At the beginning of the feature film, the male protagonist's monologue was accompanied by the sound of the piano. The letter said, "We keep digging trenches, are we digging our own graves?"
The monologue ended, and the trumpet rang. Same melody, but different emotions. Suddenly I felt a touch in my heart.
The protagonist of the story is an ordinary soldier who has no determination to die, and does not care why this broken island is so important. For death, he has no choice, it seems that everything is under the control of the military. He just thinks calmly and writes death on the letter with dark humor.
Another ordinary soldier, brainwashed by the emperor to die for the country. He also wanted to die for his country, and he may have imagined several ways to die heroically, but after witnessing the various wars with his own eyes, he found that his death may have no meaning at all.
Some of the soldiers at the bottom died of malaria, some died of stray bullets, some were killed by orders from their superiors, and some were shot and killed by friendly troops when they escaped. Even if he narrowly escaped, he had to face the katana held high.
When I was crying in confusion, my faith collapsed.
The male protagonist told him, "You haven't had enough experience for you to understand why you are sacrificing." After that, he put the hat on his head. Tears may be the most shameful thing on the battlefield.
The male protagonist's belief did not come from the emperor. When everyone raised their hands together and shouted to swear allegiance to the party and country, there was no light in his eyes. All of his beliefs were just because of the words "I will go home for you" when lying in his wife's arms on the day he was drafted to his unborn daughter.
Everyone on that island is the child of someone far away. Letters from American mothers to American soldiers are no different from letters from Japanese mothers to their children. The letter may only mention ordinary things such as the dog at home and the chicken in the neighbor, but on the battlefield where the bombardment does not stop for a while, the love and warmth that flows between the lines are even more precious.
The commander is a father, and his letters are written to his children. There was no mention of war in the letter, the soft brushstrokes and the tender eyes revealed unconsciously, and he was completely different from the one who pledged allegiance to the day and boosted morale.
Hearing that the male protagonist has a daughter he has never met, he said with emotion, "I promised myself to fight to the death for my family, but when I think of my family, it is difficult to keep my promise."
He told the male protagonist "You are a good soldier"
The male protagonist said "No, I'm just a baker"
It may be just a baker, it may be just a fisherman, but the war has separated countless families from wives and children.
After that war, death may be just a number to us, and the people in those numbers, the people behind the numbers, feel the pain we will never know for sure.
May the world be at peace.
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