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No Surrender: My Thirty-Year War (Bluejacket Books) | 
 enlarge | Author: Hiroo Onoda
Creator: Charles Sanford Terry
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
Buy New: $11.79
You Save: $7.16 (38%)
New (30) Used (11) from $9.47
Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 349493
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 219
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6 x 0.6
ISBN: 1557506639
Dewey Decimal Number: 940.548252
EAN: 9781557506634
ASIN: 1557506639
Publication Date: October 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In the spring of 1974, Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda of the Japanese army made world headlines when he emerged from the Philippine jungle after a thirty-year ordeal. Hunted in turn by American troops, the Philippine police, hostile islanders, and successive Japanese search parties, Onoda had skillfully outmaneuvered all his pursuers, convinced that World War II was still being fought and that one day his fellow soldiers would return victorious. This account of those years is an epic tale of the will to survive that offers a rare glimpse of man's invincible spirit, resourcefulness, and ingenuity. A hero to his people, Onoda wrote down his experiences soon after his return to civilization. This book was translated into English the following year and has enjoyed an approving audience ever since.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
 Deguello November 12, 2008
I've given 'No Surrender' five stars simply because it is such an incredible testimony of Japanese...and human...determination. Onoda's story is especially striking when we compare it to the reaction of the majority of Americans [granted, primarily noncombatants] to the prolonged wars of Vietnam and Iraq. By extrapolation, 'No Surrender' shows the enormous challenge American civilization faces when dealing with more austere and dedicated cultures such as we now face in the form of Islamic fundamentalism. It is difficult to escape the probability that even the
'Great Generation' i.e. those Americans of WWII, probably could have never prevailed against the Japanese had the Japanese had half of America's resources and industrial capacity. I've read that the Americans produced more war materiel in one month than did Japan during the entire course of the war. Men like Onoda were simply crushed by American industry...not by superior American courage or warcraft.
Even so, Onoda's story is still a strange one. He and his small band of holdouts subsisted and probably fought on for thirty years following the cessation of hostilities. He wasn't alone. A Japanese soldier surrendered in Guam and a few other places many years after the war was over. Why? Onoda claims that it was because the final instructions he'd received from his officers... "The Americans will try to tell you the war is over. Don't believe them. Japan will fight on indefinitely." Surely this is what Onoda believed for the first few years. Later, however, when he saw little evidence of continuing war, it must have at least occurred to him that the War might be over. Even if he thought Japan would never quit, it must have occurred to him that Japan may have won the war and his continuing resistance was pointless.
I'm left with the suspicion that all these thoughts may well have gone through his mind...but...he may have killed Filipinos following some unknown peace treaty and may have been held up to humiliation and punishment. Maybe. Then again, Onoda and the others may have fed mentally and emotionally on one another. Without the arrival of new Japanese forces, he may have assumed the war still continued. Shot at by the Filipinos and eventually losing all of his comrades, Onoda may have crawled into a shell of suspicion and paranoia. The fact that he wouldn't respond to Japanese who tried to get him to turn himself in is telling. Ultimately, he only turned himself in because his old commanding officer came to his island and ordered him to surrender.
Yeah, kind of crazy but WHAT a man Onoda was. I understand that he immigrated to Peru where he set up courses in bushcraft and survival. I also understand that survivalists from all over the world flocked to his school. Good. I wish I could have met him.
Ron Braithwaite, author of novels--'Skull Rack' and 'Hummingbird God'--on the Spanish Conquest of Mexico
 Worth reading! June 24, 2008
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.
What a way to spend 30-years April 19, 2008
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.
Japan surrenders at last! March 4, 2008
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.
 A MAN REFUSING TO BELIEVE THE OBVIOUS BECAUSE HE LOVES TO KILL TOO MUCH October 1, 2007
8 out of 27 found this review helpful
I can't believe that this monster still generates interest and fascination to this day. What Onoda doesn't include in his writings but which has been revealed in personal stories and interviews is that as early as 1950 he was fully aware that the war was over but loved killing too much. He has revealed that since the war was over civilians would be less wary and would become easy targets. And indeed, they were. He would sneak into a village at night and cut the throats of sleeping children.
He also would take pot shots of mothers hanging their clothes on clothes lines or feeding their chickens.
He calls himself the ultimate soldier and yet he killed the defenseless over and over. And when he finally tired of having to kill his own food (more often than not he would steal it from the mouths of needy children) he went home to a hero's applause. Why Japan would accept him and laud his "heroic" efforts instead of turning him over to Phillipine authorities as a not only a war criminal but more accurately a serial killer is simply unexplainable.
This clearly demonstrates Japan's unwillingness to accept their responsibility for atrocities during the war, WHICH THEY STARTED with the Rape of Nanking in 1931 in which unborn children were ripped from the wombs of their mothers by the "bold and brave" soldiers of Japan. It is no wonder then that an inhuman cowardly monster like Hiroo Onoda would be the poster child of heroism for the Japanese.
We must wonder why we think such an individual merits such attention.
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