6.(0-1) Slim Novel 6 - Battle of Midway - Begin!

Slim Novel 6 - http://adventuresofkimi.blogspot.com - See Homepage

Midway

Slim Novel #6

Other Slim Novels

#1 Kimi

#2 Ali & Kimura – World's Fair 1939

#3 Educating Kimi

#4 Olga & Boris – Honeymoon in Siberia

#5 New Decade – 1941 Tokyo

#7 Tokyo at War – 1942/43

#8 Guadalcanal

#9 Kimi Heads North

#10 Losing War – Tojo Resigns

#11 New Future
#12 On the Ground Running; #13 Back in the Bronx; #14 Eddie in Occupied Japan; #15 Eddie in Medical School; #16 Eddie Round the World; #17 The Wisdom of a Very Old man

         

Introduction to Slim Novel 6

Kimi is met in Slim Novel 1 as North island fisherman’s daughter who in the 1930's is enlisted as comfort woman for the Imperial Japanese Army in Manchuria and hired by a White Russian nightclub owner who installs her as top tart in his club. She becomes friendly with a Eurasian, Olga, who sings nightly at the club. She also gets an informal education from clients who include army officers, news reporters and foreign tourists. A rising star Japanese foreign correspondent Kimura takes her under wing.

  Slim Novel 6 opens during early days of World War 2 with Kimi and friend Harumi returning to Tokyo after a vacation.

1.  Midway Victory

From train window Kimi and Harumi see a street lantern parade and boys selling news extras with MIDWAY VICTORY in 2-inch headline. They watch the lantern marchers – drably dressed middle-aged women in Kimono and men - mostly old soldier in ill-kept old uniform – pass by to the stirring strains of Patriotic March. One marcher carries large pastel signboard.

ANOTHER VICTORY WE ARE INVINCIBLE

DEATH TO ROOSEVELT AND CHURCHILL

DESTROY BANDIT CHIANG KAI SHEK AND SOBIREI 
HONOR THE EMPEROR

(Sobirei is the disrespectful rendering of sounds from the 3 Chinese characters for Madame Chiang Kai-shek's name used in Japan during WW2.)

Harumi grabs Kimi’s hand. “This is sickening!”
   On side street they find a bike-rickshaw and, after bumpy trip, walk up garden path to door of Little Blue House. Harumi slips in her key.

   Olga is reclining on the aquamarine sofa listening to Enrico Caruso records on her old phonograph Victrola. Newspaper lies at her feet on the red rug. Headlines: American Pacific Fleet Sunk. Midway Destroyed. Hundreds of Yankee Monkee Planes Shot Down. Alaska’s Dutch Harbor Bombed in Repayment for Tokyo Air Raid. Invasion of USA begins with unopposed landing in Aleutians.

   “Don't get too excited, darlings", Olga says turning off the Victrola. “The Americans are broadcasting a different story shortwave. They say they've sunk four aircraft carriers of Admiral Yamamoto’s Imperial Navy Task Force and destroyed a Midway invasion fleet headed for Honolulu.” She pours coffee and hands them cups along with Russian halvah from her embassy.

   Kimi recalls Kimura's words about the next great action of the Pacific War and his being there.

Weeks later, a messenger delivers a package. Tearing it open, Kimi sees it is Kimura's journal. To read now, click 6.2 Pearl Harbor Genesis