 An official television report of the United States Army produced for the armed forces and the American people. Now, to show you part of the big picture, here is Master Sergeant Stuart Quain. 12 years ago, Imperial Japan surrendered unconditionally what was left of the armed forces, which had spread like a cancer over the Orient and half the islands of the Pacific. After nearly four years of war, the army of the Western democracy, which had so effectively shot at the dreams of the Japanese warlords, landed in Japan with a peaceful purpose. To its feet, so that it might take its rightful place among the community of free nations, the American soldier made friends and he helped pick up the pieces. The country's economy gained strength as the lifeblood of peace coursed through the production line. The principles of democracy replaced the old order of empire and a free and independent people emerged. To help safeguard their freedom, in 1953 the Japanese government with the aid of the American army established the Ground Self-Defense Forces, whose mission is the defense of Japan. The officer leaders of the newly formed military arm, the government turned to its youth and established an officer candidate school on the island of Kyushu to provide the best possible training for each young lieutenant. The officers of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Forces are trained in an area rich in historical and educational significance. Situated near the battle site where Mongol invaders will repost a thousand years ago, the officer candidate school outside the town of Kurumi once served as a training center for the officers of the old Japanese Imperial Army. Today, the school's training mission is a part of modern Japan's effort to stand freely as a responsible democratic nation. Arriving from all parts of Japan, officer candidates prepare to undergo a course of training at Kurumi, which will take 48 weeks for those coming directly from civilian life and 22 weeks for men with military backgrounds. The new students are greeted by regular members of the school staff who give them their first instructions as officer candidates. The young men have been hand-picked for their training from among the non-commissioned officers of the Ground Self-Defense Forces from civilian universities and the National Defense College. More than a thousand candidates train at the same time. In its three-year history, the school has graduated nearly 5,000 men with second lieutenant's commissions. Because the course is designed to prepare each man in the best possible way for his career, the discipline is stern and the instruction necessarily intensive. All of the uniforms and equipment he will need to carry him through the course are issued to the new student upon arrival and he is given one final medical checkup by school physicians before being formally enrolled. The enrollment ceremony itself is an important event attended by the Chief of the Ground Self-Defense Forces and American Army officers who come as guests of the commandant. Passing in review, the entire core of officer candidates puts on a display of military smartness as a proud gesture of welcome to the new men who are about to join their ranks. Before many weeks have passed, the new class of student officers will have acquired a parade-ground precision of their own to be proud of. Officer candidates observe universal military courtesy and traditional Japanese etiquette when the commandant arrives at the school auditorium. It is important to the mission of the Kuroomei School that each new candidate understands fully what will be expected from him while in training and later after he has taken his place as a commissioned officer in his country's self-defense forces. The commandant and other high-ranking members of his staff address the men on their function as students and their future responsibilities as officer. A banquet is held in honor of each class enrollment at which the school staff can become acquainted with the students socially and witness the first demonstration of school spirit which will help carry each young man through the difficult months ahead. Japanese government officials, as well as military leaders, outline the measure of trust that democratic country places in the hands of its young men and American officer observers help them celebrate. A soldier's training traditionally begins with the unlearning of old ways and the learning of new. The corners might have been round at home but at Kuroomei, every one is square. OCS life is new and different in many ways and a touch of homesickness may strike without warning before the student who only yesterday was a civilian settles down to the life of a soldier. For some, the challenge of what lies ahead holds adventure and the promise of excitement and is with difficulty that they surrender their talk for the luxury of sleep. Many weeks of the latest nights and the earliest mornings in his career face the officer candidate from the moment his training commences and he is plunged into a rigorous schedule. His days are filled with muscle toughening exercise which even to the normally athletic Japanese is not an easy part of the program. As the student officer's training progresses the physical demands upon him become increasingly more exhaustive and only the young man in the best condition can hope to keep up the pace. Officer candidates must learn