Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #137252 in Books
• Published on: 1999-12-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 219 pages

Customer Reviews

Amazing insight in the mind of a japanese soldier
Mr. Hideo Onoda came down from the mountain on the island of Lubang in 1974. For 30 years he had been fighting his own war against nature and the enemy. In the 30 years he had been conducting guerilla warfare against local peasants and Phillipine troops, not knowing the war was over.

The book covers his whole life from a kendo fighting boy, to a dancing teenager in the chinese dancehall and to his secret guerilla warface on Lubang Island in the Phillipines.

The book gives an interesting insight in the mind of a dedicated japanese officer. A man that refuses to believe that the war is over and that the japanese search parties that were sent out in the late 50's, were actually the work of the american intelligence forces. Onoda expirences every imaginary ordeal, from colloctive japanese harakiri, to Bubblegum chewing american soldier, to the death of his 2 soldier friends, Shimada and Kozuka. The later who died in 1973. Only a year before Onoda was found.

All in all an amazing book.

No Surrender
In brief, the subject nature of the book itself will compel you to want to read it. Details the amazing story of a Junior Japanese officer, Lt Hiroo Onoda, and his micro guerilla war on a small island against the local population, US troops and the elements. His mental toughness and his military doctrine seem almost unhuman at times. My only criticism is that the book needs a map of the island, can seem a bit hazy in describing movements to different locations. On the whole definitely worth a read though.

Amazing book
This book had me turning pages like no other - what a fantastic, and totally believable story. Hiroo is still alive today - so 30 years in the jungle did him no harm. Highly highly recommended!