There are a number of reasons why. Not only did the island become one of the largest allied airbases in WWII (the whole island was overrun by the US military after the Battle of Tinian in 1944), it was also the launching point for the “Enola Gay” and “Bockscar” B-29 bombers for the attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Today, almost all of the former airbase is abandoned, however, visitors can see the exact spot the bombers were loaded with their deadly cargo, scuba dive bays filled with discarded WWII machinery, and enjoy some of the wonders of the island that existed before Europeans set foot in the pacific in the form of prehistoric taga stones.

So if you are up for a dark tourist trip to Tinian, let’s get started with a bit of history…

Tinian Island During WWII

After realizing the strategic importance of Tinian to the American entry into WWII, the Japanese scrambled to create a military force on the island.

However, despite the fact an 8,500-man Japanese garrison was posted there, the Battle of Tinian (from 24 July to 1 August 1944) was a massive defeat for the Japanese. Only 313 survived the fighting, while the allies seized the island with very few casualties.

An estimated 15,700 Japanese civilians were also living on the island at the time of the battle. Hundreds died in the crossfire, while hundreds more were executed by the Japanese military so that the Americans could not capture them.

It was a bloody, brutal battle for the Japanese and the civilian population, a small sign of what was to come once the allies had got a foothold in the Pacific, (the atomic bomb would soon follow).

Construction of the Airbase

True to the Japanese fear of strategic importance, the US immediately began constructing an airbase on the island. Located 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from mainland Japan, Tinian was perfect for long-range bombing attacks.

The base was massive and incorporated the entire island with a 40,000-personnel installation. It was so huge in fact that the military laid it out in a pattern of streets similar to Manhatten, with the streets named accordingly. A slice of home for the Americans posted there.

North Field & West Field

Two runways West Field and North Field were constructed to accommodate the flow of aircraft flying in and out from combat and reconnaissance missions or delivering supplies.

North field was eventually used for missions to mainland Japan and the subsequent dropping of the two atomic bombs, Little Boy and Fat Man.

Today what was once part of West Field is Tinian International Airport. The runways at North Field, meanwhile, are overgrown and abandoned except for a few former airbase buildings and the Atom Bomb Loading Pits, (more on these below).

• Related Content: Visiting Iwo Jima – WW2 in the Pacific

Tinian Island after WWII

After the war, the island became part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. This was controlled by the United States and a significant military presence remained there.

However, as economic ties with Japan increased during the second half of the 20th century, the pacific threat was greatly reduced.

From 1978, the island came under the municipality of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The US military presence amounted to the use of just one runway during the 1980s. North Field continued to be used for U.S. Marine Corps training exercises.

By the 1990s, the US military had all but gone and the island began developing its tourist trade.

Where is Tinian Island?

Tinian is part of the Northern Mariana Islands. Situated 1500 miles (2400 km) south of Japan and 1600 miles (2600 km) east of the Philippines, the island is a tad on the remote side. Guam is only 125 miles (200 km) away, however.

Visiting Tinian Island Today

As already mentioned, Tinian is an essential stop for anyone traveling around the pacific islands in pursuit of WWII history. It really is packed with it.

Here are some of the highlights of a trip to Tinian, both from a military tourism perspective and general enjoyment of what is a beautiful part of the world.

• Related Content: How to Visit the Montebello Islands

Former Airbase and Memorial

The abandoned runways at North Field are a must-see while in Tinian. Plaques and displays mark the atomic bomb pits where the Enola Gay and Bockscar planes were loaded before heading to Hiroshima and Nagasaki with their devastating cargo.

There’s also remains of the actual airbase and of course, the massive network of concrete runways, albeit overgrown, still exists.

A tour will also take you to some of the Japanese fortifications that were built before the allied takeover at the Battle of Tinian.

Manhattan Connection

Streets throughout the island still have the names that were given to them by the US military during WWII

Driving down semi-empty “New York City” streets such as Broadway, 42nd Street, Lenox Avenue, Riverside Drive, and Eighth Avenue is quite a surreal experience in this remote part of the Pacific.

