Book Review: Children of the Occupation

Pattie Wilson, Caloundra Family History secretary has reviewed a book available at our library. As noted in the earlier book reviews, these short reviews help members discover books and other resources in our library. Library resources are available for members to take home to read or reference in the rooms.

Children of the Occupation, Japan’s Untold Story by Walter Hamilton

Browsing Caloundra Family History Library, I found this gem Children of the Occupation: Japan’s Untold Story by Walter Hamilton.

Stories about the Stolen Generation are well known, not so the stories of the Forgotten Generation. The orphans of Japan, fathered by Allied Servicemen from America and Australia, post-World War II.

This is a well-researched and moving story narrating an account of the lives of the kokusaiji (international child) a stateless child without a home in Japan or Australia. Each story highlights the personal struggle for survival and the heartbreaking results of thousands of children and their mothers’ from these unions.

This narrative I could not put down especially when I found a photo/story of an Australian Soldier. He was a witness at my parent’s 1953 wedding in Sydney. What a Gem!


Webmaster notes: Walter Hamilton is an Australian born in Sydney. He has worked in numerous countries as a broadcast journalist and is the author of several commercially published books. He has an interest in family history and wrote “From Vale to Bay – A Hamilton Family History”. This self-published book covers the 300-year history of the Hamilton and related families of the line linking the Vale of Leven in Scotland to Rose Bay, Sydney, Australia.

Source: Google Books

Members wishing to read this book can check out availability in our rooms.