Hi all -
I’m continuing research for my mother (Helga Hofmeier Kiderlen) who lived in Tokyo 1935-1948, for a written version I’m trying to write up about her interesting life.
Yesterday she and I were talking about Doolittle’s Raid and I asked for more info about her story of what she was doing on that Saturday in April 1942. She remembers her parents and the press saying that only Tokyo was the only target, that there was very little damage, and that it was no big deal. I told her that wasn’t true - there additional city targets and it WAS a big deal. She was stunned to learn this, even 70 years later, she still thought Tokyo had been the only target!!
I’m wondering if there is anyone who can offer info on two things –
- Press clippings or translations of what the people in Tokyo were publicly told about the raid? Any Japanese newspapers of the day (that I, not reading Japanese, could read)? Any German newspapers of that time that might have mentioned the raid as being of little importance? (I do read/understand German).
- Local Tokyo information on civilian targets that had been hit or civilian casualties/injuries?
Any info or direction for me to research on my own would be of huge help to me, and to my mom!
Thanks so much –
Jane Lang