Unbroken: Louie Zamperini's Boyhood PDF

Unbroken Louie Zamperini’s Boyhood Bullied/Beaten - but he would not give in ○ He’s tough, endures suffering ○ No fear ○ Later, will fight back Troublemaker - Stealing ○ Breaking rules Won’t give up/in Passionate Sm...

Unbroken Louie Zamperini’s Boyhood Bullied/Beaten - but he would not give in ○ He’s tough, endures suffering ○ No fear ○ Later, will fight back Troublemaker - Stealing ○ Breaking rules Won’t give up/in Passionate Smart/brave Athletic Encouraging Single-minded ○ Adventurous ○ Resilient ○ Independent ○ Defiant The qualities that seem to take him down the wrong path will later make him a hero! His brother Pete is responsible and has gentle authority Louie’s parents compare him to Pete. Pete is Louie’s brother. Pete believes that Louie rebels because he’s not respected- if he gets the chance to win respect, he will change. Pete trains him in track! Louie dedicates himself to this new goal He succeeds in track, and becomes the Hometown hero “The Torrance Tornado” He wants to compete in 36 Olympics but doesn’t have his race as an event ○ He shifts to the 1500 race → shows how he can adapt He makes it to the Olympic Team (youngest ever) On ship - he begins stealing again Overeats, can’t train well ○ This may have contributed to his loss Hitler wants to use 36” Olympics to promote nazi ideals Louie runs poorly - in the last lap, he hears Pete’s advice. “A lifetime of glory is worth a moment of pain” runs the fastest lap of his life to finish 7th.  Louie mocks nazi soldiers, and steals a nazi flag - a sign of how he rebels against authority. Louie comes home to celebrate as a hero Louie plans for the 1940 Olympics Japan wants to expand because it is resource-poor, particularly oil Japan also believes they are racially superior and encourages brutality among soldiers. Louie signs up for the draft → Army Air Corps becomes a bombardier Japan attacks Pearl Harbor - war is on ○ Japan also attacks Wake Island to use as a base of operations Louie meets members of his crew Russel Phillips (“Phil”) Louie is in love with Cecy - and plans to marry her after the war ○ From Indiana ○ Like Pete, he is responsible, competent, fearless, confident ○ They become best friends. They fly a B-24 ○ “The Flying Coffin” ○ Difficult to maneuver, fragile when attacked (parts fall off) But they like their own plane (“Superman”) Louie attacks Wake Island. a. Americans retake the Island. b. Dangers to airmen besides combat 1. Accidents 2. Weather 3. Runways - plane landing can run into the ocean. 4. Human error 5. Navigation Most downed crewmen don't survive sharks a. No communication The base won't know they are missing until hours later 1. Raft would drift miles away with hunger, thirst, sun exposure After wake, the Americans bomb Nauru Louie successfully drops a bomb on the fuel depot - destroying the island They fight off Japanese planes hydraulic liquid drips from the brakes Danger - with no Brakes, the plane may fall off the runway when landing Phil successfully lands it, despite the difficulty Japanese retaliated by bombing Funafiti that night massive devastation  Louie and Phil get a new crew and a new plane - "The Green Hornet" a Terrible plane that's hard to pilot Louie and his crew fly on the Green Hornet to rescue downed airmen after engine failure and human error, the plane crashes, Louies adventure at sea ○ He has a broken rib ○ He climbs on with a bloodied Phil and Mac ○ Gear: Chocolate, Patching kit, Pumps, Flare Gun, Tins of water, Fishhooks Louie assumes a leadership position and tries to ration chocolate (But Mac eats it) Louie uses the case of an air pump to catch/retain water Louie kills an albatross and uses it for bait Louie keeps the men from going crazy by keeping their minds engaged Talking, singing, etc.'’ The men are thirsty again Louie vows that if god quenches his thirst, he will serve Him forever The rain then come The 3 men are attacked by Japanese planes ○ Louie dives into the water to escape bullets he has to fight off sharks When this is over, they then have to repair holes in rafts and pump air all night to stay afloat. Louie estimates they must be 3 weeks away from reaching a Japanese-controlled island. Louie is attacked by 2 sharks ○ Mac summons his last pit of strength to beat them back ○ Dies soon after Louie says Mac finally "redeemed himself" Now he does a heroic deed At Mac's "funeral, Louie thinks, ○ If god would save them he would serve him forever. ○ They experience a day of perfect beauty Louie thinks god must have made this moment just for him The next day, they see an island Captured by Japanese After 46 days at sea (the longest without dying) At first, they are treated hospitably  Louie and Phil transferred to Kwajalein → "execution island" In his cell, he sees the names of 9 marines held captive there Louie was transferred to the Dfuna prison camp & brutally tortured. Becomes friends with Will and Harris educated, Photographic memory John Fitzgerald (high-ranking officer) Louie will be “Unbroken” by his abuse Has mental strength to endure beating. Communicate in secret Keep their dignity by tricking guards into saying curse words They fart when bowing to the emperor Stealing Louie's family refuses to believe he is dead Louie wants to steal a plane to escape but abandons it because the Japanese say they will kill prisoners if anyone leaves. Louie is transferred to a slave labor camp Omori (outside of Tokyo) Run by Mitshuiro Watanbe (“the bird”) He is beautiful, and fit in appearance but with the hands of a brute intimidating (chest out, chin up) A Psychopath (inability to feel empathy) Was rejected when applying to become an officer After he hit some Born in a wealthy family- prominent in a military family Believed he deserved to be successful ○ But he’s denied a high role ○ Filled w/ resentment ○ He expresses his resentment by beating prisoners ○ They fear him - this makes him feel powerful ○ Takes pleasure in emotional torture burning letters from Pow’s families ○ Punishes officers / high celebrity  Prisoners to prove his superiority Wild mood swings - ○ Act kindly to prisoners, then fly into a rage ○ Ask pows to tea parties as if he wanted to be admired by them. ○ Louie and Pows engage in stealing/sabotage to resist the Japanese. America produces the B-29 bomber ○ This allows the bombing of the Japanese mainland ○ Population grows scared ○ Guards become fearful & more abusive Louie delivers a message on Japanese Radio → Let the world know he’s alive. ○ They ask Him to Deliver a 2nd address that criticizes America that criticizes America. ○ Louie says No → didn’t want to deliver propaganda The Bird gets a promotion - and leaves for another camp ○ America bombs Tokyo - massive damage ○ The Japanese shut down Omori (a Target for bombs) ○ Louie is transferred north to Nadetsu ○ The Bird is there – He requested His transfer! ○ The Bird continues abusing Louie. ○ He is injured and can’t work. ○ Danger → no work means ½ rations Louie may starve Begs for work cleaning the pig’s sty America bombs outside Nadetsu ○ Defeats Germany now can concentrate on Japan ○ Danger: Will Japan carry out its “Kill - All” order and execute Pows? ○ Louie’s given a job watching a goat- If it dies, he dies One day, it’s untied and escapes (the bird set him up) The bird punishes him by making him hold a heavy beam over his head “He will not break me” Louie endures the pain- ○ Will outlast the bird ○ Louie is ready to kill the Bird ○ But doesn’t → the U.S. Drop a - bomb on Hiroshima ○ Will bring about Japan’s Surrender  ○ America bombed Nagasaki 3 days later (after Hiroshima) Japan then surrenders Tinker walks by the guard's room and sees them listening to the radio Address of surrender Guards keep surrender secret for several days- will they have to execute the kill - all order? Pows eventually are told war is over American planes begin dropping food/supplies ★ Pows finally are sent to Tokyo ○ At first, they cheer the destruction ○ They see, but later they are shocked by the utter destruction ★ Louie returns from war → The story now is about how he will heal from his trauma ★ While Louie deals with internal difficulties, ○ The Bird deals with the external threat of being hunted ○ The Bird has little remorse for his crimes Thinks the Americans are “not fair” in punishing him The Bird works as a farm hand in the countryside for several years The risk of visiting his family in Tokyo & is almost caught He returns to the country Later a dead body is misidentified as being him