A Clandestine Escape of Three Saves Over a Million Japanese Civilians

Son tells a postwar story about his father and his friends’ heroic act.

Colorado Springs, Colorado – WEBWIRE – Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Escape from Manchuria The Rescue of 1.7 Million Japanese Civilians Trapped in Soviet-Occupied Manchuria following the End of World War II Written by Paul K. Maruyama

In the closing days of WWII, the Soviet Union invaded and occupied Japanese-controlled northern China, then called Manchuria. Immediately, misery and death descended upon the resident Japanese civilians (who had been abandoned by the cowardly Imperial Japanese Army) at the hands of the Soviet army and revenge-seeking mobs and bandits.

In his book, Escape from Manchuria, retired US Air Force officer Paul K. Maruyama unfolds a true story about the rescue and repatriation of over a million Japanese noncombatants who were held captive under brutal Soviet occupation in Manchuria following Japan’s defeat in World War II.

In the closing days of WWII, the Soviet Union invaded and occupied Japanese-controlled northern China, then called Manchuria. Immediately, misery and death descended upon the resident Japanese civilians (who had been abandoned by the cowardly Imperial Japanese Army) at the hands of the Soviet army and revenge-seeking mobs and bandits. Nearly 2,500 Japanese, mostly children, women and the elderly, died daily from cold, hunger, disease, and utter brutality.

Three courageous Japanese men embarked on a secret mission and escaped to Japan to eventually bring an end to the Manchurian nightmare. Paul K. Maruyama, the son of the leader of the three courageous men, narrates for Western readers the little-known true tale of the rescue and repatriation of nearly 1.7 million Japanese that began almost a year after the surrender of Japan. The role of General Douglas MacArthur and the US forces under his command to bring about the massive repatriation, as well as the significant and magnanimous role of the Catholic Church, is related in this compelling narrative about courage, sacrifice, and perseverance.

The author remarks that “a catastrophe beyond imagination might have resulted had not the three men acted.”

This book was showcased in the 2016 AJC Decatur Book Festival last September 2–4, at the downtown Decatur square, Georgia, USA.

Escape from Manchuria
The Rescue of 1.7 Million Japanese Civilians Trapped in Soviet-Occupied Manchuria following the End of World War II
Written by Paul K. Maruyama
Paperback | $27.95
Book copies are available at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.abebooks.com, and other online retail stores.

About the Author

Born a US citizen in Tokyo in 1941, Paul K. Maruyama, lieutenant colonel, USAF (retired), taught Japanese at Colorado College until his retirement in 2014. In the span of nearly twenty-two years in the Air Force, Maruyama served in Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He represented the United States in judo at the 1964 Olympics and was the head coach of the US judo team at both the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games. He was presented a decoration from the emperor of Japan in 2013 for his contributions to US-Japan friendship and understanding. Presently, he resides with his wife, LaRae, in Colorado Spring, Colorado.

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