to perform every task they will ultimately be required to ask of their men and early in their training the simplest elements of soldiering must be mastered. Many of the military forms now used have been borrowed from the American Army by Japanese instructors trained in the United States. The student must learn to take orders he must learn to give them. In the classroom the student officer receives the distilled experience of others. He learns the principles and theories behind the military problems he will face in command. Hundreds of lecture hours are crowded into the course and each class is regularly examined by its instructors sometimes for the benefit of visiting military guests. The first opportunity to apply some of the techniques learned in the lecture hall is offered to the students when they participate in a mock exercise on the sand table designed as a battlefield in miniature. Opposing teams of students work out tactical solutions on the spot as tape recorded battle noises add a note of realism to the exercise and tiny powder charges are exploded over the terrain. The men are graded on their performance and the experience they gain comes in handy during later phases of their training when they take part in actual field problems. Action on the sand table permits both winner and loser to profit. In the course of a normal day the officer candidates expend their energies without respite and the midday meal of rice and meat allows them time to discuss their experiences not all of which are serious. They are soon on their feet again and ready to work off that extra bowl of rice with a rigorous period of instruction and practice with the bayonet. Many special skills are essential to the full education of a junior infantry officer and in a mobile self-defense force vehicle driving ability under the most rugged and hazardous conditions can be of enormous value. The soldier's best friend is his rifle and he must become a marksman but before he ever fires his weapon basic instruction in its use receives careful attention. During the rigorous course at Karumi physical fitness becomes a habit for the students as they are exposed again and again to a variety of exercise designed to improve their strength, coordination and stamina. The old fashioned obstacle course long familiar to thousands of our own soldiers was originally patterned after the American example. It is particularly valuable in toughening troops for the physical hardships of combat training. Although there is little leisure time the students manage to put even that to active use by cramming their hours with competitive sports American style or Japanese. Japan is a land rich in customs strange to the Western eye but some of them are highly practical after a rigorous day of fast paced activity. In order that each officer candidate may be able to keep up with his academic work night study periods are maintained where all students put in extra hours on classroom assignments to satisfy the requirements of their courses. Under the supervision of an instructor each man studies hard during the evening because little other time is available to him. Each new day is busy because schedules are tight. A milestone in a candidate's progress as a military student occurs when he has completed enough hours of course instruction at the school to take his turn at the first of three 15 day field training exercises. Platoon and squad field problems are posed by the instructors who then observe the students and grade their performance under combat condition. The men gain first hand experience with all of the weapons used by the ground self defense forces and each man is given a special opportunity to demonstrate his command ability in offensive and defensive small unit action. Night problems always more difficult are a regular part of the student's experience. Japanese success in night actions during World War II bears eloquent witness to their skill in such operations. Reconnaissance patrols after dark are often invaluable in providing the information about an enemy which an infantry force needs to maneuver by day. The students learn too that a routine patrol can be taught a valuable lesson if it encounters unexpected resistance in the darkness. Are fighting an imaginary enemy in a field exercise or merely drilling on the parade ground at Perumi the healthy unbridled spirit of youth sustains them as they move closer to their goal ahead leadership in the defensive military force of Japan. With each successive stage of his training the student is better equipped to stand between his nation's peace as a free democracy and the threat of communist aggression in the Far East. No military school is ever complete without its traditions and the officer candidate school at Perumi is not an exception. A foot race to nearby Mount Korah in which the entire student body participates is staged on one of the few holidays observed by the officer candidates. The man with the fastest feet and the strongest lungs comes in first to break the tape and be cheered by his slower moving fellows. His victory gives him the honor of carrying the torch in a ceremony which symbolizes the comradeship and loyalty born of the close knit teamwork necessary to their long and arduous training. Soon the week's shortened and an air of tension and expectation comes over the school. Difficult examinations in every phase of the coursework are given