Leaves from an Autumn of Emergencies: Selections from the Wartime Diaries of Ordinary Japanese

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The collection features diaries from eight ordinary Japanese individuals, offering an intimate glimpse into the personal impacts of the Pacific War. Readers encounter diverse perspectives, including a kamikaze pilot, a Tokyo housewife, and schoolchildren evacuated to the countryside. These accounts reveal the stark realities and emotional struggles faced during the war and its aftermath. Samuel Yamashita's introduction enriches the narrative by contextualizing these experiences within the broader historiography of wartime Japan, highlighting everyday concerns during a tumultuous era.