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Admiral Nimitz achieved outstanding results in the Battle of Midway and the Battle of the Philippine Sea against Japan. On September 2nd, 1945, Admiral Nimitz signed the instrument of surrender submitted by the Japanese side on board the battleship Missouri, which was anchored in Tokyo Bay, Japan. By the way, this is not the first time Admiral Nimitz has set foot in Japan.
Admiral Nimitz visited Japan in 1905 on board the battleship Ohio when he was a cadet. At that time, Japan won the war with Russia, and one day a grand feast was held to commemorate this.
Coincidentally, Nimitz decided to attend the party with his colleagues, but arrived late at the venue and couldn't get into the back, so he sat at the table on the exit side.
Admiral "Heihachiro Togo (1848-1934)" who defeated the Russian Baltic Fleet and emerged as a national hero was also present at the feast. When Admiral Togo went to the venue, he passed by the table where Nimitz and his party were sitting.
Nimitz and his group were drinking wine and other alcoholic beverages at this time, but boldly approached Admiral Togo and asked him to attend their table. Surprisingly, Admiral Togo was willing to accept their request and was present.
Nimitz and his colleagues had a brief chat with Admiral Togo. Impressed by Admiral Togo's fluent English and the stories he told, Nimitz had a deep respect for Admiral Togo.
This was the first and last encounter between Admiral Nimitz and Admiral Togo. Nimitz met Admiral Togo again at the funeral of Admiral Togo on June 5th, 1934.
Admiral Nimitz at the time was the captain of the US Navy's Augusta (heavy cruiser). Nimitz studied the tactics that Admiral Togo used, and even revealed himself as "a disciple of Admiral Togo." Nimitz was then steadily promoted to the highest rank of former Marshal (five stars) given to Navy personnel.
After the end of the war, Nimitz learned that Admiral Togo had left the battleship Mikasa on board during the Battle of Tsushima (Battle of Tsushima) with Russia. Mikasa was opened as a memorial ship in 1926, but after that, some parts were dismantled or remodeled, and after the war, a dance hall facility for the US military was installed inside.
Nimitz wrote a contribution calling for the preservation of Mikasa in Bungeishunju, and donated the entire manuscript fee of 20,000 yen (the amount at that time) as a fund for the preservation of Mikasa. Thanks to these efforts, Mikasa was restored as a memorial ship in Yokosuka in 1961. And five years later, Nimitz also died.
In 1976, the Nimitz Memorial, which was constructed through fund-raising by related organizations in Japan, was created at the National Museum of the Pacific War in the United States (Texas) in order to thank Nimitz for his efforts and wish for the sustainable promotion of friendship between the United States and Japan. Donated to the state) side.
At the same time, a "peace garden" was created that imitated the official residence (garden, etc.) that Togo used during his lifetime. I brought the materials made in Japan as they are and made them by assembling them locally. The stone monument placed in the "Peace Garden" is engraved as follows.
"In this garden, in commemoration of the respect that former Marshal Nimitz showed to Marshal Togo, the Japanese people prayed for the friendship and world peace between the United States and Japan, which the two admirals prayed for with one heart. I will give it to you. "
The message that former Marshal Nimitz sent to the Japanese people was, "The damage suffered by the war was enormous for both people. However, it has been healed over time, and now the two countries are holding hands with each other. I sincerely hope that this kind of relationship between the two countries will continue. "
* This article is a Japanese translation of a contribution by Mr. LUDA, a conservative Korean conservative fund. The Korean version has already been published in the Korean media. We are responsible for the accuracy of the translation.
2021/08/31 21:26 KST
