Book Review: Oba, the Last Samurai: Saipan 1944–45

There are countless books written about the Pacific War, but relatively few tell the story from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers who fought it. Even fewer focus on what happened after the major battles were over. Don Jones’s Oba, the Last Samurai: Saipan 1944–45, first published in 1986, is one of those rare books. At 241 pages, Jones tells the remarkable story of Captain Sakae Ōba and his small group of Japanese soldiers and civilians who continued to resist American forces on Saipan for months after the island had fallen, and for several months after the wars end.

Japanese defensive sectors on the Island of Saipan.

Ōba’s story is extraordinary. An infantry captain in the Imperial Japanese Army, he was redeployed from Manchuria and arrived on Saipan in 1944 as part of the Japanese effort to reinforce the island’s garrison. After the brutal battle for Saipan ended after the largest Japanese banzai charge of the Second World War in July 1944, organized Japanese resistance had effectively collapsed. Yet Captain Ōba and a small group of followers disappeared into the island’s rugged interior around Mt. Tapotchau and continued to evade American forces. Their resistance continued even after Japan officially surrendered in August 1945, finally ending in December 1945.

What makes Jones’s book particularly interesting is that the author was not simply an outside historian writing decades later. Jones was an American Marine who had actually encountered Ōba and his men during the fighting on Saipan. The book therefore has an unusual perspective: it is an account of the Japanese resistance written by one of the Americans who experienced it firsthand. Jones’s respect for his former enemy is evident throughout the book, and that perspective gives the story much of its character.

Captain Sakae Ōba.

One of the greatest strengths of Oba, the Last Samurai is the way Jones portrays Ōba as a human being rather than simply as an enemy officer. The book provides insight into Ōba’s leadership, his relationship with his men, and the difficult decisions he faced while living in hiding. Rather than concentrating exclusively on battlefield movements and casualty figures, Jones spends considerable time describing the day-to-day struggle for survival—finding food, avoiding American patrols, caring for wounded men, and maintaining discipline under increasingly desperate conditions.

The book also offers an interesting look at the mentality of Japanese soldiers during the final stages of the Pacific War. Captain Ōba and his troops were operating within a military culture in which surrender was considered deeply dishonorable. Their refusal to give themselves up was therefore not simply a military decision. It was tied to ideas of duty, loyalty, honor, and obedience to the Emperor. Understanding this mentality is important to understanding why Ōba’s group continued fighting long after the outcome of the war had been decided.

At the same time, the book should be read with some awareness of its limitations. Written in 1986, it is a narrative history rather than a modern academic study. Later research has corrected some of the book’s factual details. For example, historians have identified errors concerning the Japanese transport ship that carried Ōba toward Saipan. The book is therefore best appreciated as a firsthand-inspired narrative and important early account of Ōba’s story rather than as the final word on every historical detail.

From my perspective as a Japanese militaria collector, one of the book’s shortcomings is that it does not delve deeply into the finer details of Ōba’s wartime experience. Japanese military rations, pistols, swords, and other equipment are mentioned throughout the book, but little information is provided about the specific items being used. For a collector and student of Japanese military history, this leaves several interesting questions unanswered. What type of rations were Ōba and his men eating? What model of pistol did Captain Ōba carry? What type of sword did he wear? What other weapons and equipment were carried by his men during their 16-month struggle on Saipan? These details may seem minor to the casual reader, but they would have added another fascinating dimension to the story.

The greatest weakness is that the story leaves the reader wanting more. Jones does an excellent job describing Ōba’s experiences during the war and his eventual surrender, but readers interested in Ōba’s later life may find themselves wishing the book continued further. This is especially noticeable because Ōba’s story is so compelling that his life after Saipan seems almost as interesting as the eighteen months he spent hiding and fighting on the island. The book abruptly ends without any exploration of Captain Ōba’s post war life. A great opportunity missed.

Despite these shortcomings, Oba, the Last Samurai remains a fascinating and worthwhile book. It provides something that many conventional histories of the Pacific War cannot: a personal look at the experiences, motivations, and hardships of Japanese soldiers who continued fighting after the larger battle had already been lost.

Captain Ōba surrenders his sword to Lt. Col. Howard Kirgis, USMC, on 1 December 1945.

For anyone interested in the Battle of Saipan, the Imperial Japanese Army, or the final months of the Pacific War, I would strongly recommend this book. It is also particularly valuable for readers interested in understanding the war from the Japanese perspective. More than simply a story about a soldier who refused to surrender, Oba, the Last Samurai is a story about leadership, survival, loyalty, and the extraordinary lengths to which men can go when they believe surrender is not an option.

Rating: 4/5

Captain Ōba on the right organizes his men for official surrender on 1 December 1945, a full three months after the wars end.

Oba, the Last Samurai may be an older book, but its subject remains fascinating. Captain Sakae Ōba’s story is one of the most remarkable episodes of the Pacific War, and Don Jones deserves credit for preserving it and introducing it to an English-speaking audience. The book is an easy read and could probably be read over the course of two or three days. The book can be found from several online retailers including Amazon and AbeBooks from anywhere between $15 and $35.