and they must be passed. Graduation is not far off and by now the students are old hands at soldiering. Inspections long ago routine are moments of easy pride now. When the inspecting officer enters the barracks he can probe where he will and find everything orderly and immaculate. These young men have learned their lessons well and within a few short weeks they will be passing their new knowledge along to those they command. In spite of the rigorous demands of the field and the exacting requirements of the classroom it is testimony to the school staff and to the individual capabilities of the students that 98% of those who begin the course make the grade and graduate. The entire school turns out for the graduation exercises to give the new second lieutenants a smart military send off as they receive their commissions from Karumi's commander. After some well-earned leave at home each graduate will report to his new command with the full knowledge that his training as an officer in Japan's ground self-defense forces will serve the best interests of his country as an equal partner in the family of free nations. They go forth from Karumi a new generation of Japanese leaders helped by the American example to school themselves in the art of defensive war should their country ever need them. But wise in the ways of peace which they have been called upon to help maintain. The free Japan of today has undergone many changes since 1945 which help her enjoy her rightful place as our far eastern partner in the community of free nations. On the other side of the world in Germany an activity of a lighter kind is being carried on by the American soldiers stationed there. Any job which requires skill, responsibility and the best efforts of the man who perform it must also offer the opportunity for recreation if performance and efficiency are to continue. The United States Army is no exception and the man who carry out its various missions find time to enjoy their off-duty hours in many diverse ways. Some take advantage of serious study programs pass off duty hours with books or find relaxation in sports. But for the soldier who nourishes a secret desire to stand in front of the footlights there is opportunity also. In Army sponsored community theaters in Europe today's GI Hamlet has his chance. Supported by funds from Army service clubs and assisted by professional service personnel American soldiers and their families are able to participate in and be entertained by amateur little theaters. In Nuremberg, Germany in the old Palace of Justice the brain center of this unique theater chain is the Army's special activities division. Under the overall direction of staff personnel who manage entertainment for the Army in Europe a small group of highly trained professionals provides the impetus and counsel for GI amateur little theater activities at Army installations in many places. With the help of these professionals the same careful planning can be brought to a little theater production which would normally be found only behind a professional stage show. Under the direction of the headquarters staff are a number of field entertainment directors each of whom guides the shows of several Army little theaters. The machinery of the special activities division immediately begins to turn when word is received that the Heidelberg little theater is about to produce a show. More than 400 play scripts are on file at the Nuremberg headquarters and copies are sent to an Army post on a lone basis for use by the field entertainment director and the little theater cast. The special activities division also supplies props, miscellaneous equipment and costumes for a production as they are needed. Costumes used in the various plays available to the soldier show companies are cleaned, checked and carefully stored at Nuremberg after each production. Everything from a Confederate Army uniform to a mermaid's sheath can be found in this collection and the staff will alter them to size. Although most of the costumes required in soldier show productions are already in stock, new ones may be designed if the occasion demands. 65 little theaters each of which produces an average of four shows yearly are service from the Nuremberg center. Casting for the Heidelberg show begins at the off-duty social centers of the Army post where soldiers and their dependents pass daily. Tryouts are scheduled at the service club so that as many as possible can read for a part in the production. If the roles are limited, a dozen other opportunities exist for the theater buff backstage. Everybody with a taste for grease paint is welcome at casting time. As the show goes into production, GIs and the members of their families are able to give substance to the Shakespearean contention that all the world's a stage. Although he's seeking relaxation when he tries out for a part in the soldier show, a stage-struck army man finds acting of busy diversion. And when it is a soldier's wife who takes to the stage, the household routine takes a beating and he is ordered back to KP again for the first time in years. If this sergeant doesn't have enough to keep him occupied over a hot kitchen sink, he can take time out from his duties to reconnoiter the bedroom and walk his post near the crib. Competition for the roles in a soldier show is heavy and nerves are tense. The moment of apprehension before the cast selection is