Although this might be seen as giving certain veracity to his account, ultimately his attention to detail suggests that he is relying upon unsubstantiated sources after the battle, or worse, a kind of collective memory of the survivors of the tragedy. "The decree [from Katamori for the people of Aizu to unite] was received by one and all with 'gnashing of teeth and clenching fists." (42) Surely not 'all' of Aizu reacted as one unit; a reflective reader might wish to say. "The fighting force was organized into four battalions, each named after a god traditionally believed to guard one of the four compass directions," (45) This sounds less like what a child would remember, then of how the tales of battle were traditionally told and remembered.
But, Goro might stress, I was there and who better could tell what happened to Aizu, and also to my family, who was personally involved. It is true that the author's description of leaving his family has a greater simplicity and truth than his historical and political analysis, and sounds less like a tale passed down in legends from age to age. However, even...
Also, even if the sister of Goro did act with such resolve, it was likely with adult prompting, further calling into question the existence of outside pressures and influence upon Goro's memory.
The victors may not always write history. However, whether written by victors or losers, without outside verification of events, facts, and sources, and particularly when it unfolds as an emotional and personal narrative, it must be mistrusted. Goro provides a snapshot not of events, but of the emotional intensity that the tragedy of Aizu was still regarded with, many years after the fact.
Works Cited
Goro, Shiba. Remembering Aizu: The Testament of Shiba Goro. Edited by Ishimitsu Mahito Translated with introduction & notes by Teruko Craig Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1999.
