The man on the Marco Polo Bridge

The Two Faces of a Coin
By Robert Schneider

The bridge is near Beijing and has seen much history. It is a beautiful structure almost always associated with the Sino-Japanese war and the Rape of Nanjing by the Japanese (1937).  Like a coin, it has two faces; the one with a stone road worn smooth  in all its glory in the sun and the other one that we do not see often but now deserves  to be noticed.  The second one , which appears and disappears . was just made visible to me with a touch of sadness for what is called “humanity.”

At one end of the bridge is a 91 year old Japanese man, neatly dressed in black and slightly bowed at the waist in an act of contrition.. It appeared that he was saying something about his involvement in the war. It turns out that the veteran was asking forgiveness for what the
Japanese had done to the Chinese during the war. There are two young, respectful Chinese boys standing a short distance away  perhaps to protect him because he is Japanese. Perhaps they are just curious. An eerie calm prevails. It is most likely that he is ridding himself of the nightmares of the war to bring peace to himself and others. Why did he come to the Marco Polo Bridge? Was it because  the war with China started here? Also, Marco Polo traveled past the
bridge. The Japanese man, in a humble bow, may be thinking that he too may pass the
same bridge in the near future and that there are things which must be said and done now…

For the record, I am a WW -II, P.T. Boat Officer (Philippines) but I am not angry. Right now I am as one with that man in spirit. I feel as one with him. If you allow me  to guess, I would say that in his mind the war has just ended and not much time remains for apologies. From the expression on his face, it is easy to see that he is now at peace with this world and the next
one.

“My friend,” I said, “I would like to chat but now is the time for me to leave; should we meet again, we will bow and then shake hands.  One last point and I must make it, I hope you understand; a sincere apology from your country would make the life of many Americans  more comfortable and I have the feeling it would make you feel better too.”

“Mr. Bob, he said,  here is a good example; your country has assured us of your support to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council; it was reported in our papers. Since we may need to offer a sincere apology for it to happen, I will try to get Japan to first offer an apology which will help you satisfy the wishes of your veterans and citizens, and at the same time help us with the United Nations. Mr. Bob, I think maybe you call this scratching each others back.”

I don’t.  It is two old men doing what is right.

Later I wrote: My Japanese friend, in my letter to you in Tokyo, I have been dreaming about the scene on the Marco Polo Bridge but I can’t help but wonder what happened to you after  you left the bridge. I wish you success. You are a good man! ”   * Please see Footnote.

Pirkano paye yan
Jaa, mata ashita aima

Robert Schneider

*Footnote:  The following article came to my attention following the writing of the above;
Honda Tatsutaro, a 91-year-old former Japanese soldier who joined the aggression war against China, knelt yesterday on Marco Polo Bridge in southwest Beijing to express his apology for killing a Chinese prisoner of war in August 1939 in Jintan County, East China’s Jiangsu Province. The bridge is known for the Marco Polo Bridge Incident on July 7,1937, which marked the beginning of all-out War of Resistance against Japan (1937-45). With Tatsutaro were two Chinese- Wang Xinhua (left), director of the Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese Aggression
War Memorial Hall.