The Purple Heart

In April 1942, eight American aircrew from two B-25 Mitchell bombers are captured following a raid on Japan. A local Wang Jingwei–controlled official in China gathers the men and hands them over to the Imperial Japanese Army. The capture marks the brutal start of their ordeal as prisoners of war.

The Chinese collaborator transfers the airmen to the Japanese Army to be tried at the Shanghai Police Headquarters. The transfer underscores the complicity and political complexity of occupied China. The prisoners are thrust into a high-profile wartime legal proceeding.

International observers are allowed to witness the proceedings, but General Mitsubi refuses to let the Swiss Consul contact Washington. Lt. Greenbaum, a civilian attorney, declares the trial illegal on the basis that the airmen are in military service of the United States. The courtroom atmosphere grows tense as legality and loyalty clash with coercion.

The airmen endure brutal interrogation and torture by Japanese guards. Sgt. Jan Skvoznik is left in a catatonic state with a permanent head twitch, illustrating the inhuman conditions of captivity. The cruelty sets a dark tone for the entire trial and imprisonment.

Lt. Canelli and Lt. Vincent rush the Japanese general during the courtroom confrontation, only to be knocked down with rifle butts and returned to their cell. Canelli sustains a broken right hand and arm, while Vincent becomes catatonic again. The act underscores the airmen's stubborn resistance under extreme pressure.

Sgt. Clinton returns from torture seemingly unharmed but is revealed to have ruptured vocal cords, leaving him unable to speak. In the meantime, Greenbaum uses a listening device in the cell to glean Clinton's written messages, highlighting the psychological torment endured by the prisoners.

Lt. Bayforth returns from torture with hands and arms rendered useless, and the fear that he might reveal secrets grows among the group. The captives' resolve remains tested as their bodies and spirits are pushed to the limit.

Seeing that his regime cannot break the airmen, the sadistic General Mitsubi shoots himself. His death marks a turning point in the case, but it does not alleviate the prisoners' suffering or the broader brutality of their captivity.

The airmen's torture and perseverance are highlighted as the world watches the trial, which culminates in the airmen being labeled as war criminals. The proceedings are used to illustrate the brutality of their captivity and the political theater surrounding their fate. The case becomes a focal point of wartime propaganda and memory.

Following the verdicts, the airmen are executed as war criminals, a grim end that underscores the brutal treatment they endured. The execution completes the immediate course of the case and leaves a legacy of controversy and sorrow. The global community is left to reckon with the injustice of their fate.

The events surrounding the capture, trial, torture, and execution are unveiled to international observers and the broader world. The case becomes a stark example of wartime brutality and the tragic fate of Allied aircrew captured far from home. The world is forced to confront the moral complexities of wartime justice and propaganda.