Hiroo Onoda was an average Imperial Japanese soldier, sent to defend Lubang Island in the Philippines in 1944, during Japans mission to defend the home islands. Trained in Guerrilla warfare, and intelligence gathering. His commander told him to live off the land and forbade him to not commit Seppuku. He was told that so long as he had 1 soldier, he was too continue to fight.
After U.S conquest of the Island, the large groups separated into smaller contingencies of about 3 or 4 men, who either surrendered or were picked off.
After 1945 when the War ended when the Bombs were dropped, papers flew down about victory, which the 4 discovered quickly, and confirmed it was fake.
The four continued to fight an enemy that no longer existed. Slowly each was picked off until Hiroo Onoda was the last one still fighting.
Until one day, a Japanese tourist who was determined to find Hiroo, and bring him back home, stumbled upon him. He refused to surrender, until his original general who flew to the Philippines to fulfill his promise of coming back once and for all. He finally surrendered in 1974, 19 years after the war had ended.
Onoda then handed over his Katana, Saluted the Japanese flag in his tattered clothes, handed over his Gun, Grenades, and ammunition, and his family dagger.
The Filipino president pardoned Onoda, which even though he killed 30 civilians in his campaigns, he was justified by his thoughts of the war still carrying on. This made headlines in Japan, and everyone heard about it.
So What if Hiroo Onoda decided to never surrender? Say his officer died long ago, and he just denied the surrender of Japan and continued fighting. What would be the cultural effects of a Japanese soldier who never surrendered?
Some questions might be
-How long could he have continued to fight?
-What would be the cultural effects?
-Would there be a military campaign to find him?
After U.S conquest of the Island, the large groups separated into smaller contingencies of about 3 or 4 men, who either surrendered or were picked off.
After 1945 when the War ended when the Bombs were dropped, papers flew down about victory, which the 4 discovered quickly, and confirmed it was fake.
The four continued to fight an enemy that no longer existed. Slowly each was picked off until Hiroo Onoda was the last one still fighting.
Until one day, a Japanese tourist who was determined to find Hiroo, and bring him back home, stumbled upon him. He refused to surrender, until his original general who flew to the Philippines to fulfill his promise of coming back once and for all. He finally surrendered in 1974, 19 years after the war had ended.
Onoda then handed over his Katana, Saluted the Japanese flag in his tattered clothes, handed over his Gun, Grenades, and ammunition, and his family dagger.
The Filipino president pardoned Onoda, which even though he killed 30 civilians in his campaigns, he was justified by his thoughts of the war still carrying on. This made headlines in Japan, and everyone heard about it.
So What if Hiroo Onoda decided to never surrender? Say his officer died long ago, and he just denied the surrender of Japan and continued fighting. What would be the cultural effects of a Japanese soldier who never surrendered?
Some questions might be
-How long could he have continued to fight?
-What would be the cultural effects?
-Would there be a military campaign to find him?