However, it seems that many in positions of authority were able to. Following the war, Vivien Bulwinkle, a survivor who had endured a massacre and significant suffering along with her fellow nurses, was constrained in her testimony at a war crimes tribunal by officials who were ashamed of their failure to evacuate individuals from Singapore. The nurses’ dedication and hardships were disregarded by successive Australian governments prioritizing trade relations with Japan. These nurses were given minimal compensation, no pensions, and were prohibited from participating in Anzac Day marches. The majority of them passed away as forgotten casualties of the war, grappling with PTSD and enduring the physical consequences of their ordeal.
