| Item title: | Superstitions as a present factor in Japanese military psychology |
| Title (kanji) |  |
| Location: | Australian War Memorial (AWM55 12/53 part 6) View information about obtaining a copy of this document |
AJRP details | |
| AJRP module: | Australian War Memorial official records |
| AJRP series: | Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) publications |
| AJRP sub-series: | ATIS research reports |
| AJRP folder: | |
Location details | |
| Institution: | Australian War Memorial |
| Call number: | AWM55 12/53 part 6 |
| Inst. series: | AWM55 |
| Inst. sub-series: | AWM55 12/- |
| Item: | RR-76 part 5 |
Item qualities | |
| Quantity / desc: | 28 pages |
| Access: | Open |
| Item type: | Unpublished, Official |
| Category: | Information report |
Item content | |
| Creation date (d/m/y): | 24/2/1945 |
| Conflict code: | Pacific War (1941-1945) |
| Keywords: | PHILOSOPHY, RELIGION, SHRINES - SHINTO, EDUCATION, RESEARCH, PROPAGANDA |
| Australian unit names: | |
| Allied unit names: | |
| Japanese unit names: | |
| Names: | |
| Languages: | English |
| Area: | Japan–Formosa Melanesia (PNG, Irian Jaya & Solomon Islands) |
| Content: | This is an Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) research report issued on 24 February 1945 on superstitions and their influence on the Japanese people, and forms part of a 6-part series intended to give a documented exposition of Japanese psychology. The report contains information on the prevalence of superstitious beliefs, religious worship and beliefs, the distortion of religious philosophy to stimulate patriotism, the zodiacal calendar, lucky and unlucky days, personal applications of the zodiacal calendar, numerology, and the significance of other superstitions (fire, the death camellia, charms and amulets). The section on folklore repeats information on Japanese myths and legends from "Myths and legends of Japan" (1912) by F. Hadland Davis, including the fox, the badger, the cat, ghosts and goblins, human sacrifice, the beckoning leaf, the Kappa, the Tengu, miraculous lights and Baku. Other beliefs described in the report are the fear of thunder, the notion of karma and the "Festival of the dead". Illustrations included are the Jikkan or "Ten celestial stems", the significance of various zodiacal combinations, a take showing the "Ten death days" for 1944 and 1945, and a diagram showing the twelve zodiacal directions. The ATIS researchers concluded that while they believed the Japanese to be superstitious, the degree to which such beliefs affected their conduct could not be accurately estimated. However, the report suggested that in the face of mounting disasters, dormant superstitions might reassert their influence and provide a fertile ground for Allied propagandists to exploit. |
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Other information | |
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| Last modified: | 03/05/2009 09:06:09 AM |
| Source: | AJRP staff |
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