The Trophy Problem

Taking trophies during combat is supposed to be an archaic, barbaric behavior, yet you'd be shocked how common it was even during WW2. It was surprisingly common for American forces to take various types of mementos from slain Japanese soldiers, including skulls, fingernails, bones, and hair. It's not hard to locate photos showing American soldiers cooking skulls or chopping off a dead man's hand to make souvenirs, frequently smiling or grinning next to them.

The problem was so common that the US military had to expressly issue instructions to stop it, which didn't help much. Soldiers would frequently hide body parts on their journey home and give them to their loved ones. It may sound harsh and surreal in today's perspective, but by that point in the war, anti-Japanese propaganda in the United States had reached a frenzied, overtly racist phase. Furthermore, the Japanese were far more cruel in their own wins earlier in the war, as the Americans would frequently find the remains of their fallen friends tortured or decapitated, fuelling their anger and feeling of vengeance towards the Japanese.

• Year: N/A
• Location: Japan
• Deaths: N/A