.

Look here, Captain.

Singapore, Hong Kong, the Indies, Thailand.

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