Anatahan Island is located in one of the thousands of islands in the Pacific Ocean. Compared with the famous Guam, Saipan, and Hawaiian Islands, it can be described as an existence that almost no one knows about. A true legendary event that happened on the island in the last century is "famous in the world."
In 1944, Japan's decline in the Pacific battlefield and Southeast Asia battlefields has been irreversible, and the offensive on the Chinese battlefield has gradually stagnated. Although the Japanese emperor and militarist forces are still trying to resist to the end, most of its citizens and soldiers The pessimism is deepening.
In this year, 32 Japanese men and 1 Japanese woman gathered on Anatahan Island due to the war, and began a long-term exile life in isolation.
Anatahan Island
During the period, the U.S. military had told them about and Japan’s unconditional surrender. However, no matter how the U.S. military persuaded them, none of these people with illusions believed in the fact that they were defeated. I would rather endure the pain of loneliness and homesickness than leave this island.
Until six years later, these people finally accepted the reality, but only the woman and 19 other men were rescued and returned to Japan safely...
So, how did they come to the island? ? Why were more than one-third of the people lost when they were rescued? What happened to their lives on the island? What are the endings facing the survivors after being rescued?
Regarding these 33 Japanese exiled to deserted islands, we must start with the Pacific War.
Wandering on a desert island
At the end of 1941, the Japanese base camp was dissatisfied with its vested interests and its ambitions grew. It took the initiative to send a naval fleet to the US military base stationed in Pearl Harbor to launch a sudden attack. US President Roosevelt immediately declared war on Japan , The Pacific War began.
Roosevelt
As the Japanese side has planned and prepared for this for a long time,In the early stage, we have achieved a lot of advantages, but due to the disparity in the national strength of the two countries, the advantages have not been transformed into a winning position, but have been constantly at a disadvantage in the long-term confrontation.
In order to reverse the decline, the Japanese Navy decided to launch a naval battle on Midway Island in June 1942, attempting to concentrate its superior forces to wipe out the viable U.S. forces in one fell swoop. At this time, the Japanese still had an advantage in the number of aircraft carriers, but the plan had long been known by the U.S. military. In the end, the Japanese army was no longer able to launch a large-scale offensive.
Since then, the Japanese navy has been retreating under the powerful artillery fire of the US army, but it is still resisting step by step during the retreat, and has established the so-called multiple defensive circles, hoping to delay the US army’s offensive pace and pillage Strategic materials on the Western Pacific battlefield and Southeast Asia battlefield win time.
But gradual resistance needs to rely on a large number of soldiers to supplement the front line. At this time, the main army forces of the Japanese army have been constrained by our military and civilians and cannot be withdrawn. For this reason, the Japanese government can only recruit young people from the country and the occupied areas. Juvenile enlisted.
The US military in the Pacific battlefield
At this time, the Japanese nationals have endured the sufferings of war for a long time. Except for some people brainwashed by militarism, most people do not want to lose their lives for the pessimistic war prospects. For this reason, some young people began to do everything possible to avoid joining the army.
A Japanese man named Masaichi was one of them. He was an employee of Nanyang Xingfa Co., Ltd. According to the regulations, he was also to be forcibly enlisted in the army, but he did not want to die in vain, so he went around He managed the relationship and finally managed to get rid of the nightmare of joining the army.
At the beginning of 1944, Masaichi and his colleague Masami Niskube took refuge in Anatahan Island and managed the coconut grove here for the company. The Japanese woman mentioned at the beginning was Masaichi’s wife, Kazuko Higa. She is only 21 years old.
Anatahan Island is located in the north of Mariana Islands . The island is 9 kilometers long and 3.7 kilometers wide. The island is full of jungle. Although it is only 170 kilometers away from the famous Saipan, it was A deserted island with little interest from outsiders.
Therefore, there are only three Japanese people on the island at this timeAnd some indigenous people who are responsible for growing coconuts.
Higa Kazuko
In the next few months, the relationship between Higa Kazuko and Hibashibe Masami has become closer, and the two gradually developed feelings, but because of the existence of Masaichi, the two can only hide love In my heart.
