He fought in the jungles of thirty years, not knowing what war is long over.

He fought in the jungles of thirty years, not knowing what war is long over.
March 5, 1974 the whole world was shocked sensational news on the Philippine island of Lubango local police finally gave up 52-year-old lieutenant of the Japanese army, hiding in the woods at the end of the 44th!

Hot morning, March 10, 1974 to the management of the Philippine Islands Police Lubanga went taut elderly Japanese man in the form of half-decayed imperial army. Bowed their mouths open in surprise police, he carefully placed on the ground an old rifle. "I - Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda. To obey the orders of my boss who told me to give up. " As many as 30 years, the Japanese, not knowing about the surrender of his country, and his party continued to fight in the jungles of the Philippines. Fatal order

- I talked to him shortly after his surrender. This person has not been able to recover, - said in an interview with "AIF" former "first lady" of the Philippines Imelda Marcos. - Onoda suffered a terrible shock. When he was told that the war ended in 1945, he simply went dark eyes. "As Japan could lose? Why courting his rifle, as for a small child? For what killed my people? "- He asked me,
and I did not know what to answer him. He just sat and wept bitterly.


The history of many years of adventures Japanese officer in the Philippine jungle began on 17 December 1944, when his battalion commander, Major Taniguchi ordered the 22-year-old lieutenant Onoda lead a guerrilla war against the Americans Lubanga: "We are retreating, but this is temporary. You go to the mountains and will make forays - to lay mines to blow warehouses. I forbid you to commit suicide and surrender. It may take three, four or five years, but I'll be back for you. This order can not cancel just me and no one else. " Very soon the US soldiers landed on the Lubanga, and Onoda, breaking their "partisans" on cell retreated into the jungles of the island, along with two rows and Corporal Shimada.

- I remember Onoda showed us his refuge in the jungle - said "AIF" former deputy sheriff Lubanga Fidel Elamos. - It was clean, hung slogans with the characters "war until victory" and was fixed on the wall carved out of banana leaves portrait of the emperor. While they were alive his subordinates, he spent training with them and arranged competitions of the best poems.

Onoda did not know what happened to the soldiers from other cells. In October 1945, he found an American flyer with the inscription: "Japan surrendered on 14 August. Get down from the mountains and surrender! ". Lieutenant hesitated, but at that moment he heard shooting nearby and realized - the war is still going. A leaflet - just lie to lure them out of the woods. But they will be smarter enemy and go even further into the interior of the island ...

- My father fought against him, and then I became a police officer and also fought with the "detachment Onoda" - thought it will never end - says ex-deputy sheriff Lubanga Fidel Elamos. - Combing the jungle and over again and did not find them, and then again at night samurai shot us in the back. We threw them newspapers that they saw that war is long over, threw off a letter and photo from relatives. Hiro then I asked: why do not you give up? He said that he was sure - forged letters and newspapers.

Went from year to year, and Onoda fought in the jungle. In Japan, increased the ranks of skyscrapers, the Japanese electronics conquer the world, businessmen from Tokyo to buy the largest US corporations, and Hiro all fought for the glory of the Emperor Lubanga, believing that the war continues. Lieutenant boiled water from a stream in the fire, eating fruits and roots - all the time he once fell seriously ill with angina. Spending the night in the pouring rain to rain, he closed his rifle with his body. Once a month, the Japanese ambushed a military jeep, shooting drivers. But in 1950, lost his nerve in one of the series - he went to the police with his hands up. Four years later, Corporal Shimada was killed in a shootout with police on the beach Gontin. Lieutenant and the last soldier Kozuka dug ourselves in the jungle a new underground shelter, inconspicuous from the air, and moved there.

- They believed them back - grins Vice Governor Jim Lubanga Molina. - After Major promised it. However, in the last year lieutenant began to doubt: and if not forgotten about him? One time he came up with the idea of ​​suicide, but he rejected it at once - is banned gave orders to Major.