Scuba Dive Dump Cove

Scuba diving the pacific waters is beautiful whichever island you happen to be on. However, on Tinian, it is all the more dramatic for the items you will find.

A place called Dump Cove is a favorite for tourists; here planes, tanks, ammunition, and jeeps all lay under the water. A mecca of submerged WWII machinery second only to the larger stash at the Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon.

For other types of recreational diving, there’s the popular cave dive at Tinian Grotto.

Historical wonders & Natural Monuments

3,000 years ago, Chamorro King Taga built an ancient palace on the island. All that exists of that now are the prehistoric taga stones used for the construction. That being said, visiting the site of the stones and where the palace once stood is a popular tourist attraction while on Tinian.

There’s also interesting evidence of the Japanese existence on the island in the form of the Shinto shrines, and old ruins that can be found off the beaten track (a guide is required) in Tinian’s jungles and caves.

There is also the Blowhole. Exactly as it sounds, this natural monument regularly shoots 10-meter columns of water into the air.

How to get to Tinian?

Getting to Tinian is not a simple affair. In fact, for many tourists, a visit to the island often forms part of a larger itinerary that involves other pacific islands and landmarks.

Nearby Saipan is better serviced by international airlines, with direct flights from Tokyo or Osaka. A short flight of ferry journey will then take you to Tinian.

Guam is another “hub” relatively close by. US airlines operate to Guam from Hawaii and Japan. Again, transit then needs to be organized to Tinian.

Where to stay?

The Tinian Casino and Hotel is the best option for those looking for a level of luxury. In recent years, local owners have been opening up their homes using Airbnb and Booking.com.

Featured Image: Mztourist / CC BY-SA

Visiting the Hanging Coffins Of Sagada, Luzon, Philippines

April 27, 2020August 31, 2020

The Stasi Museum – Dark Tourism in Berlin

October 8, 2019August 31, 2020

Museum of Tolerance – Los Angeles (A Complete Guide)

August 6, 2020October 21, 2020

Visiting Hartheim Castle Memorial Site (Austria)

October 21, 2020November 27, 2023

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

Built to produce submarines on a grand scale for the Nazi war effort, more than 10,000 forced laborers were used in the construction of this gigantic bunker, support yard, and assembly area.

However, the efforts came late in the war for Hitler. The Third Reich was defeated before the mega-project could be completed.

After years of post-war use as a military storage facility, the bunker complex came into the ownership of the Denkort Bunker Valentin in 2011.

It is now a massive memorial structure open to the public. For any dark tourist in the area, it is definitely a must-see.

History of the bunker – Construction

Construction of Bunker Valentin began in the summer of 1943. The area outside of Bremen was mainly rural, providing the space the Nazis needed for such a large-scale construction project.

The more remote location was also an attempt to avoid the heavy allied aerial bombing that was taking place in the larger cities and industrial centers within Germany at that time.

The U-Boat shipyard and protective bunker were positioned downriver from Bremen but with easy access to the North Sea via the River Weser.

Construction was overseen by the Nazis’ “Organisation Todt”, and as was the norm for such huge projects, the workforce was made up of POWs and concentration camp inmates.

Conditions were horrific of course and it is estimated that between 1500 and 6000 workers died during the process of building Bunker Valentin.

The prison camp set up near the site became the largest subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp in Hamburg, with laborers held captive from all over Nazi-occupied Europe.

Allied Bombing

On 27 March 1945, the Valentin factory was attacked by twenty Avro Lancaster heavy bombers from the British Royal Airforce, employing precision bombing tactics.

A support aerial force of 115 Lancasters also bombed the nearby fuel oil storage depots.

The Lancasters bombs caused significant damage to the bunker, blowing large holes in the roof that caused an estimated 1,000 tons of debris to fall into the chamber below.

Other bombs dropped that day caused damage to a nearby electricity plant, as well as local workshops and a concrete mixing plant necessary for construction.

Before the Nazis could even begin to assess the damage another allied attack took place just 3 days later.

On 30 March 1945, the US Eighth Air Force attacked Valentin with Disney bombs.

These rocket-assisted weapons were designed to penetrate further. A total of 60 were launched, with considerable damage done to important supporting installations that surrounded the bunker.

