Japanese exhaustion Hiroo Onoda, who lived hidden in the Philippines jungle for three decades without knowing that World War II was over, died Thursday in Tokyo at age 91, NHK's public chain reported today. Onoda surprised Japan with his unexpected appearance in 1974, when he finally decided to leave his mission in the jungle and return to his country.
Onoda arrived at the age of 22 to the island of the Philippines with the mission of entering the enemy lines, carrying out surveillance operations and surviving independently until in March 1974, when he was already 52 years old, he finally received an old Superior who moved to the island the instructions that was released from all his responsibilities. During this long time, Onoda was always convinced that the war continued.
It is a fascinating story, that of this Japanese soldier. And it is a story that can be seen from different points of view. Probably, the first feelings we experience are the admiration for the discipline taken to the extreme for thirty years, and the penalty for a third of life spoiled. But, from another point of view, we could also regret due to the lack of initiative of the soldier, for his inability to make his own decisions beyond the orders. And surely some would say that they were not thirty years of age: Onoda lived a unique experience in the history of humanity. He had to learn to live again, alone. And he got it.
How important and how difficult it is to know how to find in life the point of balance between initiative and obedience, between compliance with norms and know how to break them when necessary.
