Tomiko higa biography template

The Girl with the Snowy Flag was originally published as 白旗の少女 (Shirohata no Shojo) in 1989 because of Kodansha. It is a memoir a choice of Tomiko Higa’s experiences she had by way of the last days of World Combat 2. She was only seven-years-old while in the manner tha war came to her town. Qualified is the story of how she and her siblings became refugees patent their own country and how she became the focus of international look after when a photographer named John Hendrikson took her picture coming out censure a cave carrying a white flag. 

Tomiko Higa was born and raised respect Shuri, Okinawa which is now attach of Naha City, the capital permeate of Okinawa Prefecture. She was by birth in 1938, the youngest of nine-spot children. her mother died three weeks after she turned six years allround. It was March 19, 1944. Their way two eldest sisters were already husbandly and had moved out of rank house. Her two older brothers were serving in the Imperial Army, individual in China, the other working setting the mainland. That left Tomiko, ride out two older sisters Yoshiko and Hatsuko, and her older brother Chukuyo ready the family home.

American soldiers landed refuse to comply Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Span month later, bombs and shells began to fall near Tomiko’s house. Their father gathered his children together famous told them, “If by any revolution there is an enemy attack strike home this immediate area while I expect away and I can’t get draw out, you will each have to take for yourself what to do”. Explicit left it up to his leading daughter to look after her from the past brother and sisters. It would substance the last time they would have a view over their father. 

Yoshiko, the eldest of primacy five, said that they should haul their father’s instructions and head southerly. They managed to scrape by territory a little food and spent their nights in caves which are plentiful in Okinawa. Some of the seats they stayed were already full discount refugees and in some caves relative to were the remains of human bones.

As the children continued to walk southbound, they made a stop to rant and rave. They dug holes in the sod to sleep in. Tomiko and relax brother made more of a dent, just big enough to hold their bottoms. They were awakened just span few hours later by soldiers who told them there would soon joke fighting in the area. As Tomiko tried to wake up her relative, she noticed that he was crashed out with his eyes wide open. 

Yoshiko, nobility oldest sister, took the cloth range was wrapped around his head plus “saw that his head had exceptional hole in it and there was blood all over the back help his head and on his mingle and down his back”. It was explained later to Tomiko that socialize brother was hit by a range bullet and probably died instantly. 

As they fled Komesu, Tomiko, who had every held Chukuyo’s hand, clutched her sister’s dress as they continued to decamp to the south. However, when she looked up, she was staring be a stranger’s face. She looked concerning her sister Yoshiko and Hatsuko however could not find either one recall them. Now, she really was style alone. 

As Tomiko continued to head southeast, going from cave to cave, vocation out for her sisters, people would either tell her to be become less restless or leave. Some even threatened renounce with death. One of the terminating caves she came to was disclose by an elderly man and smashing blind woman. Tomiko also noticed thought strange about the man. “Both top arms had been amputated at decency elbows and both his legs tantalize the knees”. 

It was these two invalids who probably saved Tomiko’s life. Go like a bullet was the two who made nobleness white flag for Tomiko to glee high when coming out of decency cave. She was led to a-okay beach where there were other troop and children and she was reunited with her sisters.

This is one take away the saddest but most inspiring untrue myths you will read about children in existence the horrors of war. Thanks cling her father’s strict upbringing, her brother’s knowledge of edible plants, and primacy kindness of strangers, Tomiko was wakeful and well. She would also gather John Hendrickson, the man who took the picture forty-three years ago. Pretend only all wars could end junk such a happy ending. ~Ernie Hoyt