The entire complex was abandoned as a result and within a month the area was occupied by the British Army’s victorious XXX Corps.

Not a single submarine keel was ever laid during the life of the Valentin factory and bunker. Hitler was soon dead and the war was over.

After the war

After the war, the Ministry of Defense of the new Federal Republic of Germany took control of the bunker and began using it as a storage depot for the navy.

By 1960, the still-intact eastern part of the bunker had been renovated for purpose. The Cold War was now very much underway, with the entire complex becoming a closed-off military zone.

Known as the Navy Material Depot, Subunit Wilhelmshaven, the restricted site was closed off to the public for over 3 decades.

During this time the navy constructed a partition wall between the ruined western and eastern sections of the bunker.

The former assembly hall was split into two as result, with the western side too damaged to use in any meaningful way.

Finally, in the 1990s (after the fall of the Iron Curtain and the reunification of Germany), the navy started to allow survivors and relatives of the camps inside the complex.

Where is Bunker Valentin?

• Address: Rekumer Siel, 28777 Bremen, Germany
• Phone: +49 421 69673670
• Website

The best way to reach the bunker is via car or taxi. There is limited parking, however. Bus line 90 from the train stations Bremen-Farge or Bremen-Vegesack will also take you to the site.

Visiting Bunker Valentin Today

After Denkort Bunker Valentin took control of the site, they immediately began to transform it into a museum and open memorial in remembrance to those that died during its construction.

With it being such a large facility (with some parts understandably extremely costly to make safe), the concept is still a work in progress.

Some parts are open to the public, however. Accessible free of charge, a path runs through the site where you will be able to see the exhibits that have been set up within the bunker and surrounding buildings.

Walking tour of the bunker

As you first take the path through the grounds of Bunker Valentin you will find information panels with details of the bunker and its history, written in both German and English.

Once inside, you will begin to appreciate the sheer scale of the engineering effort. The building is enormous.

The entrance atrium contains a reception desk where you can borrow audio-guides. There are also some images projected on to the wall with more information about the bunker.

From here you can walk into the main exhibition area where you will find original objects from the time of the construction. There are also artifacts recovered from the forced labor camp that was established nearby.

One poignant little piece is the engraved tin cigarette case made by an Italian prisoner. He exchanged it for some bread from a German apprentice, who later donated to the exhibition.

Further on within the exhibition area is a section dedicated to submarines. “Das Boot” gets a mention and there are various model kits of german U-Boats on display.

The post-war life of the bunker is also described, with details of its time as military storage facility for the Navy, as well as the long campaign for turning it into a memorial.

Other notable aspects as you take a tour are the damaged parts of the bunker that although off-limits, can be seen from various vantage points as you walk around.

At one point you will reach a viewing platform where you can see the partly ruined western section of the bunker; the holes made by the RAF bombers can still be seen.

Towards the end of the bunker section of the walk, you will come across some wartime artifacts such as a bent bomb casing that the Allies used for target practice after taking control of the area in the spring of 1945.

There is also the chassis of a tipper wagon that would have been used during the construction of Bunker Valentin.

Past this, the path leads you outside once more. Here you arrive at the rear sluice chamber, where the U-boats would have been launched after completion.

This is full of dirty, stagnant water and apart from the scale of it all, it is hard to imagine that hi-tech war machines were intended to begin active duty from here.

Continuing on you will reach the ruins of the heavily bombed concrete mixing plant. Some information panels illustrate what went on within the surrounding infrastructure and how it assisted the construction of the bunker.

The final part of the tour takes you along the outside of the western and southern sides of the bunker, back to the main entrance. This really helps put the scale of the building into perspective as it is not a short walk.

Look out for the large opening on one side as you go. This is where large, prefabricated parts of the U-Boats would have arrived and entered the bunker for assembly.

