"Faithful Elephants" by Yukio Tsuchiya

        War effects more than Just the soldiers on the battlefield. In the story "Faithful Elephants" by Yukio Tsuchiya, the three elephants at the Ueno Zoo payed with their life at the war's expense. Their trainer suffered because of the elephant's pain. And the people in the zoo lost three close friends.
        The elephants, John, Tonkey, and Wonley, all suffered greatly because of the war. "'By and by, it came time for the elephants to be killed.'" John was first, the elephant keeps tried to poison him; but when that didn't work, they starved him to death. Tonkey and Wonley were then, also starved to death.
        The trainer who trained the elephants, did not physically suffer. But he had to watch 3 things he loved, die. "'You poor,poor, pitiful elephants!'" These elephants were killed because the army thought they were dangerous. So the trainer had to watch these elephants die over a thought.
        Finally, the people in the zoo suffered just like the trainer. They had to watch 3 innocent elephants, die. But the people had to also watch a person who loved them very much, mourn over them as the died, everyday."'...then stroked the elephants' legs and trunks in sorrow.'"
        "Faithful Elephants" encourages the reader to see the deaths of civilian animals, and also to show how war affects soldiers as well as innocence.