Lone wolf

... In October 1972, near the village Imora lieutenant laid on the road the last remaining in his mine to undermine the Philippine patrol. But mine is rusted and did not explode, and then the two of them with ordinary Kozuka attacked the patrol - Kozuka shot, and Onoda was left completely alone. The death of a Japanese soldier, who died 27 years after the surrender of Japan, caused a shock in Tokyo. Search companies rushed to Burma, Malaysia and the Philippines to look for the lost in the woods soldiers of the Imperial Army. And then the unbelievable happened. Almost 30 years Onoda could not find the best part of the special forces, but accidentally ran into him a Japanese tourist Suzuki, met in the jungle butterflies. He confirmed stunned Hiro - Japan surrendered, the war is long gone. Thinking Hiro said, "I do not believe. While Major does not cancel the order, I will fight. " Returning home, Suzuki threw all their forces to search Major Taniguchi. He found it difficult - Head of the "last samurai" changed his name and became a bookseller. They came together in the jungle Lubanga at the appointed place. There Taniguchi, dressed in military uniform, read out stand at "attention" Onoda order - to surrender. After hearing, the lieutenant threw his rifle on his shoulder and staggered toward the side of the police station, tearing off his uniform rotten stripe ...

- The country has turned a demonstration demanding Hiro put in jail - explains the widow of the then President of the Philippines Imelda Marcos. - After all, as a result of his "Thirty Years War" were killed and wounded 130 soldiers and police. But my husband decided to pardon 52-year-old Onoda and allow him to travel to Japan.

Again in the woods

HOWEVER of lieutenant, with fear and wonder who considered overgrown skyscrapers Japan, this return is not pleased. At night he dreamed of the jungle, where he spent so many decades. His frightened washing machines and trains, resulted in shock jets and televisions. A few years later Hiro bought a ranch in the thick forests of Brazil and went to live there.

- Hiroo Onoda suddenly came to us from Brazil in 1996 - says the vice-governor Lubanga Jim Molina. - Do not want to stay at the hotel and asked for permission to settle in the dugout in the jungle. When he came to the village, no one filed his hands.

"The Last Samurai" World War II alive today. I found his address, but he refused to talk to me, explaining: "I published a book," Do not give up: my 30-year war ", which has already answered all the questions. What would have happened if I had not come for Major Taniguchi? It's very simple - I would have continued to fight until now ... "- replied 82-year-old Lieutenant Onoda.

Now the 85-year-old Hiroo Onoda lives in Tokyo, avoiding communication with the press. After three years of negotiations, he agreed to a brief meeting with the browser "AIF».

"Sick only once»

- Honestly, I do not see how you can 30 years hiding in the jungle ...

- The man in the big cities too broke away from nature. In fact, the forest has everything to survive. Mass herbs enhancing immunity, serving as an antibiotic, disinfecting wounds. Starve to death is also impossible, the main health - follow normal diet. For example, frequent use of the body temperature of the meat increases, and coconut milk drink from - on the contrary, reduced. For all the time in the jungle, I was sick only once. We should not forget about the simple things - in the morning and evening, I brushed my teeth pounded palm bark. When I then examined the dentist, he was amazed: for 30 years I have not had a single case of caries.

- What's the first thing you need to learn how to do in the woods?

- Removing the fire. First, I set fire to the powder of glass cartridges, but the ammunition needed to take care of, so tried to get the fire using the friction of two pieces of bamboo. If not immediately, but eventually I got it. Fire is needed to boil the river and rain water - this is mandatory, it has harmful germs.

- When you give up, then gave a rifle with 500 rounds Philippine police in excellent condition. How do you save as much ammunition?

- I saved. The cartridges were strictly shootout with the military, as well as the fact in order to get fresh meat. Occasionally we went to the outskirts of villages and catching stray from the herd of cows. The animals were killed with one shot to the head and only during heavy rain: so the villagers heard the sounds of shooting. Beef we vyalili in the sun, it was divided so that the carcass of a cow could eat for 250 days. Rifle ammunition I regularly oiled beef fat, disassemble, clean. Generally, berёg her as a child - to wrap up in a cloth, when it was cold, covered his body, when there was a rain.

- What do you eat more besides beef jerky?

- Cooked porridge of green bananas in coconut milk. Fish in the creek, a couple of times on the shop raided the village, took the rice and canned goods. Set traps for rats. In principle, any tropical forest there is nothing dangerous to humans.

- What about poisonous snakes and insects?

- When you are in the jungle for years, you become part of them. And understand that the snake never just will not attack - she's scared to death you. It is the same with the spiders - they do not aim to hunt people. Enough not to step on them - then everything will be fine. Of course, from the beginning of the forest will be very terrible. But a month later get used to everything. We feared not predators or snakes, and people - even soup cooked bananas exclusively at night to smoke is not seen in the village.