Featured Image: Jens Lingenau / CC BY-SA

Hang Out at Stalin’s Summer House – Dark Tourism Russia

October 31, 2019August 31, 2020

The Buried Village of Te Wairoa – Dark Tourism in New Zealand

September 1, 2020September 2, 2020

A Tour to Pyramiden: Soviet Ghost Town in Svalbard

February 18, 2020September 10, 2020

Visiting the Abandoned Town of Kayaköy, Turkey

April 24, 2020August 31, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

The date was February 23, 1945, and the photograph soon made front pages around the world, (it also won the Pulitzer Prize for Photography the same year). Not only that, but the image also painted a false representation of what was happening on Iwo Jima.

The battle on the island would rage for over a month. 110,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, and pilots were brought in to fight. Out of that staggeringly high number, 26,000 would be killed or injured.

It was one of the bloodiest battles in the pacific during WW2. Now, 85 years later, the volcanic outpost is open to a small stream of visitors by official guide only.

For those that are passionate about military dark tourism, it is one for the bucket list.

• Related Content: A Trip to Tinian Island – WWII Relics in the Pacific

The Battle of Iwo Jima

The American invasion of Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945. It would take just 4 days for the soldiers to reach the 554-foot peak of Mount Surabachi and raise the Stars and Stripes.

However, the battle wouldn’t end until March 26, 1945. It was the first U.S. attack on the Japanese Home Islands, and it is no small surprise that the Imperial Soldiers put up such a fierce fight.

The Japanese defensive infrastructure was more than ready. Their positions were heavily fortified, with hidden bunkers, vast artillery, and a large network of tunnels for fast and effective movement.

This all gave the Japanese a strong position on the island even after the fall of Mount Surabachi.

General Tadamichi Kuribayashi had eight infantry battalions at his disposal. There was also a tank regiment, two artillery, and three heavy mortar battalions. Beyond this were the 5,000 gunners and naval infantry.

• Related Content: Visiting Nauru – A Island From Boom To Bust

The real difference was the Japanese tenacity, however. They defended until the end, which in turn meant a high death toll.

Out of the 21,000 Japanese soldiers that took part in the battle of Iwo Jima, 19,000 were killed. Only 1,083 surrendered.

On the final night of battle, a 300-man Japanese force launched a futile counterattack. The American forces were too great in number. The next day, the island was declared secure.

Allied losses were still comparatively high, however. According to the U.S. Navy, “The 36-day (Iwo Jima) assault resulted in more than 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 dead.”

After the Battle of Iwo Jima, approximately 3,000 Japanese soldiers remained alive in the tunnel networks. Many committed suicide as protocol dictated. Those that didn’t remained hidden throughout the island, venturing out at night to find food and water.

Amazingly, two soldiers, Yamakage Kufuku and Matsudo Linsoki managed to last three and a half years in this condition, hiding from the Americans on the occupied island. They finally surrendered on January 6, 1949.

The U.S. military would remain on Iwo Jima for another 23 years after the invasion. It was until June 26, 1968, that the remote outpost was returned to Japan.

• Related Content: The Lucky Dragon Incident & Bravo Nuclear Tests

Where is Iwo Jima?

Visiting Iwo Jima Today

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) lives on the island today. They are in charge of support, air traffic control, fueling, and rescue and operate a naval airbase there.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force also uses the base with a garrison of 400 troops on the island.

Civilian access is severely restricted. Only a small number of official tour operators are allowed to land there with tourists. [see box below].

Such tours will provide historians that will guide you to some of the key sites of the battle as well as explanations of the strategies employed by both the American and Japanese forces.

A trip to the summit of Mt. Suribachi is definitely worth it to see the spot where the flag was raised, and the iconic photograph was taken.

However, you will need good walking shoes and bring snacks and water. Walking to the top of Mt Suribachi does require a medium level of fitness. It is steep in places, but there is a paved road interspersed with gravel track.

Some of the beaches on the island are also worth visiting. There are a number of wrecks jutting out of the water (old military boats and equipment) and the overall feeling is very apocalyptic.

Two abandoned airfields from World War II also still exist. Central Field to the south of the current airbase can be visited. There is also an unfinished Japanese airfield to the north of the base.