In the summer of 1944, in order to reduce casualties, the U.S. military formulated a combat plan called the "Island Leap Forward", which directly used aircraft carriers to send troops to attack the Mariana Islands, skipping the middle zone, and disrupted the deployment of Japanese troops. The Japanese soldiers who resisted step by step in the middle zone gave up resistance.
And the key target of this battle is Saipan. If this place is taken, the U.S. military can use this as a springboard to directly bomb Japan with planes, forcing its main force to return to defense.
Located 150 kilometers north of Anatahan Island and more than 320 kilometers north of Saipan Island, Pagan Island is naturally likely to be affected by US military shells, and Zhengyi's sister is stranded on Pagan Island at this time.
Because I was worried about my sister's accident, as soon as I said goodbye to Higa Kazuko, I left the island by boat alone, planning to take my sister over to live together, but never came back.
Film and television image
So, Kazuko Higa, who had been unable to restrain himself, and Masami Hibashibe saw no obstacles, and soon started living together, but because of fear that they would come back at any time, they did not get married.
At that time, the Japanese base camp was also well aware of the important strategic value of Saipan, so it built strong fortifications and kept transferring supplies to Saipan. The U.S. military also blocked the surrounding waters and frequently sent planes to bomb. Go to the supporting Japanese fleet.
Once, three fishing boats starting from the mainland for support were driving in the waters near Anatahan Island, which is one of the important waterways to Saipan. However, it did not take long for their whereabouts to be reconnaissance by the US military. The plane discovered that it was hit by heavy bombing.
Because of the lack of protection from the escort fleet, the fishing boat sank quickly and a large number of crew members were killed. The crew who escaped by chance swam desperately to Anatahan Island.
The screen turned back to the island and saw a man and a woman running around in the jungle.His complexion was panicked, and he didn't stop until more than half an hour later. The two men were Higa Kazuko and Masami Hibachi. It turned out that within a few days after the departure, the US military planes circled Anatahan Island from time to time. Above, and often bombing here.
Film and television image
After seeing the U.S. aircraft flying away, they rushed back to their homes, only to find that the house was in dilapidated condition, although 40 pigs and 20 chickens were raised in the forest. They were spared for this reason, but their lives were still greatly affected.
The two were very pessimistic, but in order to survive, they still used their hands to repair the house, and just a few days later, they saw the crew from the sea, which was June 12, 1944.
At this time, the crew members who arrived on the island were only 31 Japanese, and they were all men. Among them were 10 navy soldiers, but they discarded all their equipment while swimming, and the remaining 21 were ordinary. Crew.
Except for a few old crew members, most of them are young people in their 20s, and the youngest is only 17 years old.
So, the 32 Japanese men on the island and the only Japanese woman Higa Kazuko started life in exile together...
After drinking and eating
The two people who were originally in a very depressed mood did not expect to be able to watch here. The people in Japan were very happy, and took the initiative to take them back home, and gave them a portion of the remaining food, and also treated them for their injuries.
Higa Kazuko
Anatahan Island suddenly increased by 31 people, and everyone’s food became a big problem. However, after the crew recovered physically, they did not idle, and began to interact with Nishiku Masami The two are engaged in production activities together.
In the following days, these 33 Japanese helped each other, some weave nets to go to the beach to fish, some took the initiative to grow coconuts with the indigenous people, and some went to the jungle to catch wild animals. A few months later, Everyone even drank the wine made from coconut leaves, and their lives gradually improved.
But just as they rejoiced for the recent changes,A news that everyone could not believe, or was unacceptable...
On August 15, 1945, the Japanese emperor Hirohito announced an unconditional surrender, the Japanese army was defeated, and the anti-fascist war was finally won. , And Anatahan Island was not captured because of its low value and the fact that the U.S. military did not find that there were Japanese troops stationed here.
Emperor Hirohito of Japan
On this day, the U.S. military drove a ship to the vicinity of Anatahan Island. A soldier proficient in Japanese shouted to the residents of the island: "Japan has surrendered, you Surrender too, come out and we will take you home by boat!"
The 33 Japanese on the island instantly became manic when they heard it. They couldn't believe that the once invincible Japanese army would be defeated and surrendered, let alone Willing to accept that the emperor who once served as a god will be inferior to others.
