The following account is by a Japanese drafted into the army during World War II.
For forty-some years I've suffered from ringing in my ears. This is the aftereffect of severe beatings by a higher-ranking private. It was the norm in the military that new draftees were beaten for no reason. I hated the private who beat me from the bottom of my heart. I told myself, "Just wait until we get to the battlefield." In those days, draftees whispered among themselves, "Bullets come from behind on the battlefield." Fortunately, I was never sent to the front.
Among those military men honoured for a "heroic death", a number no doubt were killed by bullets from behind, shot in hatred. The members of the military had lost their humanity.
第二次世界大戰期間，一個日本人應徵入伍。以下是他的記述。
最近四十多年，我常患耳鳴。這是當年遭一個較高級士兵飽以老拳的後遺症。軍中慣例，是新徵入伍者，可以不講原因隨意毆打。我恨透那個打我的士兵，心想：「好，到我們上戰場，才跟你算帳。」那時候，新徵入伍者之間流傳一句悄悄話：「戰場上，子彈會從後面打來。」幸而我從來沒被派到前線。
那些譽為「英勇殉國」的軍人，不少應是死於背後打來的子彈。那些子彈帶着仇恨。軍隊中人已經失去人性。