• Related Content: Inside the Unit 731 Museum, Harbin

Recommended Tour

Stephen Ambrose – War in the Pacific Tour

Historical tours via Stephen Ambrose are the most reputable provider. A package deal takes care of all your travel and accommodation with pick up and return points in Hawai. Beyond access to Iwo Jima, the tour also includes visits to Saipan, Tinian and Guam.

A full-time historian and tour manager join you throughout. First-class accommodation and coach are also included.

RESERVE NOW

Follow us on Instagram!

The Sidoarjo Mud Volcano – Indonesia

August 4, 2020September 1, 2020

The Museum of Underground Prisoners [Trips to Jerusalem]

February 10, 2020October 6, 2020

Novaya Zemlya Nuclear Test Site [Dark Tourism Russia]

February 4, 2020September 16, 2020

The Lucky Dragon Incident & Bravo Nuclear Tests

March 24, 2020September 16, 2020

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

It was built to mark and honor where more than 10,000 Serbs were rounded up and shot by German forces during the invasion.

Most of the victims were citizens оf Niš, meaning that the entire population was impacted in some way. Those that didn’t lose their lives, where undoubtedly close to someone that did.

Bubanj Memorial Park – The History

Germans reached the Bubanj forest towards the end of 1941. By early 1942, they had set up execution squads that were charged with rounding up local Serbs, Gypsies, and Jews and delivering them to Bubanj en masse, via truck.

For the next 2 years, mass exterminations were carried out at the site. The only reason they ended was due to the advancing Red Army into Yugoslavia in the fall of 1944.

In order to dispose of the bodies, the entire area is intersected by trenches in which the victims fell and were buried after being shot.

However, as the allied forces circled, the Germans wanted to hide all evidence of the mass killings.

For this, they used Italian prisoners of war to dig up the decomposing bodies and have them burned.

The Nazis could not keep their atrocities hidden for long. Witness testimony from those that managed to escape execution, plus knowledge of the sheer numbers of Niš citizens that disappeared, meant that the area was soon considered hallowed ground.

• Related Content: Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial & Museum (Yerevan)

First Memorials

By 1950, just 5 years after the end of the war, the execution site was marked by a memorial pyramid.

The existing monument of the famous “Three Fists” was commissioned by Yugoslav sculptor Ivan Sabolić in the early 60s.

The three concrete obelisks are different sizes in order to depict men’s, women’s, and children’s hands. It is also designed to symbolize the fact entire families were killed there. The clenched fists punching the sky depict the defiance of the local population to the enemy.

The monument was unveiled on 14 October 1963 and in my opinion, is the highlight of the park.

Where is Memorial Park Bubanj?

• Address: Bubanj Hill, Nis Serbia

Memorial Park Bubanj is situated southwest of Niš. Another Serbian Cultural Property of Great Importance, Crveni Krst concentration camp is located 2km from the park and is definitely worth visiting while you are in the area.

Visiting Memorial Park Bubanj Today

Bubanj Memorial Park is large. The open space exaggerates the starkness (especially on a bleak autumn day) that in turn helps to focus the visitor’s mind on the horrors that took place there.

That being said, the memorial trails and monuments are especially poignant.

The centerpiece to Bubanj is a marble relief standing 23 by 2.5 meters tall. It is made up of five compositions that represent the path of the war on the local population.

One part symbolizes the firing squads, another the executions. The civil revolts are depicted, as is the surrender of the German invaders and the eventual victory of the Serbs.

New additions to the park have been made in recent years. In 2004, a chapel built of glass and metal was added to the complex. What is now the memorial hill to the site was redeveloped in 2009.

Essentially, the entire site is a monument. The park itself is meant to pay honor to all of those that lost their lives in such a tragic way.

Image Featured: Mikica Andrejic

The Cadaver Tomb of René of Chalon [Dark Tourism in France]

January 9, 2020August 31, 2020

The Skull Tower, Niš [Dark Tourism in Serbia]

February 5, 2020August 31, 2020

Visiting the Hanging Coffins Of Sagada, Luzon, Philippines

April 27, 2020August 31, 2020

Oradour-sur-Glane: A Nazi Massacre Frozen in Time

January 30, 2020August 31, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

The subterranean network was dug out from the sandstone in 1938. During the bombing raids by the Germans in the Second World War, the tunnels proved invaluable.

