Highlights from the Archives

The Russo-Japanese war was the first war in compliance with the Hague Convention “Laws and customs of war on land” (1899). The Annex to the Convention contained Chapter II: “Prisoners of war”. Article 4 states: “They must be humanely treated.” During the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–1905, over 70,000 Russian POWs were sent to Japan. They lived in camps in different towns across Japan for about a year and a half. Japan strongly promoted the care with which they treated their Russian captives, though the topic requires further scholarly investigation.

The Russo-Japanese war was the first war in compliance with the Hague Convention “Laws and customs of war on land” (1899). The Annex to the Convention contained Chapter II: “Prisoners of war”. Article 4 states: “They must be humanely treated.” During the Russo-Japanese war of 1904–1905, over 70,000 Russian POWs were sent to Japan. They lived in camps in different towns across Japan for about a year and a half. Japan strongly promoted the care with which they treated their Russian captives, though the topic requires further scholarly investigation.

This special edition photo album, volume 19, of a photography periodical has roughly 32 pages of halftone monochrome prints with Japanese and English captions. Most show scenes of Russia, its royal family, and its army and navy. The first fold-out plate is in color and shows a print by K. Odake titled Brutality of the Russian Troops. The last fold out page shows three panoramic photo-prints of Vladivotock, Harbin, and Port Arthur. The rest of the periodical is mainly Japanese text.

This special edition, no 52, of Senji gahō focuses specifically on the prisoners of war in Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. Though titled in English as The Japanese Graphic, Senji gahō literally mean “Wartime Graphic,” and is a rebranded version of Kinji Gahō Company’s regular news graphic during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–5). The photographs reproduced in this volume range from images of war booty captured from the Russians to POWs in the 29 various camps across Japan to scenes of wounded Russian soldiers receiving care from Japanese doctors and nurses. The plates of halftone photographic prints have captions in both Japanese and English, however, the main text of this periodical is in Japanese.

Acquired in 1970, the Bonner Fellers papers relate to American propaganda and military operations in the Pacific Theater during World War II, the occupation of Japan, and postwar conservative political organizations in the United States, especially the Citizens Foreign Aid Committee. Increments arrived in 1976 and 2003. Bonner Frank Fellers was the US military secretary to General Douglas MacArthur and the head of the psychological warfare operations against Japanese combat troops during World War II. His collection contains propaganda created by both Americans and Japanese during the war.

Eugene M. Van Reed together with Kishida Ginkō issued one of the earliest Japanese newspapers, Yokohama shinpō moshihogusa, in 1868, featuring original content and reporting news in Japan and abroad.

This drawing by a Japanese artist depicts a naval scene from the Russo-Japanese War.

This drawing by a Japanese artist depicts three scenes from the Russo-Japanese War. The top drawing shows three soldiers during the battle of Mukden (Manchuria), the lower drawing shows Japanese troops dug in around the nearby town of Tieling, and the inset image shows the Russian occupation of Tieling. The affixed tag indicates the artwork is from Kinjisha, which is believed to be short for “Kinji gahosha” which was the company that published serial Senji gahō (The Japanese Graphic in English). The Japanese text in graphite in the upper left corner reads: the battle of Mukden, occupation of Tieling.

This drawing by a Japanese artist depicts a scene of Japanese troops landing along a coastline during the Russo-Japanese War.

This drawing by a Japanese artist depicts a naval scene showing a Japanese Imperial Navy battleship firing its cannons during the Russo-Japanese War.

This drawing by a Japanese artist depicts a village covered in snow during the Russo-Japanese War.

This drawing by a Japanese artist depicts a naval scene from the Russo-Japanese War.

This is a celebratory scene showing a carriage heading up through the palace plaza to the Seimon Gate (main entrance to Edo Castle) as the cheering crowds wave Japanese flags and victory banners. There were several such celebrations throughout Japan after the victory in the Russo-Japanese War, notably in Tokyo on October 22, 1905 and May 5, 1906.

This drawing by a Japanese artist depicts the Japanese in combat, in which several troops are dug in and shooting towards the unseen enemy while heavy artillery is prepared to fire, during the Russo-Japanese War.

This drawing by a Japanese artist depicts Japanese troops looking up as a bridge explodes, and others run away in the distance during the Russo-Japanese War. The fleeing soldiers are likely Russian troops.