Researching WWII

I am writing my father's story. He was at Pearl after the bombing. He only recently gave me notebooks full of over 400 pages of letters he wrote during the war and a scrapbook full of all sorts of things. I never knew he had these. He kept them hidden. It seems he was broke the Katakana Code on submarines. I have done everything I can think of to get information on this. I've google'd using everything from katakana to intelligence. I encouraged my dad to send for his records, which he did. THey were terribly disappointing. It seems that most of the information has either not been declassified yet or the government is going to make it near impossible to get. I have read numerous oral histories online at the Oral History Project Site. I've contacted History professors. So here's my question; How can I put together information when it appears nothing has been written on this subject?

Incidentally, it's not that I don't believe my dad. He has a very sharp mind, always has. He can still break that code to this day. ANd he remembers each and every detail about his involvement in all of this. Keeping all of this a secret for over sixty years has taken it's toll on him. Revealing it has precipitated nightmares and even post-traumatic stress (though he refuses to see anyone). I believe that writing his story will be healing but I also believe that if I could find someone who knows about this, it would validate his experience and that is just as important as writing a book.

Thank you in advance, Lavinia

Lavinia,

You mentioned your project in a previous post, and I found it really engaging.

The best advice I can give you is to refer to my own book The Cincinnati Subway. Before I wrote this book, there was nothing written on the subject except for a few scant magazine or newspaper articles over the years. Now there are big webpages on it. That's OK, 'cause my book was first.

With my project, I had found a collection of early newspaper articles on the subway, official reports commissioned by the City during the 1910s and 1920s, files from City Hall, things people had told me, and as many mentions as I could find in other books on Cincinnati.

The newspaper and magazine articles I had read before just briefly mentioned the story, but I wanted more detail. My plan was to tell the entire story: the background of the city at the time, the political environment (a big part of the story), the many reasons rapid transit was needed, who was behind the project, the construction, why the project failed, who was behind its failure, and what's happened with the subway until today.

I did this by working chronologically, and included every detail I could find (editing would come later). And there were so many factors to discuss, that I just discussed them one-by-one--again, in as much detail as I could include.

It was the biggest research project I had ever done. In the end, it turned out well, and is still the most thorough work on the subject.

Putting all the information together was like assembling one big jigsaw puzzle. And that's what it is going to be like for you, too. Making all the pieces fit together into one big cohesive story. It's not that easy, but it is doable, and it is enjoyable and kinda fun.

You are very very lucky your father is still with you to help you on this project. Anyone connected with the subway is long gone, but you have your source right in front of you.

When your book is finished and published, it will be filling an important hole in the history of WWII, and I predict that it will go down as a much-needed and valuable piece of research--not only for historians and students, but probably the general public as well. Since I am kind of a history buff, I know I want to read it.

Thanks for sharing with us.

underthecity

More research

Lavinia,
I have another suggestion.

You mentioned that you consulted the oral histories. Since the Katakana code existed, other people will remember it. I would suggest World War II message boards. Posting on one of these should yield someone knows about it.

<a href="http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=388" target="_new">World War II MB</a>

<a href="http://library.thinkquest.org/26742/" target="_new">Thinkquest WWII MB</a>

<a href="http://www.euronet.nl/users/wilfried/ww2/ww2.htm" target="_new">Military History WWII with forums</a>

Start with these boards. Good luck putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

underthecity

Re: More research

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

Your encouragement is greatly appreciated. After spending so much time on this, I was getting pretty pessimistic about every being able to put it together. And you are so right. It is a puzzle.

I'll try the message boards right now. THanks again! Lavinia

klavinia--

Don't give up on your quest for research. I'm in the same boat as you and UndertheCity, cause I'm writing about prehistoric anmimals finds out here in my city. Believe you me,
I've email 150 sources, museums, paleontologists, geologist,
site diggers, currators, climatologists, and anybody under the sun who was in on this facinating find. After three months
I recieved four replies! Four frikkin replies! This, on the second largest pleistocen discovery since La Brea Tar pits.

The only thing ever written about this was a few flimsy newspaper accounts six years ago. Did that stop me? Heck, no. I just landed four, count em, four agents who want to see the book. Now I'm in mad dash for photos, permission to reprint, and all other sorts of nonsense. I will not give up.

Triceratops

klavinia said:

I am writing my father's story. He was at Pearl after the bombing. He only recently gave me notebooks full of over 400 pages of letters he wrote during the war and a scrapbook full of all sorts of things. I never knew he had these. He kept them hidden. It seems he was broke the Katakana Code on submarines. I have done everything I can think of to get information on this. I've google'd using everything from katakana to intelligence. I encouraged my dad to send for his records, which he did. THey were terribly disappointing. It seems that most of the information has either not been declassified yet or the government is going to make it near impossible to get. I have read numerous oral histories online at the Oral History Project Site. I've contacted History professors. So here's my question; How can I put together information when it appears nothing has been written on this subject?

Incidentally, it's not that I don't believe my dad. He has a very sharp mind, always has. He can still break that code to this day. ANd he remembers each and every detail about his involvement in all of this. Keeping all of this a secret for over sixty years has taken it's toll on him. Revealing it has precipitated nightmares and even post-traumatic stress (though he refuses to see anyone). I believe that writing his story will be healing but I also believe that if I could find someone who knows about this, it would validate his experience and that is just as important as writing a book.

Thank you in advance, Lavinia

Click to expand...

I could put you in touch with some people. Just to be clear, in the Japanese language, there are katakana and hirigana characters. There are documents and books related to code breaking. Ask your dad some basic questions about where he was stationed, his duties, names of superiors, and key dates. Who used this information? Did it result in the interception of submarines? If your dad was the person responsible for breaking the submarine code it would be an important piece of history about the war against Japan.

Can I ask you to name his specific service branch? Naval Intelligence? Counter Intelligence Corps?


HM

If Klavinia sees this, please contact me at [email protected]

I am a professional researcher specializing in World War II. I would be glad to help bring this story to light. My interest is academic, I do not charge for my assistance.



HM