 |
From a young age and into adulthood, Masanobu Tsuji believes he is destined to be a warrior. He has never shied away from questioning his superiors, whether it be his Kendo master or a military officer of a higher rank. Tsuji hails from a distinguished family in Japan, and he is entrusted with redeeming the family's name. Tsuji joins the Imperial Army, wherein he witnesses the corrupt actions of his fellow soldiers and impulsively burns down a brothel frequented by his countrymen. Tsuji is saved from a lengthy punishment by his superior officer, Hideki Tojo, who believes Tsuji could be useful in undercover work. Tsuji's reprieve doesn't rule out future rash actions on his part as Japan continues to flex its imperialist tendencies in the 1930s.
In New York, Eugene Epstein is a high school senior approaching graduation who is unable to refrain from challenging his teachers. He is very intelligent, but his teachers and classmates are irked by his brashness. Eugene believes he is meant for something more than school can offer and wants to strike out on his own. His mother is worried about him, while his father supports his decision. Eugene hitchhikes his way across the country and befriends a young man named Lobo while both attempt to travel via freight train. The pair is soon busted for vagrancy and faces a judge who offers them an alternative to jail: signing up for the Army. Eugene and Lobo choose the armed services, unaware that combat is in the offing.
Eugene and Lobo are two ne'er-do-well soldiers who find themselves fighting the Japanese and the formidable environment of the Philippines in 1942. They witness the death and surrender of fellow soldiers, but manage to escape and find shelter with rebel Filipinos. They avoid the death march coordinated by the Japanese and overseen by men like Masanobu Tsuji. While Tsuji seeks to ensure the success of Japan's island-hopping campaign, Eugene and Lobo want to take out the enemy and survive the war.
This excellent and absorbing narrative alternates from the perspectives of Tsuji, Eugene, and Lobo as time elapses and all three are immersed in a long and bloody campaign in the Pacific during World War II. The story begins from Tsuji's point of view, a young man with something to prove. His obstinate ways are evident throughout the novel, yet they don't coincide with a chivalrous nature. While witnessing the depredations of Japan against the Chinese in Nanking, Tsuji turns a blind eye. As Japan begins its war against the United States, Tsuji enables, if not orders, war crimes.
While Tsuji's arc involves naked ambition and amorality, Eugene's story involves a battle-tested maturity. Eugene and Lobo aren't rule followers, yet they are loyal to their country and fellow men. The story credibly illustrates the duality of man, especially during wartime. This is a magnificent work of historical fiction that evokes The Pacific by Hugh Ambrose, The Good War by Studs Terkel, as well as the movie Letters from Iwo Jima.