Now, 80 years later, one shelter known as the ‘Chestergate Hotel’ (due to the conditions being better than the average air-raid shelter) is open as a museum.

Visitors gain insight into the lives of everyday citizens of the 1940s, as their homes were bombed above their heads.

History of Stockport Air Raid Shelter

In September 1941 the Germans began bombing Great Britain from the air, in a sustained attack known as the Blitz.

While London bore the brunt of the campaign, many other cities across the UK were targeted. In Manchester, 8,000 homes were destroyed along with many of the city’s landmarks and industrial areas.

In nearby Stockport, the British were able to build their biggest civilian air-raid shelter.

The soft sandstone was suitable for tunnel building, and furthermore, the job was made easier due to the preexisting old cellars and mine workings that had been discovered a few years earlier.

With established access points close to the River Mersey, the government decided on an enlargement plan to turn the network into public air raid shelters.

Several large shelters were built in late 1938 and 1939, with the aforementioned Chestergate, (originally accommodating 3,850 people) being enlarged to take 6,500.

The conditions that led the shelter to become known as “the Chestergate Hotel” included good natural ventilation, electrical lighting, chemical toilets, bunk beds, and a canteen.

The large size was also extremely atypical. This led to higher levels of social life and communal support that gave citizens a greater feeling of security.

The popularity of Chestergate led to problems, however. The demand for places inside the shelter was high, and a shelter ticket system had to be introduced.

Credit needs to be given to the civilians and shelter marshals of the time mind you. Apparently there was never any conflict in the shelters during the war and the marshals would always find room somewhere in the tunnel system for those that turned up.

• Related Content: Oradour-sur-Glane: A Nazi Massacre Frozen in Time

Turning the Shelter into a Museum

After the war, the Stockport Air Raid Shelters were boarded up and abandoned.

They sat, almost forgotten for the best part of 50 years, only being re-opened in the mid-1990s, when workmen broke into the network while carrying out road repairs.

The tunnel system was in surprisingly good condition. The steel bunk beds had survived, along with the chemical flushing toilets. Many of the original features and of course the overall layout remained intact.

It wasn’t long before a proposal to turn the shelters into a visitor attraction was given the go-ahead. In fact, the Stockport Air Raid shelters became the first purpose-made shelters to be opened to the public.

The museum now has over 50,000 visitors a year and is one of Stockport’s top tourist attractions.

• Related Content: Visiting Wolf’s Lair – Hitler’s Bunker Complex, Poland

Where is the Stockport Air Raid shelter?

• Address: 61 Chestergate, Cheshire, Stockport SK1 1NE, United Kingdom
• Phone: +44 161 474 1940
• Website

Visiting the Shelters Today

A visit to the Stockport Air Raid Shelters provides an extremely interesting insight into life underground during WW2.

Inside the shelter, you will learn about the experiences of local people during the war. Informational displays line the tunnel walls with photographs from the times and items that would have been used while people took shelter from the bombing.

State-of-the-art audio-guides also provide commentary as you walk through the network.

Proceeding further into the tunnels and you will see the original sections of the shelter that remain. It is quite the sight to see the countless rows of bunk beds and larger, open plan areas where people would have socialized as they wondered whether their own homes were being destroyed above ground.

• Related Content: The Third Tunnel of Aggression

Urban Exploring

Shelters that exist at Brinksway and Dodge Hill remain closed and abandoned and are not part of the museum experience. However, Urban Explorers have found ways of getting inside these, and details can be found quite easily elsewhere on the internet.

Featured Image: Holiday Gems, CC by 2.0

The Stasi Museum – Dark Tourism in Berlin

October 8, 2019August 31, 2020

The Hallstatt Beinhaus: An Austrian House of Bones

January 27, 2020September 22, 2020

The Patarei Sea Fortress: Abandoned Soviet Prison in Tallinn

January 29, 2020August 31, 2020

Saint-Pierre & the Prison Cell of Ludger Sylbaris

May 7, 2020September 4, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/

Those that lived nearby saw black smoke billowing from the chimney stacks, however, something very different from sawing wood was going on inside.

