Woah no need to degrade ourselves mate soldiers are the most respected people everywhere no one disagrees on that. But lets not forget that civilians also suffer during the war in fact sometimes more than soldiers they also understand what loyalty to country is. No need to create unnecessary classes here.
No doubt everyone suffers, but the distinction between soldiers and civilians
does exist and is recognized universally because the mentality of both is different. That's not degrading, but pointing out a fact.
This film is well made as a short movie tho about this soldier i heard about him before but first time read in detail in this guy's case imho i wouldn't call it doing his duty it's madness tbh when his own countrymen his other former commanding officers are telling him to cease operations but he don't that's loyalty to one guy only.
Whether it is "madness" or not, that is a call of
subjectiveness and not
objectiveness. Sure, from our civilian perspective it was madness, but so is every act of military duty or anything involving some form of heroism or warfare because it just doesn't make sense. He thought he was still at war and only
did put this weapons down when his commanding officer was brought from all the way from Japan to the Phillipines.
Note, he only put his weapons down when his commanding officer told him to do so, and not when anyone else told him to. So he
was obeying a military order from a superior.
Also
@The Sandman I think its important to note that some cultures tended to glorify warrior ethics, among them the Japanese culture and warrior traditions pre-1945.
Warrior ethics and code of conduct from the Samurai Bushido permeated Japanese society and virtues like obedience, loyalty and suffering hardship for a purpose greater than the individual was not only considered the ideal but also a norm.
Whereas contrast that with modern Japanese society post-American occupation:
Now, with that being said I think you made valid point. Society must not be too harsh either. There should be a balance and honestly I think Islam is the only outlook and way of life that gives this balanced worldview of both warrior ethic (honor, fasting, self restraint, obediance, loyalty) but also balances it with feminine ethics (love and mercy, compassion, empathy).
I remember watching a documentary on this guy when I was a kid. It was very well done, it covered things from his perspective too.
Here is Japanese newsreel of when he finally surrendered (in 1974 after pilfering from local villages all that time and living off the land etc) and made it back to Japan:
Interesting. So the guilt complex isn't so strong in Japan afterall.
But definitely a well deserved funeral for a soldier who did his duty.