Therefore, no matter how the US military shouted, none of the Japanese chose to leave, and the indigenous people on the island voluntarily left under the escort of the US military. In this regard, the Japanese were helpless. At this time, the island was only There are 33 Japanese left.
Life is going to continue. The imaginary Japanese slowly calmed down after being manic. Because there are no indigenous people to drive, they can only work harder and their living conditions are getting better and better.
At the same time, they are still continuing their daily simulated air defense training to deal with the upcoming US bombers, because they feel that the war is still going on, and the Americans' remarks are just rhetoric forcing them to surrender.
Although the U.S. military will send people out to persuade them to leave the island almost every once in the next few months, they will come back every time. Gradually, the U.S. military has also given up propaganda, and the value of this island is indeed not High, the US military did not forcefully occupy it after the war, allowing them to fend for themselves.
Without external interference, the difficulties of life disappeared. When they were full of food and drink, the mentality of these self-proclaimed etiquette Japanese naturally began to change...
,At this time, Higa Kazuko was the only woman on the island of 33 people, and she was only 22 years old, which was a charming age, and most of these men were youthful and vigorous.
As a result, these young people began to look at Higa Kazuko's posture with strange eyes, even though they knew that Higa Kazuko and Hibaka Masami were lovers, even though these two had helped them when they first came to the island.
And Hibashibe Masami is a very possessive person. He is very worried that his wife will be taken away by others, so he does not allow her to show up too much, let alone any contact with other people on the island, which caused this. The jealousy of young people.
But all this can't escape the eyes of the old man. In order to prevent disputes, the eldest person in it let Higa and Masami formally become husband and wife under the witness of everyone, in order to cut off the young people's indiscretion .
Film and television image
In order to avoid disputes, the husband and wife moved to a place far away from everyone shortly after their marriage. These young people can only accept this. Everyone has spent time on the island. More than a year of peace.
But over the past year or so, people on the island have not even seen anyone other than the American soldiers on the cruise ship on the seashore from a distance. Everyone has begun to feel pessimistic and feel more and more pessimistic. Impatient, they had a bad premonition about the situation of the Japanese army, but none of them left.
And these young men became more and more unable to control themselves, and began to sneak to Higa Kazuko’s residence to watch her posture, but due to the majesty of the old man, no one dared to do anything to her until an unexpected harvest not long after. ......
Suspicion, constant suspicion
In August 1946, when a man was capturing wild animals in the mountains, he suddenly found the wreckage of a U.S. B-29 bomber , even though he didn’t know it. When did the plane crash here, but he still went to check it out curiously.
B-29 bomber
As a result, he found three broken pistols and 70 rounds near the wreckage of the plane.This made him very happy, because the Japanese happened to be a navy soldier who was very skilled in gun handling.
He hurriedly hid the pistol and bullets in his arms and sneaked back to his residence. The young man who entered the mountain with him didn't even notice it.
So, the man who found the gun lied that he was sick and could not go to work the next morning, and then he started to study in his residence. After his hard work, he finally pieced together two shootables. pistol.
In order to avoid fighting solo, he gave one of them and a dozen rounds of bullets to one of his hard-core friends. After that, the two of them began to run wild on the island.
And their first goal was the young and beautiful Higa and Kazuko. At this time, everyone had coveted Higa and Kazuko for a long time, but in the end it was these two men with guns that took her.
As a result, an extremely absurd scene appeared on the island, and Higa Kazuko began to have a married life with her husband Masami Nishibetsu and the two armed men.
This caused great dissatisfaction among other men, but just a few days later, a young man unexpectedly fell from a high tree and fell to his death. A gunman was at odds.
Within a few days, another man died. This man had been entangled with Jiahezi before, but there was no evidence of his death. The panic began in Manyan on the island, and everyone began to suspect each other.
But more intense than panic is the emotion of hatred, because the two gunmen unscrupulously shared Higamiko with Masami Hibaka, even though everyone was frightened by the guns in their hands and dared not speak. But the seeds of jealousy took root in my heart.
However, before the other young men could take action, the two armed men feuded in the second year. They wanted to take Higa and Koko as their own. Under the dispute, one of the men was arrested. Killed, and both guns belong to another person.
