Chapter 4

           Intheclosingmonthsof1944,afteralmostadecadeofwar,thetidewasturningagainstJapan.Theireconomywasfloundering,theirmilitaryoverstretchedacrosshalfofAsia,andtheterritoriestheyhadwonthroughoutthePacificwerenowtopplinglikedominoestoU.S.forces.Defeatseemedinevitable.

           OnDecember26,1944,SecondLieutenantHirooOnodaoftheJapaneseImperialArmywasdeployedtothesmallislandofLubanginthePhilippines.HisordersweretoslowtheUnitedStates’progressasmuchaspossible,tostandandfightatallcosts,andtoneversurrender.Bothheandhiscommanderknewitwasessentiallyasuicidemission.

           InFebruary1945,theAmericansarrivedonLubangandtooktheislandwithoverwhelmingforce.Withindays,mostoftheJapanesesoldiershadeithersurrenderedorbeenkilled,butOnodaandthreeofhismenmanagedtohideinthejungle.Fromthere,theybeganaguerrillawarfarecampaignagainsttheU.S.forcesandthelocalpopulation,attackingsupplylines,shootingatstraysoldiers,andinterferingwiththeAmericanforcesinanywaythattheycould.

           ThatAugust,halfayearlater,theUnitedStatesdroppedatomicbombsonthecitiesofHiroshimaandNagasaki.Japansurrendered,andthedeadliestwarinhumanhistorycametoitsdramaticconclusion.

           However,thousandsofJapanesesoldierswerestillscatteredamongthePacificisles,andmost,likeOnoda,werehidinginthejungle,unawarethatthewarwasover.Theseholdoutscontinuedtofightandpillageastheyhadbefore.