Chapter 16 Summary

Due to differences of opinion, the Japanese Konoe government changes its leadership. Hidei Tojo, war minister of the previous government, becomes prime minister in the new government. Tojo's tract, written on the rules of military personnel, is familiar to H. The main focus of the tract is that every soldier's duties are more important than personal survival.

C-grade men are now being called up for enlistment. H worries that his father will be one of them. Morio explains to H that the call up only applies to men who were examined in or after 1931. Since Morio was examined before 1931, there is no need for H to worry. Even though he knows he should feel relieved, H is still uneasy.

Newspapers report that C-grade men are anxious to receive their call up papers. H and Morio know that this is not true. The wood-form...