Masami Nissoba knew that he had no chance to share his wife with others at this time. In order to save his life, he took the initiative to give Higa Kazuko to the murderer.He began to live alone.
Higa Kazuko was in love with his husband because he liked Masami Nishibei, but she did not hesitate to betray her husband and fall in love with him. A deeper resentment was lost, but due to the threat of guns, he could only commit himself to the murderer.
In order to avoid similar situations, the man holding two guns did not distribute the guns to others. For a while, he has the absolute right to speak here.
But solo alone is destined to not last long. Just when he was proud of the spring breeze, he suddenly fell into the sea while fishing and drowned. Before everyone knew he was a great swimmer, so they started again. Endless suspicion.
And the two guns he carried with him were transferred to a young man named Iwai, because Iwai was the first person to find his body.
Iwai naturally wanted to take possession of Higa Kazuko, but in order to avoid making enemies, he took the initiative to return Higa Kazuko to Masami Nishibetsu, but this was only his first step.
It didn't take long for Iwai to see that everyone's emotions eased, and he immediately forced Masami Higako to share with him, so Higa and the two men lived together.
However, just a month later, Masami Nishibetsu suddenly died. At the time of the incident, there were only two witnesses, Iwai and Higa Kazuko, so everyone began to speculate that some people thought that Iwai killed him.
Two more years later, Iwai also died bizarrely, Higa and Kazuko also changed hands several times, but all the men who had a relationship with her lost their lives bizarrely. By the beginning of 1949, the number had risen to 9 Much.
The old man on the island stood up again. Although he did not know the specific reasons for the deaths of the previous 9 people, he knew that they must be related to Higa and the two guns. In order to stop deaths, he decided to let Higa and Ko He took the initiative to choose a young man to marry him, and offered to throw the two guns into the sea.
Everyone on the island agreed with the old man’s suggestion, because life is more important than beauty, but even so, it didn’t take long before 4 young men died strangely for various reasons. There are only 20 people left on the island at this time.
But at this time the gun is gone, and Higa and Koko have a new marriage. What causes the death of his companions one after another? The remaining young men held a meeting together to discuss, but there was still no substantial progress.
So they made an amazing decision to kill Higa Kazuko, because they thought that as long as the only woman was killed, all the problems would be solved, but this incident happened to be heard by Higa Kazuko.
In order to survive, Higa Kazuko ran into the jungle overnight and spent 33 days camping in the jungle. During this period, he could only make a living by picking up wild fruits and eating bark, but the men on the island firmly believed Higa and Koko jumped into the sea and committed suicide because they knew that his crime had been exposed, because they didn't find her trace.
In June 1950, Higa Kazuko came to the other side of the island and saw American ships passing by on the shore. She desperately called for help to the American soldiers on board, and finally successfully left here and returned to Japan.
Soon after, the men on these islands, because they couldn't bear the loneliness on the island, took the initiative to call for help from nearby ships, and the remaining 19 men also left here.
At that time, the Japanese media compared Kazuko's reports
This year, 20 surviving Japanese, including Higa Kazuko, returned to the country one after another. At this time, the Japanese people knew about Anatahan Island. There are even Japanese nationals. They call these 19 men "heroes" one after another, and the major media are also vying to interview them.
Although there are many obvious contradictions in their remarks, they do not affect their "hero" image in the hearts of Japanese people. On the contrary, Higa and Kazuko's treatment seems to be relatively desolate.
Although Higa Kazuko reluctantly told the media about his tragic experience more than once, the Japanese people still think that she is insulting.The media even called her "a woman with 32 faces" and publicly criticized and accused her.
Later, because Higa did not find her original husband, Masaichi, he married a Japanese vendor. In order to express her pain, she also participated in the filming by the famous American director Joseph von Steinberg , The film "Anatahan" adapted from his own real deeds.
Joseph von Steinberg
But even so, the attitude of the Japanese people to Kazuko has not changed significantly, and Higa Kazuko also suffered from depression.
In 1974, 51-year-old Higa Kazuko died of tumor deterioration, ending her ups and downs in her life.
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