announced can be as real along this Heidelberg Strasse as it is on Broadway. The field entertainment director is the guiding hand behind every soldier theater production. After the play is scheduled and begins to take shape, he assumes the function of producer. It is his responsibility to watch over every phase of the show from its inception to closing night. Many important tasks involved in putting on a show fall to him. With printers, he must be able to discuss the manner in which programs and publicity materials are to be prepared, even furnishing a sketch when necessary. What goes on behind the stage after the set is designed when the actors are in rehearsal is as necessary as makeup to the finished play production. Many man hours must go into the construction of the scenery as frames are assembled and flats are glued and painted according to the designer's direction. Some army men make their hobby of family affair when it's possible. A soldier may become a carpenter for a few hours each evening helping to construct the portable set which may be used at other posts later on. Dramatic stage lighting can make or break a play production as any showman knows. If a soldier has an aptitude for this particular part of the theater, his skills are quickly put to work. Color balance and the position and intensity of the lighting should conform to the mood and pace of the play. Show business is no business so far as the audience is concerned if publicity isn't well handled. Posters and handbills advertising the show are distributed in advance of the Heidelberg opening and tacked up conspicuously in service club lounges and hallways where everyone will read them. Four or five weeks of rehearsal are necessary before the lines and movements of the actors combine to take the form of a cohesive production. A coffee break allows the cast time to discuss their progress as the bits and pieces of the story are gradually mastered with the skillful aid and advice of the director. Specific suggestions for improvement come from the field entertainment director as he studies the rehearsals and reviews lines and gestures with the whole troupe. 100 different kinds of supplies and materials are needed to put a show on the stage and many of them are unavailable locally. Although the amateurs assemble quite a few they welcome the help from Nernberg. At dress rehearsal the players nervously have their makeup applied and get ready for their first full-scale workout in front of the footlights. Makeup is only one of the many arts and skills needed in the course of a production and an experienced professional actor comes out looking no better than these amateurs before they take their places on the stage. In the makeup room a soldier can have his personality changed or add years to his face with a single application of false hair, pencil wrinkles and paint. The dress rehearsal is a tense command performance for the most discriminating critic of all the field entertainment director who has counseled the theater group from the beginning even before the cast had been selected. His professional eye will observe every detail of the dress rehearsal as a one-man audience he will make last-minute suggestions to help the troupe put the final lick of polish on their show. The actors know their lines by now and there is even time for a relaxed moment before the curtain. Each of them will try to make this performance every bit as good as those ahead. It is the first time the costumed cast performs the play from beginning to end. Actors scramble to take their places and show the field entertainment director what they can do. Their lines are carefully delivered and their gestures are smooth as the make-believe world of the stage comes quickly to light. It's my mind. Yeah, but you know what I mean. I've changed my mind. See, there's nothing wrong, is there? You'd better go into your party, Vicki. I'll join you later. If the new production satisfied the professional, the soldier's show is on its way. The few corrections he suggests are made and the play is ready. Long experience with many such rehearsals stands behind his judgment and he is often able to doctor a line or a gesture, suggest a change in a prop or a light which will put the crowning touch on the play. The first night audience arrives at Heidelberg's Flaming Sword Service Club well before curtain time. Last year at soldier show performances on army posts all over Europe, more than 100,000 GIs and their dependence were entertained. Most of the plays produced by the soldiers are recent Broadway hits which are made specially available to the army for the use of the amateur groups. Army families quickly fill the service club lounge to capacity and wait to see people they know appear upon the stage. The audience is soon caught up in the magic of the play and their approval is the special reward for the weeks of work on the soldier show. Cation has always been important to the morale of the soldier during his off-duty hours. As you have just seen, it is sometimes possible for the soldier to provide relaxation for others while enjoying it himself. Now this is Sergeant Stuart Queen inviting you to be with us again next week for another look at the big picture. Is an official television report for the armed forces and the American people. Produced by the Army Pictorial Center presented by the United States Army in cooperation with this station.