Japan WW2 holdout soldier dies

[Jimbuna]

Remember this guy....I do.

Talk about faithfull to the end.

A Japanese soldier who refused to surrender after World War Two ended and spent 29 years in the jungle has died aged 91 in Tokyo.

Hiroo Onoda remained in the jungle on Lubang Island near Luzon, in the Philippines, until 1974 because he did not believe that the war had ended.

He was finally persuaded to emerge after his ageing former commanding officer was flown in to see him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25772192

[AVGWarhawk]

I remember hearing about him when I was a kid. Truly incredible story. Fierce loyalty.

[Ducimus]

I think it humorous he ended up moving to Brazil because the wackyness of todays japan was too much for him. I guess he couldn't stand the school girl fetish's, edible womens panties from vending machines, hentai tentacle porn, anime, and other assorted shennaigans. :O:

[AVGWarhawk]

I think it humorous he ended up moving to Brazil because the wackyness of todays japan was too much for him. I guess he couldn't stand the school girl fetish's, edible womens panties from vending machines, hentai tentacle porn, anime, and other assorted shennaigans. :O:

I honestly can't blame him. Japan of 2014 is certainly not the Japan of 1940. Or Japan of 1974 when he did emerge. I would think we could say this for a majority of countries. Must have felt quite odd after 29 years.

[Dread Knot]

I think it humorous he ended up moving to Brazil because the wackyness of todays japan was too much for him. I guess he couldn't stand the school girl fetish's, edible womens panties from vending machines, hentai tentacle porn, anime, and other assorted shennaigans. :O:

It's not like the Japan of the 1940s had a more moral reputation. The modern wackiness of Japan seems rather tame if you consider that 45,000 to 200,000 women were forced into Army sponsored brothels during the course of the war.

[AVGWarhawk]

It's not like the Japan of the 1940s had a more moral reputation. The modern wackiness of Japan seems rather tame if you consider that 45,000 to 200,000 women were forced into Army sponsored brothels during the course of the war.

I would suspect this soldier did not participate in the "Comfort Women" instituted during the war. But I understand your point.

[Ducimus]

I'm just pointing out the culture shock. It really doesn't take long. I remember vividly having more culture shock entering California after being gone for a few years, then I did when i was stationed overseas. You leave home, and in your mind it stays a certain way - how you left it. Lots of things can happen in the time space of a few years. Roads, industry, traffic, fashions, trends. Now that's just a few years, imagine nearly 3 decades of being gone. You'd be a stranger in a strange land, regardless if it was the land of your birth or not.

[Aktungbby]

"The leaflets(surrender) they dropped were filled with mistakes, so I thought it was an American plot."-LT Onoda ... Good God! Sailor Steve is vindicated; Good grammar DOES count!:O:@ AVGWarhawk: apparently LT Onoda was responsible for the deaths of thirty islanders during his protracted war on the island. The Lubang islanders weren't happy about his being allowed to surrender.:salute:

[Dread Knot]

You'd be a stranger in a strange land, regardless if it was the land of your birth or not.

American soldiers who became POWs in the Philippines went through a similar cultural shock when they liberated by their fellow Americans in 1945. As one veteran noted "We went to war with outdated Springfield Rifles and Doughboy Helmets. We were set free by these green Men from Mars with radio sets on their backs, bazookas, jeeps, BARs, plenty of chewing gum and all manner of items we could have only dreamed of having back in '41." Even their English slang and demeanor were different.

[AVGWarhawk]

" :O:@ AVGWarhawk: apparently LT Onoda was responsible for the deaths of thirty islanders during his protracted war on the island. The Lubang islanders weren't happy about his being allowed to surrender.:salute:

In his mind....he was still at war. He was carrying out his orders.

[AVGWarhawk]

I'm just pointing out the culture shock. It really doesn't take long. I remember vividly having more culture shock entering California after being gone for a few years, then I did when i was stationed overseas. You leave home, and in your mind it stays a certain way - how you left it. Lots of things can happen in the time space of a few years. Roads, industry, traffic, fashions, trends. Now that's just a few years, imagine nearly 3 decades of being gone. You'd be a stranger in a strange land, regardless if it was the land of your birth or not.

American soldiers who became POWs in the Philippines went through a similar cultural shock when they liberated by their fellow Americans in 1945. As one veteran noted "We went to war with outdated Springfield Rifles and Doughboy Helmets. We were set free by these green Men from Mars with radio sets on their backs, bazookas, jeeps, BARs, plenty of chewing gum and all manner of items we could have only dreamed of having back in '41." Even their English slang and demeanor were different.

I can only imaging the culture shock. It must have felt like a different planet all together.

