In August 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Soon after, Emperor Hirohito, who commanded Japan in launching the war of aggression against China, announced Japan's defeat and surrender to the people through the radio. This news shocked some Japanese people, and the japanese Minister of War, Anan, who had just taken office, committed suicide by cutting himself off on the day the emperor announced his surrender, claiming that he did not want to hear the words of surrender from the emperor; Okamura Ningji, who had a heavy army, tried to continue his aggressive activities in China until he received the emperor's edict; and the Allied forces distributed leaflets to the isolated Japanese troops on the battlefield to inform them of the emperor's announcement of surrender, but many Japanese soldiers believed that this was just psychological tactics to disturb their military morale.
Onoda was one of these Japanese troops, and after World War II, he and several Japanese continued to resist in the mountains and forests of the Philippines. During this time, his companions left or died, and he was the only one left. It wasn't until 1974 that Onoda believed in Japan's defeat and walked out of the forest. For this reason, he is also known as "the last Japanese soldier to surrender in World War II".
Born in Kamegawa Village, Wakayama Prefecture (present-day Honhanan City), Onoda joined the 61st Wakayama Infantry Regiment in 1942. Later, he was selected to join the Nimata Branch of the Army's Nakano School, known as the Spy Training School, because of his proficiency in Chinese and Japanese. Here, he received a militarist education and a spy education, and the commander told them: "As a spy, if you are captured by the enemy, you are not asking for death, but trying to survive." ”
At the end of 1944, Japan's defeat was already evident, but Onoda was sent to Lubang Island in the Philippines. His unit was ordered to block the U.S. forces here and prevent them from landing on Luzon, where Manila is located. Before leaving Japan, Onoda's mother gave him a dagger and said, "If you are in danger of being captured by the enemy, please use this dagger to gloriously end your life." ”
Upon arriving at Lubang Island, the commander gave death orders to Onoda and the others, asking them to fight until the last moment. The commander said, "I will not allow you to get in the way of war, and I am sure you will understand." Your task is to defend this place, and one day I will definitely come to pick you up and take you back to Japan. Until then, even if you have no food and can only nibble on coconut peels, or if you have only one last person left, you will fight to the end. ”
In February 1945, the U.S. army swept across the island of Lubang with overwhelming military force, and the Japanese army on the island was defeated and retreated. Onoda Hiroro, Akatsu, Shoichi Shimada, and Kinchichi Oizuka were forced to hide deep in the mountains. Their life in the mountains was difficult, they could only feed on wild fruit beasts, and they often starved and froze.
In August 1945, Japan surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, but Onoda and others received no news. They continued to lurk in the mountains and fought a "guerrilla war" with the island's inhabitants. After Japan's defeat and surrender, Onoda and four others reportedly killed a number of innocent local residents because they believed they were "spies."
Later, Akatsu Couldn't stand the harsh mountain life and chose to surrender; Shoichi Shimada also came out of the forest in 1954 to surrender; and Konchi Otsuka was killed during a firefight with the local police, and in the end, only Onoda was left in the mountains.
In fact, nearby residents also knew that there was a Japanese soldier living in the mountains who was determined not to surrender. They had repeatedly called out to Onoda to tell him about the outside world, but Onoda never believed it. It wasn't until 1974, when a Japanese explorer heard on Onoda's story and made a special trip to the mountains to find him, that Onoda listened to him half-heartedly about the changes that had taken place in the world over the years.
But Onoda insisted on not leaving yamanaka, telling the explorers that he could not leave because his commander had not given him the order to retreat or surrender. The explorer heard this and flew back to Japan to find Onoda's chief. At that time, the chief had retired from the army and became a businessman, and after hearing about Onoda's deeds, he made a special trip to Lubang Island and gave him the order to surrender.
On March 10, 1974, Onoda handed over his gun and bullets, but he still kept the dagger that his mother had given him. Filipino locals have called on authorities to punish Onoda for killing many innocent locals after the war. However, after consultations with the Japanese government, the Philippine authorities sent Onoda directly back to Japan. Later, when asked by the Japanese media if he felt guilty for killing these people, Onoda replied that the duty of a soldier was to obey orders, so he was not responsible for the deaths of these people.
Onoda, who returned to Japan, was welcomed by the Japanese, who regarded him as a hero and a qualified soldier. The Emperor of Japan wanted to summon Onoda to honor him, but Onoda declined, saying, "When the time comes, His Majesty the Emperor may bow his head and say to me, 'I'm sorry, you've worked hard,' right?" But I don't want to see that scene. ”
(Source: Wikipedia)
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