In 1945, Japan surrendered and World War II ended.
But there was a Japanese soldier, on a small island in the Philippines who had single-handedly held out guerrilla warfare for 30 years, who refused to surrender.
In 1974, this was called
Onoda's soldiers finally stepped out of the dense forest and laid down their weapons. He also became the last Japanese soldier to surrender in World War II.
Who is he and why did he fight such a crazy guerrilla war for 30 years? What was his final outcome?
01 On the occasion of parting, his mother gave him a short knife
March 19, 1922, Japan
A boy was born to the Onoda family in Hainan City, Wakayama Prefecture, who is the protagonist of this article, Onoda Hiroro.
Onoda's mother was the first female teacher in the area, and her mother's family was a vassal of the Tokugawa clan of Theogawa clan of Theoshi Prefecture of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.
Onoda's mother was an avid militarist, and her fanaticism for militarism also affected her children. The Onoda brothers have been raised since childhood
Instilled in loyalty to the Emperor,
Sacrificing one's life for the country is the greatest filial piety. The Onoda family cannot be disgraced at any time.
In 1939, at the age of 17, Onoda was sent to China as a trading company clerk. After staying in China until 1942, Onoda returned to Japan for military service and was incorporated
The 61st Company of Wakayama Infantry was soon sent back to Nanchang, China, with its troops.
During his service in China, Onoda was transferred to the Kurume Preparatory Noncommissioned Officer School for training. After training, he was selected to join Nakano School due to his excellent Chinese and social skills.
The Nakano School was actually a school for spies and guerrilla fighters, and the students who entered the school were all Japanese active soldiers, from non-commissioned officers to officers. Students cannot speak Japanese at school, but speak the language they are going to use in the future. At Nakano School, Onoda learned many skills such as intelligence, communication, weapons, assassination, fighting, and survival.
As World War II entered its later stages, Japanese imperialism was in decline. The Japanese Army also realized that frontal resistance was about to fail, so it began to plan for follow-up. On the one hand, it encourages the so-called all-Japan campaign
On the one hand, it is secretly cultivating personnel who can carry out guerrilla warfare. The Japanese Army brainwashed the guerrilla fighters into saying that Japan's current disadvantage was only temporary, and that the battle would last for a hundred years.
It was at Nakano School that Onoda learned guerrilla warfare skills, but he was also brainwashed by the top and became a staunch and paranoid soldier.
At the end of 1944, Onoda finished his special training at the Nakano School and was sent to the Philippines.
On his way, his mother handed him an ancestral short knife and told him:
"If you are captured and captured, use this short knife to serve the country."
02 30 years of war
Hiroshi Onoda, 23, was sent to the Philippines
Lubang Island.
Located 115 kilometers southwest of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, Lupin Island is a volcanic island. About 30 km long, 8.5 km wide and covering an area of 192 km2, Lubang Island is a hilly, mountainous, humid and hot climate. Lushin Island is densely forested and mountainous, making it a place to lurk and fight guerrilla warfare.
With the return of U.S. troops to the Philippines, Japanese rule in the Philippines collapsed.
On December 17, 1944, his superior, Taniguchi, ordered Onoda to wage a guerrilla war against the Americans on Lubang Island. He said to Onoda, ".
The Japanese retreat is only temporary, you go to the mountains and forests, use mines and bombs to fight the Americans, you cannot commit suicide or surrender. In three, four or five years, I will be back. Only I can cancel this command.
”
The fanatical Onoda accepted this absurd order, which determined his later life.
Onoda and his accomplices hid in the woods, and 3-4 of them formed a combat team and fought separately.
Onoda and his 3 comrades are hiding in the jungle, fearing discovery and constantly changing their hiding places. The same place is changed every 3 days, and the maximum will not exceed 5 days. Lean on coconut water every day
Cook bananas and a small amount of beef jerky to fill the hunger, and when the beef jerky is finished, it will go down the mountain to steal food, cattle or fish and hunt for a living.
In such a beast-like life, Onoda has not forgotten his mission, he carefully stores ammunition, always pay attention to collecting various information on the island, and prepare for the so-called counter-offensive of the Japanese army.
