Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Cohibaluxe t1_j1ct468 wrote

Reply to comment by ZXE102Rv2 in TIL that Henry Gunther was the last soldier to die in World War I. The war ended at 11 AM and Gunther was killed at 10:59 AM while charging a German machine gun by IAmDavidGurney

There were Japanese soldiers still ‘fighting’ into the 1970s as they were unaware Japan had surrendered 30 years prior. Luckily none of these soldiers died or were wounded (most hid out and raided supplies to stay alive) but still, they essentially threw away their best years hiding from an enemy in a war that’s been over for decades.

8

THANOSUSERTHANOSUSER t1_j1ee9n2 wrote

Several did though, hiroo onoda was holding out with 5 or so guys and 4 of them died at various times in the 2 decades following the end of the war through starvation/exposure or shootouts with local police (generally because they were robbing/looting for food or stealing cows). Onoda wrote a book on his experiences (no surrender) and the dude was so wary of everything around him he refused to believe it when his brother came to try to get him out of the forest, he insisted it was some kind of impersonation or Americans were forcing him.

7

Goalie_deacon t1_j1ekq0n wrote

Also left off that Onoda and his guys killed civilians during that time. Philippines wanted him tried for a few murders.

6

Van_GOOOOOUGH t1_j1db0qy wrote

I heard it was just one guy. When people found him & tried to explain that the war had ended, he was a bit stubborn & suspicious & senile about standing his ground.

5

Cohibaluxe t1_j1dchvt wrote

There was one in Guam in 72, one in the Philipines in 74 and reportedly two in the jungles of the Philipines in the 90s.

2

ProBonoChef t1_j1d92c9 wrote

If only they were all found and died

−5

ProBonoChef t1_j1icsw8 wrote

Genuinely hilarious and surprised people downvoted this.

Look at how many innocent men, women and children these guys killed, not to mention the causes of Imperial Japan in WW2 they were fighting for. Dead Japanese WW2 soldiers means fewer raped and murdered civillians

2