[Otto Fuhrmann]

I remember reading his story a long time ago. It was amazing, he had some inspirational loyalty. I hope he rests in peace. he deserves it.

[Aktungbby]

In his mind....he was still at war. He was carrying out his orders.

:agree: I was just pointing out the local's point of view...too bad the grammar was 'poor', might have been only 15 - 25...:nope: Actually, one of the rescued POW's initially thought the German's?? were rescuing them as the modern GI helmet (post-doughboy) resembled the Jerry Stahlhelm on first glance!...and now It (Kevlar)really does!

[Cybermat47]

I only just heard of him. Amazing devotion to his country. R.I.P.

[Jimbuna]

I only just heard of him. Amazing devotion to his country. R.I.P.

Thirty killings in the meantime :hmmm:

[Ducimus]

Thirty killings in the meantime :hmmm:

Yeah that is a bit of a touchy subject. If one wants to look at Onoda in a forgiving light, it's easy to point out that in his mind, he thought the war was still on. Honestly I think his story is so incredible, so defying of belief, it's hard to hold malice. At least I find it hard.

Though on the flip side, a killing is a killing. I don't think the relatives of those thirty killed will look at things the same way.

In the end though, it doesnt matter now. The matter was decided, and Onoda died of old age.

[Aktungbby]

I only just heard of him. Amazing devotion to his country. R.I.P.

REQUIRED READING: with Sun-Tsu-The Art of War and Von Clausewitz- On War, is The Five Rings (Gorin No Sho) - Miyamoto Musashi -Japan's most famous Samurai-Code of Bushido duelist of the 1600's...later a philosopher-calligrapher of note. The book, as with the author, is revered in Japan to this day and would have been required reading with any LT(Onoda) in the Imperial Army. It a small tome, read to this day by nearly every business-man/athlete in Japan; its pervasive subtle philosophical combat aspects are useful even to the casual :subsim:er and it belongs in any well-stocked military library...if only to get inside the head of your Nipponese diehard destroyer opponent:x in SHIV!:rock:"If you do not control the enemy, the enemy will control you.":doh:

[Jimbuna]

Yeah that is a bit of a touchy subject. If one wants to look at Onoda in a forgiving light, it's easy to point out that in his mind, he thought the war was still on. Honestly I think his story is so incredible, so defying of belief, it's hard to hold malice. At least I find it hard.

Though on the flip side, a killing is a killing. I don't think the relatives of those thirty killed will look at things the same way.

In the end though, it doesnt matter now. The matter was decided, and Onoda died of old age.

Agreed...it is always easiest sitting on the periphery and coming to a swift conclusion without fully taking into consideration the feelings and opinions of all the parties directly involved.

I'm not sure if I once saw a film many years ago loosely based on a similar situation.

[Oberon]

It's...difficult to understand the Japanese mindset at the best of times, however one can understand his unfamiliarity with the Japan of the 1970s compared to the Japan of the 1940s. The Bushido code, or Japans warped version of it, was mainly disposed of by Japanese society in the years following Japans defeat, the youth and Japanese society became more westernised, the Emperor was no longer the be all and end all of everything, his zealousness was suddenly very much out of place in Japan.
I think, though, that I would rather have a Japan of anime, hentai and edible underwear, than the Japan of Nanking, Bataan and the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.
My primary worry is that these days, Japan is slowly becoming less of the former and more of the latter. :hmmm:

[Jimbuna]

One thing I'm confident of is that we will never again witness a 'Nanking'.

[Oberon]

One thing I'm confident of is that we will never again witness a 'Nanking'.

Never say never Jim, the future is a large place...

[Dread Knot]

Never say never Jim, the future is a large place...

Indeed. The incessant but often overlooked conflict in the Congo is the deadliest conflict worldwide since WW2, with 5.4 million victims so far. Like Nanking there is no lack of incidents of rape either.

[Aktungbby]

My primary worry is that these days, Japan is slowly becoming less of the former and more of the latter. :hmmm: Perhaps not all to the bad there as some regional power 'steels up' to help deal with suddenly expansionist Sino-Chinese zones of exclusion while stopping regional fishermen of three nations and American Frigates in formerly international waters...Tibet is still not free either. Too bad the Brits aren't still in Singapore for this pending faceoff...:hmmm:

[Aktungbby]

One thing I'm confident of is that we will never again witness a 'Nanking'.

Rawanda?

[Jimbuna]

Never say never Jim, the future is a large place...

Rgr that.

Indeed. The incessant but often overlooked conflict in the Congo is the deadliest conflict worldwide since WW2, with 5.4 million victims so far. Like Nanking there is no lack of incidents of rape either.

I meant as in Japan committing the same atrocity in Nanking again.

[Jimbuna]

Rawanda?

See post above.