"Most lacked soap»

- You will not regret that you have spent the best years of his life to ensure that wage guerrilla war meaningless alone, although Japan has long given up?

- In the Imperial Army decided not to discuss orders. Major said, "You must remain until I come back for you. This order can only undo me. " I am a soldier and following orders - what's so surprising? I insulted the assumption that my struggle was meaningless. I fought my country to become a powerful and prosperous. When I came back to Tokyo, I saw that Japan is strong and rich - even richer than before. And it comforted my heart. As for the rest ... How could I know that Japan surrendered? I'm in a nightmare could not imagine it. All this time we were fighting in the woods, were convinced - the war continues.

- You dropped from the plane of the newspaper to let you know about the surrender of Japan.

- Modern printing equipment can print everything you need special services. I decided that these newspapers fake - they have made enemies specifically designed to deceive me and lure of the jungle. The last two years of the sky throwing letters of my relatives from Japan, who tried to persuade me to give up - I recognized the handwriting, but I thought that the Americans took them captive and forced to write such things.

- For thirty years, you fought in the jungle with an army - against you at different times involved a battalion of soldiers, special forces troops, helicopters. Frankly - the plot of a Hollywood action movie. You do not have the feeling that you Superman?

- No. With the guerrillas always hard to fight - in many countries for decades can not suppress the armed resistance, especially in difficult terrain. If you feel in the woods like a fish in water - your opponent is simply doomed. I clearly knew - one open area should move in camouflage of dry leaves, on the other - only the freshest. Filipino soldiers were not aware of such subtleties.

- What do you miss most from home comforts?

- Hard to say. Soap, probably. I wash clothes in tap water, using ash from the fire as a cleaning agent, and washed every day ... but I wanted namylitsya. The problem was that the form began to spread. I made the needle from the wreckage of barbed wire and thread darn clothes that are made of palm heart. In the rainy season lived in a cave, in the dry season was building a "flat" from bamboo poles and covered with a roof of palm "straws": in the same room was the kitchen, the other - a bedroom.

- How did you survive the return to Japan?

- With difficulty. As if I had one time immediately moved to another: skyscrapers, girl, neon signs, incomprehensible music. I realized that I had a nervous breakdown happens, everything was too accessible - drinking water flowing from the tap, the food sold in stores. I could not sleep on the bed all the time lay on the bare floor. On the advice of a therapist, I emigrated to Brazil, where he bred cows on the farm. Only after that I was able to return home. But now, three months of the year, I'm going to the mountain areas of Hokkaido: there I founded a school for boys, where they teach the art of survival.

- How do you expect: Can someone from Japanese soldiers and is now hiding in the depths of the jungle, not knowing that ended World War II?


- Perhaps because my case was not the last. In April 1980, surrendered to Captain Fumio Nakahira, who 36 years hiding in the mountains of the Philippine island of Mindoro. It is possible that in the woods was someone else ...

- But if Major Taniguchi did not cancel his order ... would you fight so far?

- Yes.

By the way:

In May 2005, the agency "Kyodo News" reported that in the jungles of Mindanao (Philippines) discovered two Japanese military - 87-year-old lieutenant Yoshio Yamakawa and 83-year-old Lance Corporal Suzuki Nakauti: published their photos. The Japanese Embassy in Manila issued a statement: "We do not exclude that in the Philippine forests still hide dozens (!) Japanese soldiers who do not know what war is long over." Mindanao immediately left three employees of the Embassy of Japan, but for unknown reasons, to meet Yamakawa and Nakauti they did not succeed.

And as we have?

In February 1942, Marshal Zhukov wrote that the partisans of Belarus and Ukraine continue to stumble in the woods on the armories that guard lonely Soviet soldiers. "They put on guard commanders one day before the start of the war, or the week after it began - at the end of June. Then forgot about them, but they did not go to the post, waiting for the guard or the commander of the guard. One such time had hurt his shoulder - otherwise he would not let the people to the store. " Summer of 1943, Captain Johann Westman in Brest Fortress, wrote in his diary: "Sometimes at night we fired at Russian, which are hidden in the dungeons of the fortress. They say they are not more than five people, but we can not find them. How do they manage to live there for two years without water and drinking? I do not know ».
 - assorti.nnm.ru/lyudi_hiro_onoda