Onoda believes that guns and bullets are as important to them as life.
The storage of bullets in all combat equipment is very exquisite. With the exception of the 40 rounds of standing ammunition he carried with him, most of the other bullets were stored somewhere in the cliff wall where pythons and poisonous snakes were entrenched.
The US military and local people have repeatedly organized search teams into the mountains, brushed slogans, posted leaflets, and let the surrendered Japanese troops shout and tell the Japanese troops in the forest that Japan has surrendered, the war is over, and they should lay down their weapons and surrender as soon as possible. Those around him surrendered, but Onoda stubbornly believed that this was the demagogic propaganda of the US military.
How could the Empire of Japan in his heart fail? How could it surrender? Onoda refused to surrender and continued to hide in the jungle with the U.S. troops, coming out from time to time to fight with the U.S. troops and the Philippine police.
As time went on, Onoda's comrades either surrendered or were killed, leaving him alone. Alone, Onoda remains stubborn and refuses to surrender, even though his brother with his parents' recording says he surrenders, believing that the U.S. military has found a woman with a similar voice to imitate his mother.
He could not believe that his mother, who had given him a short knife and had killed himself while he was captured, would persuade him to surrender.
For his part, Onoda believed that even if he surrendered, it should be up to Tanida, who gave him the order. Tanida's words before leaving controlled him tightly like a spell,
He never laid down his arms and insisted on fighting for 30 years.
03 Finally surrendered
Fast forward to 1974, a freelance journalist in Japan
Norio Suzuki is there
In the jungle of Lubang Island, I meet Hiroshi Onoda. Onoda still didn't quite believe the fact that Japan had surrendered for years, but allowed it
Norio Suzuki took a picture of him.
After Returning to Japan, Norio Suzuki published the photo, which caused a violent reaction in Japan. And Taniguchi, who gave the order that year, is still alive.
On March 9, 1974, Onoda found a note left by Suzuki saying that his former commander, Yoshimi Taniguchi, had arrived with a photocopy of the complete evacuation order.
On March 11, 1974, Onoda arrived at the agreed location. Dressed in military uniform, Taniguchi read the surrender order to Onoda, who was standing up straight, and read out the surrender edict of the Japanese emperor.
Finally, Onoda laid down his weapon and walked out of the jungle. In 30 years, about 130 locals died at the hands of him and his comrades-in-arms. With the good offices of the Japanese Government, the Philippine Government pardoned him and allowed him to return to Japan.
In media reports, the former first lady of the Philippines at the time
Imelda Marcos had a conversation with Onoda. During the conversation, Onoda was surprised to learn that the war had ended in 1945 and cried bitterly
"How can Japan lose?" Why should I love a gun like a baby?"
04 Final outcome
Returning to Japan, Onoda declined receptions from the Emperor and the Prime Minister, supposedly out of fear that the Emperor would apologize to him.
Returning from the woods to modern society, Onoda was unable to adapt for a long time, and modern electronic devices scared him. He was warmly welcomed by right-wing forces in Japan, and he has also refused to apologize for his crimes in the Philippines. Onoda donated most of the more than 1 million yen given to him by the government to the Yasukuni Shrine. He was still the fanatical militarist.
When he returned to china to meet the media, Onoda said:
It is a blessing to be able to devote the best years of your life to that battle.
In his second year back in Japan, Onoda chose to settle in Brazil, where he ran a farm and married and started a family.
In 2014, Onoda died of illness at the age of 91, ending his absurd and crazy life.
How would you rate Hiroshi Onoda?
Some thought he was a good soldier, obedient to orders, loyal and determined; some thought he was a stupid fanatical paranoid.
Onoda was a product of the fanatical militarist culture of Japan at that time, and everyone from the head of state to the parents of the parents instilled in the children the idea of allegiance to militarism. Onoda is part of this kind of thinking, they believe in power, blindly obey orders, lack the minimum humanity, let alone the minimum concept of right and wrong.
Such a person who has spent his most precious 30 years in a battle of nothingness deserves no sympathy at all.
What do you say about Onoda?