 "Worth reading!" | 2008-06-24 |
| - Reviewed By User: AWYWQX6UGLQZZ |
| An interesting look at one mans war. This book tells of its authors survival and his thoughts as he lived in the jungle, and fought a war that had ended 30 years ago. He explains why he didn't believe that the war had ended, and how he survived, and evaded capture for so long. |
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 "What a way to spend 30-years" | 2008-04-19 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1IM0C5YYZHLLT |
I had an opportunity to visit Corregidor Island (Philippines)a few months ago and got quite interested in the history of WWII.
When I found out that the last Japanese soldier didn't surrender for nearly 30-years after the war was over I couldn't believe it. Then I found out that he had written a book about his life and specifically his time as a soldier.
A very interesting read. This may be hard to believe, but it explains why he never gave up during those 29+ years on Lubang Island. Gave the book to a friend of mine and they enjoyed it as well.
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 "Japan surrenders at last!" | 2008-03-04 |
| - Reviewed By divercalamia |
I just finished reading "NO SURRENDER; My Thirty Year War" by, Hiroo Onoda.
An amazing story to say the least, and...a true one! Here is a real story that would shame any of modern televisions' "Lost" series.
Onoda is a Japanese soldier of the Imperial Japanese Army that is sent to the island of Lubang (in the Philippines), to conduct jungle warfare against the American and allied forces in 1944. The main elements of the Japanese army are retreating, as Onoda and others are left behind to continue the fight until..."Japan returns". Onoda remains on Lubang with a few others to continue "the cause" not 5 years, or 10, or even 20 but...thirty years! Onoda finally turns over his sword in 1974! Here is the real story of the "last Samurai."
I was in Subic Bay in 1968 as part of the naval forces that were stationed in Viet Nam. Just a few miles away from where I stood, Hiroo Onoda was still fighting "my father's war" under the flag of the Rising Sun!
Despite his heroic efforts and on-going pledge to duty, I find it impossible to believe that Onoda did not know the war had actually ended. During his tenure on the island he would have noticed the on-going changes of technology, and...as early as 1965 he and his small group came into possession of a transister short-wave radio. Onoda and the others listened extensively to radio Peking, radio Japan, and even the BBC. Like most people who live their life as a "mission," anything can be justified. In fact, Onoda latter concedes to this very point.
I only wish this book contained an updated section to reveal what ever happened to Onoda after he returned to Japan. I wonder if, Onoda finally died or, if like all old soldiers... "just faded away."
History buffs or, serious military historians should have at least one copy of this book on their shelf. |
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| "Somewhat skeptical" | 2007-05-30 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2XAEAESG3U7VX |
| It was not mentioned in the book, that Mr. Onada was forgiven for 29 Filipino deaths caused by him. It is difficult for me to beleve he could have been so naive and ignorant. |
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| "and 1/2 stars... Dedicated soldier" | 2006-07-12 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3BY0O5ZK0HQTI |
Growing up I had heard the incredible stories of Japanese soldiers popping up from the jungles years & decades after the war was over. It always blew me away that someone could continue on fighting for so long after the war had ended. I could see someone doing it for 1 or 2 years because they were usually on isolated islands. No one (as far as we Know) was fighting the war for longer than Hiroo Onada.
The only thing was though Onada didn't really need to fight for longer than the one or two years after 1945 when the war ended - that is if his mind wasn't blocking out all the information that was showing him the war was over. No matter what happened he was too suspicious that it was a trap by the American's or Filipinos. I found the story amazing but after a while one has to wonder if he will ever believe anything.
Countless times the island was blanketed with notes dropped from planes that said the war was over & Japan had surrendered. One of the soldiers he lived with walked away from Onada & his friends in 1949 (after 5 years living with Onada). He walked to freedom & then came back & tried to convince the last 3 soldiers (Onada, Shimada & Kozuka) to give up - that the war was over, they were wasting their time. They dropped notes with the 3 soldiers names on it, pictures of Onada's family members...& walked around the island with bullhorns yelling that the war was over. Onada, Shimada & Kozuka heard this from their friend & saw the notes but were convinced that their friend was captured by the enemy & it was all a trap.
Over the years his brother came & yelled on speakers to get Onada to surrender, Onada got within 150 yards of his brother & recognized him & his voice but still thought it was a trap.
Another time his sister did the same thing - he still thought something was fishy & refused to fall for the trap. People always left old newspapers around - from around the world , but mostly from the Philipines & Japan. Sometimes the stacks of newspapers were several feet high. They would read them all, right down to the "want ads". They still twisted things in their minds that the Americans had edited out all these papers & taken out the parts about the war - Onada thought the Americans went to all this trouble just to trick these couple of people on some isolated island.
For about 15 years they had access to a transistor radio & they would listen to stations all over the world - mostly Japanese but others such as the BBC. Still they couldn't wrap their heads around it that things were as they were being told from ex-soldier friends & family members. Finally after 30 years somehow Onada saw the light.
The survival part of the book is pretty interesting & there is no doubt his 30 years of living out in the elements & off the land is one of the greatest survival stories in our lifetime.
He was a smart guy & had a brilliant mind for details but his mind prevented him from seeing that the war was over 29 years before he finally walked out of the jungle.
