Hiroo Onoda last Japanese soldier to surrender in 1974

**tailor marc** · 10-10-2013, 06:00 AM

I have no idea how i havnt heard this story so i thought i would post it here incase any of you would like a look.
What a classic. Something like this could be made into a block busting movie...

Here is a link... Japanese Stragglers Fought On after WWII Surrender - YouTube

**Wagriff** · 10-10-2013, 06:34 AM

Actually, Private Teruo Nakamura surrendered on Dec 18,1974 and Lt. Onoda was relieved of his official duties on March 8,1974. The Japanese government was so impressed by Nakamura's devotion and obedience to duty that they awarded him the equivalent in Yen of $227.59 US dollars....Not a bad days pay for 30 years of war. Abit over $7 and a half bucks a year.

**Gunny Hartmann** · 10-10-2013, 07:25 AM

by Wagriff

Actually, Private Teruo Nakamura surrendered on Dec 18,1974 and Lt. Onoda was relieved of his official duties on March 8,1974. The Japanese government was so impressed by Nakamura's devotion and obedience to duty that they awarded him the equivalent in Yen of $227.59 US dollars....Not a bad days pay for 30 years of war. Abit over $7 and a half bucks a year.

I hope he saved it for a rainy day!....

**Gary J** · 10-10-2013, 08:09 AM

I remember the story ...
The Japanese had to find the soldiers old officer to convince him the war had ended.
He had survived using "hit and run" tactics, stealing from local farms etc for 30 years.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 10-10-2013, 08:16 AM

I recall it being on the TV at the time too. I was already into WW2.

Cheers, Ade.

**stuka f** · 10-10-2013, 08:21 AM

Me too!
My father told me and I couldn't believe thise....
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**Wagriff** · 10-10-2013, 08:38 AM

Ironically, Onoda was an Intelligence Officer. Several times, he had been told the war was over, but he did not believe it and thought they were trying to trick him...He had to wait until his old superior officer could be located to Order him to cease activity. He had been specifically ordered to not surrender any Any circumstances and he was further ordered to not take his own life either. By being ordered to stand down, he was fulfilling his orders to not surrender....

**Spitace41** · 10-10-2013, 08:46 AM

If you are interested he wrote a book of his experiences called No Surrender: My Thirty Year War. Very good read.

**Wagriff** · 10-10-2013, 08:49 AM

Except for the small fact that he did Not include in his book the goodly number of men that he had killed over the years.

**Spitace41** · 10-10-2013, 08:53 AM

Its been a while since I read it, but I thought he did mention it? Maybe his numbers are not accurate but i'm pretty sure it was in there. I have always been torn about the issue, on the one hand we know he was killing people for no good reason, however if he genuinely thought the War was not yet over, I guess he was waging guerrilla warfare to the best of his ability by evading capture.