Thousands of Greeks and Armenians in Smyrna were saved in August 1922, as the city burned, thanks to a Japanese captain and his crew who defied threats and braved the flames. Now, 104 years later, the story of the Japanese ship Tokei Maru continues to yield extraordinary accounts of courage and rescue.
What brought the ship to Smyrna? What orders had it received from the authorities? How many rescue voyages did it make? And what ultimately became of it?
Powerful revelations shed light on the Japanese crew’s efforts to help the beleaguered people of Smyrna.