Unit 731 was actually a biological weapon research facility. The “logs” was the term the staff used for the influx of Chinese prisoners that they experimented on and the black smoke was coming from the incinerators used to burn the bodies once they had finished with them.

Sanctioned by the Japanese Government

The site was Commanded by General Shiro Ishii, an officer in the Kwantung Army.

It is unknown just how many people died while Unit 731 was active, however, if victims of the resulting biological weapons are taken into account, the estimates are in the hundreds of thousands.

What is known is that every single man, woman or child that entered the complex as a prisoner, did not come out alive.

Furthermore, almost all of those deaths would have been in a horrific manner.

Inside Unit 731

Established in 1936, and operational throughout World War II, those that worked at the research unit, had no regard for human life.

Functioned under the approval of Japan’s Emperor Hirohito, it was very much a case of anything goes in the name of science.

The in-house experimentation included the study of blood loss by performing amputations, stitching limbs onto other stumps of the body, and operating to remove organs to observe the impact.

No anesthetic was used of course.

Rape and forced pregnancy occurred so that fetal survival and damage to the host reproductive organs could be examined.

Patients were also infected with diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis in order to see the results. This involved researchers forcing infected and non-infected prisoners to have intercourse.

The researchers also liked to work “out in the field”. This meant targeting hungry children and offering them food and candy laced with lethal pathogens. The impact was then observed.

Unit programs involving biological warfare resulted in the highest death tolls. Anthrax, smallpox, typhoid, cholera, and plague-infected fleas were tested on humans at Unit 731.

Not only were prisoners within the complex infected, but the army would also fly planes and perform aerial drops over Chinese towns and villages.

These highly infectious diseases were released directly onto crops and into the water supply.

These atrocities continued for a full 9 years until Japan’s surrender in 1945. Upon defeat, the staff of Unit 731 destroyed as much evidence as they could before fleeing the complex.

Lasting Legacy

Unfortunately, the horror of Unit 731 has had a long-lasting legacy. Very few people have ever been officially held responsible.

In fact, researchers held by the U.S government were given immunity in exchange for data surrounding the experiments. (The Soviet government was less lenient, arrested researchers were tried at the Khabarovsk War Crime Trials in 1949.)

Immunity meant relocation to the US, where many of the scientists enjoyed prominent careers in academia, business, and medicine.

The Japanese government was never tried in relation to these war crimes.

Where is the Unit 731 Museum?

• Address: 25 Xinjiang Dajie, Harbin, China
• Phone: +86 451 8710 8731
• Website

Unit 731 today

Part of what was left of Unit 731 was opened as a museum in 1985. When visiting the museum you will follow a path through the prison cells, guards buildings and some of the laboratories.

Graphic photographs depict some of the experiments that took place.

Original medical instruments, including needles, saws, and vivisection hooks, serve as a chilling indication of what those poor victims endured.

A very moving section of the museum can be found inside the main exhibition hall. Here the walls are lined with hundreds of portraits and the firsthand testimonies of the guards that helped to bring the atrocities of Unit 731 to light.

That being said, the inhumanity and suffering that occurred at Unit 731 is extremely difficult to comprehend overall. The impact will stay with you long after you have left the museum.

Good to know

The museum is located approximately 1 hour from the center of Harbin. Bus no 338 or 343 from the western part of the train station will take you there.

Guided tours are available. If you don’t opt for this you should definitely use the English audio guide.

Hang Out at Stalin’s Summer House – Dark Tourism Russia

October 31, 2019August 31, 2020

Ruddock, Louisiana – Entire Town Destroyed by Hurricane

September 28, 2020

John Lennon’s Murder: Dark Tourism New York

November 4, 2019August 31, 2020

Saint-Pierre & the Prison Cell of Ludger Sylbaris

May 7, 2020September 4, 2020

Follow us on Instagram!

Stew Baxter

I have an insatiable wanderlust for the extraordinary. Born with an adventurous spirit, I have spent over the past decade exploring the far reaches of our planet, seeking out the strange and mysterious.

darktourists.com/