Author of adventure/thriller and horror fiction

WATERLOO (1970)

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WATERLOO is one of my favorite movies. This Soviet-Italian film is nothing short of astonishing. It was directed by Sergei Bondarchuk and produced by Dino De Laurentiis in 1970. It presents the events leading up to WATERLOO and the battle itself. Rod Steiger nails his portrayal of Napoleon, while Christopher Plummer is superb as the Duke of Wellington. About 15,000 Soviet soldiers and 2,000 cavalrymen reenact the battle with excellent historical detail.

If you’re a history buff and haven’t seen this one, you should check it out however you can. Here’s the History Buffs review:

Last Japanese Soldier Surrendered in 1975

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onodaIn 1975, the last Japanese soldier fighting World War II surrendered on the Philippine island Lubang.

In 1944, after receiving training on guerilla warfare, intelligence officer Hiroo Onoda was sent to Lubang with the orders to fight until he died in battle. Allied forces landed on February 28, 1945 and conquered the island. Japanese forces split up and headed into the jungle.

Most of these cells were destroyed, but Onoda’s kept on fighting and surviving on what the jungle and raids on local farms gave them. In October, the locals left leaflets telling them the war was over, with a message from General Yamashita ordering them to surrender. The implication was Japan had lost. The soldiers reasoned that Japan couldn’t lose, so it must be a trick. Planes dropped more leaflets with photos and letters from the soldiers’ families. A Japanese delegation even went into the jungle with loudspeakers. Again, the soldiers reasoned they were being tricked.

After five years of this, one of the men surrendered, which prompted the remaining three soldiers to go even deeper into the jungle. After another five years, another soldier was killed. In 1972, another, leaving Onoda alone.

In 1974, Nario Suzuki, a college student, traveled the world with a bucket list that included finding Onoda, a panda and the Abominable Snowman. He succeeded and tried to convince Onoda to come home but failed. His return to Japan caused a sensation, and Onoda’s commanding officer went to the island to personally order him to surrender.

Onoda was crushed at hearing of the surrender. He couldn’t believe Japan had lost. He thought he’d been doing his duty for 29 years, during which time he’d participated in the killing of 30 Filipinos and the injuring of more than 100 others, not to mention the destruction of property.

On March 10, 1975, Onoda, now 52, marched out of the jungle in full uniform, still in good condition, and surrendered his samurai sword to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos pardoned Onoda and allowed him to go home.

He wrote a book about his experiences: NO SURRENDER: MY THIRTY-YEAR WAR (which failed to mention his killing of Filipinos), which earned him fame. He didn’t like the attention, however, so he went to Brazil and raised cattle for a number of years before returning to Japan. In 1996, he revisited Lubang and donated $10,000 to a local school. Whether he was ultimately a hero or villain is up to you to decide.

Learn more about this soldier’s extraordinary story here.

THE ANABASIS Inspired THE RETREAT

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xenophons-anabasis

THE RETREAT, the military apocalyptic thriller series I’m writing with Stephen Knight and Joe McKinney, tells the story of a lost battalion of light infantry that must journey through a dying America to find the last bastion of the federal government. It was inspired in part by a remarkable tale called THE ANABASIS, which also inspired other works such as the book and film THE WARRIORS.

Written by Xenophon, a Greek mercenary, THE ANABASIS tells the story of a 10,000-strong professional army of Greeks who must fight their way out of the Persian Empire. The term “anabasis” means an expedition from the coast into a country’s interior.

anabasisThe army, called the Ten Thousand, are hired by Cyrus, who rebels against his brother Artaxerxes II. At Cunaxa, battle is joined. Though Cyrus wins a tactical victory, he’s killed during the fighting. The Ten Thousand are now stranded deep in the Persian Empire surrounded by enemies. Through treachery, the Spartan general Clearchus and other leaders are killed or captured. Xenophon and two other officers elected by the army lead the Ten Thousand north and then west back toward Greece. Internal politics, local diplomacy and constant fighting marked their long march.

Xenophon’s account proved a sensation in Greece. Some historians theorize it later inspired Philip of Macedon to believe that a small but superior army could defeat the Persian army and conquer the empire. The story is uncorroborated but is considered an account of true events.

Click here to read it online.

The Battle of Rorke’s Drift

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Rorke's Drift as seen today.
Rorke’s Drift as seen today.
“First comes the trader, then the missionary, then the red soldier,” the Zulu King Cetshwayo said in 1879 during the Anglo-Zulu War.

The red soldiers indeed came, led by men who envisioned a confederation of South Africa along Canadian lines. Without the sanction of the British government, Lord Chelmsford led 15,000 British troops into Zululand. At the Battle of Isandhlwana, the British camp was overrun by the main Zulu army. Only 400 men out of 1,700 survived.

While this was happening, a force of 4,500 Zulus under Prince Dabulamanzi disobeyed the king by crossing the Buffalo River into Natal, where he attacked a British supply base at Rorke’s Drift, a crossing over the river.

The base consisted of a stone house, converted into a field hospital, and chapel, used for storage. Lieutenant Chard of the Royal Engineers commanded along with Lieutenant Bromhead, whose Company B of 24th Regiment of Foot provided security. In all, 104 men were fit to fight. Acting Assistant Commissary James Langley Dalton ordered barricades of mealy bags constructed for defense.

The Zulus came in strength, outnumbering the defenders 45 to one, and attacked. The Zulus were unable to reach high enough to get at the men manning the barricades, who cut them down with point-blank aimed rifle fire. After several attacks, the Zulus set the hospital aflame, broke inside, and began spearing patients. Private Alfred Henry Hook held them off with his bayonet while another soldier hacked a hole in the wall allowing the other patients to pass through.

The Zulus came again and again while the British fought madly for survival. The wounded sat at their feet and reloaded their guns.

At dawn, the Zulus left after losing 350 men. Lord Chelmsford arrived shortly afterwards at the head of a relief column.

Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead both received the Victoria Cross along with seven soldiers, the base surgeon and a Swiss volunteer. Bromhead and Chard were both promoted to brevet major, and the base became known as Fort Bromhead. After the battle, they found a bottle of beer in a supply wagon wrecked by the Zulus and celebrated their survival.

Click here to read more about the battle.

Below is a review of the classic film ZULU (starring Michael Caine) by a historian:

Galactic Warfighters

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Galactic-Warfighters-1

It’s History Thursday. This week, I’m happy to present U.S. Marine Matthew Callahan’s visual history of the STAR WARS universe’s Clone Wars.

Callahan creates spectacular dioramas of STAR WARS miniatures and photographs them, creating an intimate and harrowing portrayal of the Clone Wars. Amazing.

Check them all out here.