On April 9, 1942, the United States experienced its largest military surrender, followed by the infamous Bataan Death March. Around 76,000 American and Filipino soldiers, already weakened by months of fighting on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines with no supplies, were taken as POWs by the Japanese. They were then forced to march 65 miles to a prison camp, where thousands perished along the way.
This cemetery is the final resting place for POWs from Commonwealth countries who were captured in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong and sent to Japan as forced laborers. Of the more than 35,000 Allied POWs forced to work for Japanese companies supporting Japan’s war efforts, 10 percent perished due to harsh working conditions.
Notably, the 2000 memorial service was organized not by the Japanese government but by a devoted group of Japanese citizens. They invited Dr. Tenney, who had endured forced labor in a Japanese coal mine, to speak.
At the Yokohama cemetery, he was finally able to pay tribute to his fellow POWs who did not return home alive:
“You have made the final sacrifice while showing your deep sense of responsibility and dedication to protecting, defending, and promoting your country’s highest values.”
For the next 17 years, until his passing at age 96, Dr. Tenney tirelessly worked to ensure that the history of POWs was never forgotten. He frequently traveled to Japan, speaking to young people and emphasizing the importance of learning from the past to build new friendships.
In 2015, the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invited Dr. and Mrs. Tenney to a dinner he hosted in Washington, D.C., where he thanked Dr. Tenney for his dedication to remembrance and reconciliation.
Dr. Tenney’s vision lives on. With the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II approaching, the significance of remembrance, reconciliation, and reaffirming the strong ties forged among former adversaries since the war’s end has never been more important.
Recently, I returned to the cemetery in Yokohama with former Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, whose father was also a POW of Japan. As we walked among the rows of grave markers, we saw countless names and ages of young men who lost their lives in Japan—most in their 20s and 30s.
Mr. Downer’s father, who later served as Australia’s ambassador to the UK, could have been among them had he been sent to Japan instead of a POW camp in Singapore.
Despite the cemetery’s beauty and solemn significance, we noticed that few people in Japan know of its existence.
Dr. Tenney’s words at the cemetery 25 years ago, as an American Jewish survivor of WWII, remain profoundly relevant today:
“We fervently pray that hate—hate of any kind and for any reason—will vanish from every country on earth and that all people will be able to live in peace.
“I have learned something today, as we stand here surrounded by so many concerned people: We are all one family, all interested and caring, all prepared and ready to deal with events of great importance to every person around the world.”
The 80th anniversary of the end of WWII offers an excellent opportunity for Japan and former Allied nations to reflect on the history of POWs and reaffirm the strong bond and friendship they have built over the past eight decades, grounded in shared democratic values.
A commemorative event should be held at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Yokohama, Japan, on Sept. 2 to honor Allied POWs held by the Japanese. A high-profile delegation led by President Trump, the Japanese Prime Minister, and representatives from Commonwealth countries should attend, highlighting their enduring commitment to peace.