Death Before Dishonor Never Retreat Never Surrender.

How long could Hiroo Onoda continue fighting?

  • Rest of the 1970s

    Votes: 3 27.3%
  • 1980s

    Votes: 5 45.5%
  • 1990s

    Votes: 3 27.3%
  • 2000s?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    11
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?
 
If not the General surely someone in his chain of command was still alive and could order him to stop fighting.
 
What do you suggest we do then? It makes sense, but what would be the compromise.

Wiki says his Major delivered the orders to surrender, but almost any officer in his unit or part of the larger formation he was from could have given these orders.
 
Wiki says his Major delivered the orders to surrender, but almost any officer in his unit or part of the larger formation he was from could have given these orders.

Okay, let's say instead, no one contacts him, or the tourist tries, but fails in finding him. Then this could work.
 
Not sure if he can continue very long. On some point Philippine officials would capture him or then he might get ill so badly that can't continue anymore.
 
Not sure if he can continue very long. On some point Philippine officials would capture him or then he might get ill so badly that can't continue anymore.

He was an expert in Guerilla warfare, and he's just one man on an entire island. Especially an island of forests. He's been living off the land for 19 years, I don't think he'd die this soon. While his gun may be outdated, he still had I read about 500 bullets left. I think he could survive. If Phillipino soldiers started looking for him, he could either hide out, or attack if theirs not much of them. He has a large advantage. Especially since he only has to worry about himself, and no one else.
 

Md139115

Banned
The Emperor was still alive in 1974, if you need anything to countermand the orders and are desperate enough to stop this man.

(No, he does not have to go there personally, just have a Japanese officer read the Imperial decree through a megaphone, and invite the soldier to examine the chrysanthemum seal for himself)
 
Top