Two armies pushed each other back and forwards along the Kokoda track. The story from the Australian point of view has been well documented and I have reviewed a number of books on this blog. This book covers the campaign from the Japanese view point.
The book has received much criticism most of which I find unjust. Firstly the book is written as a narrative around the stories of Japanese soldiers. As such you are receiving a myopic view – which is what the book is all about. This should not be a criticism.
It is also true that it could have been better fact checked. For example on Page 26 describing the attack on Pearl harbour it mentions that a 189 assorted planes attacked from the Akagi. No aircraft carrier at the time could carry that many planes. The compliment of the Agagi carried an air group of 28 Mitsubishi B1M3 torpedo bombers, 16 Nakajima A1N fighters and 16 Mitsubishi 2MR reconnaissance aircraft, a total of 62 aircraft. As a piece of history this is sloppy but hardly a deal breaker for me.
Many other criticisms such as white washing atrocities, and several other minor errors of fact are either just not true or irrelevant to the books story.
The example often used for the white washing of atrocities is on pages 44 to 46, which is often called the “Tol Plantation” massacre. The writers indicate that about 150 prisoners were killed. One hundred and fifty eight bodies were later found, hardly an understatement. Only six of the Lark Force Australians captured survived that massacre. The statement made by then Pte A.L. Robinson regarding the Toll Massacre, as well as his survival story, is included in the book “Keepers of the Gate” by MAJ. F.J. (Bob) Collins. The statement is consistent with the authors account. See this information on the massacre.
The authors do describe that it was normal for new recruits to bayonet prisoners so that the would not hesitate in battle situations and that the psyche of the Japanese warrior was totally different than the allies. I do not believe that this is white-washing the atrocities, but the fact that they are included means that the reverse is more likely the case.
I remember a quote (but cannot find it to cite) where an Australian soldier said the “Japanese soldiers were excellent warriors, but were not honourable opponents”. The shows the Australian values not the Japanese.
The allies were also responsible for ensuring injured and captured Japanese soldiers were executed, especially if there was no way of detaining or looking after them in the dense jungle. This is recorded by Australian soldiers and is fact not a white wash.
This does not exonerate any of the atrocities it just shows different societal norms. What was normal for one was abnormal for the other.
What do I think of the book? The Path of Infinite Sorrow is one of the few books on the history of the Kokoda campaign from the Japanese viewpoint. Collie and Marutani have written the Japanese side of the story using, as a base, interviews conducted in the early 2000s with some Japanese survivors of the campaign. The result is an interesting and enlightening book with a totally different perspective.
The book also provides an excellent account of the build up and the changes of plans that were brought about by the Battle of the Coral Sea. The thinking behind the Japanese plans and their strategy I found enlightening. Starting as a reconnaissance mission it quickly turned into a full scale attack because of the martial spirit of the Japanese leaders, on the ground and in Rabaul.
As I said, it’s a story mostly from the Japanese side with extensive use of letters, diaries and interviews with survivors. The use of interviews as the basis for the narrative, brings the reader right into the misery and pain of soldiering in New Guinea in 1942. It is hard to understand just how miserable their experiences were, but this book comes darn close, but is not for the faint hearted.
There is some discussion of grander strategy, but as this book is focusing on the soldier’s experience, it is understandable.
Despite some historical errors and a very biased criticism of the white-washing of the atrocities this was an excellent book. Given the content, it is hard to say I liked it but it is a must read for those interested in the New Guinea campaign.