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| "Good read, amazing story of survival and determination." | 2005-04-13 |
| - Reviewed By creationd |
| I had heard stories of Japanese soldiers who had held out after the war on various islands in the pacific, so this book was exactly what I had been looking for. The idea that anyone could survive in the jungle off the land for 30 years is simply amazing. To Onoda it must of been like stepping into a time machine when he emerged from the jungle in 74. He missed the discovery of so many inventions that we take for granted, television, jet planes, computers and many more, I bet it was all very overwhelming to him. This book goes into the mind of one Japanese soldier and gives a very convincing explanation of how and why they had fought so hard and with so much tenacity and determination. There are a few typos in the book and it is not written in the best English but these are the accounts in Ononda's own words translated into English. Check this book out it is hard to put down once you start reading it. |
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| "A look at a truly dedicated man" | 2005-01-31 |
| - Reviewed By sd000001 |
Lt. Hiroo Onoda spent 29 years on a Phillipine island fighting World War 2. When he was 22 he arrived on Lubang, fresh out of officer training, and reported in to an Imperial Japanese Army base to assume his duties as a junior intelligence officer. Shortly thereafter the steamroller of the US Navy, Army, and Marine Corps came rolling through and and Lt. Onoda retreated to the surrounding jungles of Lubang along with 3 other soldiars when his army base was decimated and captured. Lt. Onoda had recieved orders to continue the fight, even if it meant assuming the role of a guerilla fighter until he was formally relieved by a ranking officer.
I won't ruin the story for you but I'd like to interject what I took from this book. One observation is that the ancient traditions and teachings of the Samurai (Bushido) were very much a motivational factor in the japanese military forces during the second world war. My second observation is that the devotion to duty and loyalty to an ideal can be carried further than many in the world of today could even think was possibile.
This is a must read book. I'd suggest that you familiarise yourself with the codes of Bushido first of all (Hagakure is a good place to start), so that you can better understand the mind set of Lt. Onoda. His descisions are largely based upon his upbringing and teachings and, (in my opinion) sadly, are somewhat foreign to the modern person. Wihout a small amount of familiarity with Bushido, or a knowledge of the ways of the Samurai, you might just view this story as a tale of s silly and ignorant man. I assure you that Hiroo Onoda was/is neither.
Buy it, read it, make an effort to understand, you'll be entertained and you might just take away a valuable lesson. This story is one you will always remember. |
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| "Inspiring and Amazing Story!" | 2004-06-16 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
| No Surrender, by Hiroo Onada, is a very interesting book! It tells the story of a Japanese soldier during World War II who was sent by his superior's to a secluded island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a mission. However, he and his party, due to the nature of their work, were not informed that World War II had officially ended. For the next 30 years, he travels around the island pilfering, storing, sneaking, and scouting, still believing he was doing his duty to Japan. Although there were repeated attempts to contact Onada, all failed. For instance, he found a newspaper article about himself about 10 years after the war ended. He believed the article was "enemy propaganda" and was "an attempt to get me to surrender". Finally, in the 70's, Onada's superior ranking officer finally made contact with him and told him to come home. He complied. No Surrender is an incredibly interesting read, even if you're not interested in history/World War II. The story is very captivating, and Onada's will to survive is amazing. I would definitely recommend this book. |
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| "MUST READ." | 2002-12-22 |
| - Reviewed By contikipaul |
You might have heard of the urban legend of the Japanese soldier who lived on an island until the 70's thinking the war was still on. Well its true. One was found on Guam and three on various Phillipine islands.
Lt. Onada was specifically told in 1945 to hold the fort and the Japanese navy will be back shortly as the US marines advanced on the island.
Onada and three others lived this for many years. The other groups of Japanese soldiers on the island were slowly captured or shot. Finally in 1951 they were the last 4. Two died over the years as they lived in temporary lean to's and shelters waiting for the arrival of the navy to liberate them. They created a whole world in there circle of a Asian pact group of countries fighting the Americans. Search parties looking for them included brothers and parents. The soldiers knew they had been captured of tricked into ferreting the hiding soldiers out. Finally in 1970 the only other soldier died when shot by local police in a shoot out with the soldiers. Finally in 1974 Lt. Onada came across a Japanese youngster who was camping on the island looking for him. The problem was his existence was in question (kind of like Bigfoot) and the camper took his picture to the Japanese press. He was finally met by a senior officer who was still alive and realized his entire adult life had been a ruse. Incredibly touching and thought provoking. |
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| "I can't get this book out my mind!" | 2002-09-25 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
| Well written and easy to read "No Surrender" is a book worth reading. Hiroo Oneda was deployed from a special officers school in Japan that specialized in Guerilla warfare. Trained to fight to the death and never surrender Hiroo gives insight into the buldog nature of the hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers that died during the allied island hopping. For whatever reason the contents of the book fascinate me and a full year after reading it I find that I still reflect on it from time to time. I tend to take Hiroo at his word and believe him when he states that he believed he was following orders to wage a guerilla war and never realized the war was over. On the other hand, I gave the book to my father and he believes Hiroo was a strange sort that was happy to escape from society and had selfish reasons for living in the bush for 30 years, but he too ejoyed the reading. |
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