Only the letters we created are works of fiction. Each letter is based on true historical events. We, the authors, were inspired by an album filled with genuine school and graduation photographs of very young Japanese student soldiers.

These “Lost Children” remain unknown, as does the American G.I. who killed them in battle. He removed each photograph, both military and personal, from the pockets of their uniforms and placed them in his souvenir album.

As was fairly common in war, the unknown American G.I. placed each photo into a personal album and returned home with the album at the end of World War II.

Through research, we learned that near the end of World War II, there were so few men left to fight that boys as young as 13 were taken to serve in battle. 

We compassionately divided up the photographs and invited the faces of each student soldier to speak to us and come to life once more. Through our imagined creations we expressed in letters the stories of who they may have been. Our voices became their voices. They fought and died bravely as once did their noble warriors, the Samurai.

Letters of the Lost Children: Japan — World War II is, above all, a tribute to the human spirit.

“If we are to teach real peace in this world,
and if we are to carry on a real war against war, 
we shall have to begin with the children.” 

— Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi