PART 6
Who goes there?
Who's there? Show yourself!
Take cover!
Get out of sight or they'll spot you below.
You can't go down there.
Why not?
The Chinese are mopping up Japanese stragglers.
There's a logging road down in those woods.
Our territory ends there.
What are you doing here?
We're dug in here.
Go see our commander.
He'll brief you, and you can decide what to do next.
It's impossible to bomb us here.
Our troops are the very best,
armed with machine guns and mortars.
We have supplies to last until next spring.
After next spring, then what?
I'm getting to that.
Do you men realize what's happening to Japan?
What about Manchuria?
You think Russia will return it to China?
They will. They must.
To whom? Chiang Kai-shek?
No, not Chiang Kai-shek.
Wouldn't he want it?
He'll try to take it with America's backing.
You think the Chinese will fight back?
Yes.
Good.
We seem to agree there.
The US will back Chiang Kai-shek
in driving all communist influence out of Manchuria.
Just wait. There'll be a civil war...
and in the very near future.
That's when we go into action.
With your 50 men?
Strength of numbers means nothing.
What matters is the significance of our action.
When the Nationalists go into action, we too make our move -
You'll be crushed.
You seem intent on throwing away your men's lives.
What about you?
You'd let your men meet a dog's death in dangerous territory.
It's not a dog's death.
They're all sick of war, sick of the army.
They keep walking only to get home.
Why should they risk their lives for the Americans or Chiang Kai-shek?
Then go on! Keep moving!
Don't speak out of place.
We have supplies to last the winter.
If any of you wish to join us, speak up.
Each man must decide for himself.
We'll camp nearby and leave early tomorrow.
I talked to the NCOs over there.
We could never break through.
Their scouting party was wiped out
by a Russian cleanup unit.
Does that prove it's safer to remain entrenched here?
Those who wish to can stay.
Winter's coming.
We have to hurry.
It's a long way yet.
With their cleanup units, can we break through?
There are so many of us now. They'll spot us for sure.
It's a big forest. Stop worrying.
Tange says we should surrender.
Where's PFC Kaji?
Over there.
PFC Kaji.
Over here.
Mind if we join you?
We don't care to get involved in another war.
It's your decision.
If you can't tell your commander, I'll do it for you.
No, please don't.
We'd be punished as deserters.
Then how will you get away?
We'll make our way to the woods down there. Pick us up there.
As long as we get out of this place,
we can eke out a living... right?
We vowed to live and die together.
That means to advance or retreat as one.
You have no authority to punish them.
The army's been disbanded. Army regulations no longer apply.
Don't meddle in our affairs!
The fact these two broke their vow
is a minor matter,
but it could affect others.
We're convinced that the best way forward
is to await our chance to go into action.
Sir, don't waste your breath.
PFC Kaji!
Quit your meddling and get off this hill.
Our men are raring to go.
Let them try.
We'll see how disciplined they are.
Guerrillas! You're a band of mountain bandits!
And in good bandit fashion, I'll lop your head off!
Wait.
Call your leader. I suspect he conspired with these men.
I wouldn't advise that.
He's as bad-tempered as me, with a shorter fuse!
If you mean me, I'm right here.
Tange, get back!
Commander, I'll make you a deal.
Some of my men want to join you.
I'll swap them for those two.
Newcomers will not be rejected,
but deserters and traitors will not be tolerated!
Kitago, execute them!
Bastard!
Tange, the rifle!
Commander, you'd better let us go without any trouble.
You'll all be wiped out or taken prisoner before winter.
But not us! We're pushing on!
- What's that on their backs? - Flamethrowers.
Easy-going bastards - no rear or advance guards!
They're a pushover from the rear.
You can try it alone.
Let's go.
I'm surrendering.
You are?
After you guys are gone...
I'm going over to them.
Call out from a distance first
with your arms in the air.
Will we meet again?
If we both survive.
Maybe what you're doing is right
and I'm wrong.
Who knows?
No one can say.
It's a woodpecker.
Don't worry so much.
It's as still as death.
It'd be nice to have a roof overhead tonight.
We'll split up to be safe.
This is getting to my back.
I've about had it.
That was close!
If you hadn't split us up, we'd be dead.
When this thing started rattling, I went cold!
Now it's my turn to try it. - Leave their weapons.
Why? With these we could -
They may not help. If we're caught with them,
we'll be executed.
They'll think some Japanese soldiers were just mowed down.
Shoot off all the ammo. Then we're moving on.
Doesn't look like a Manchu village.
Some kind of settlement?
Looks like it.
What do we do?
Let's have a look.
According to that commander,
there are no Japanese stragglers in this area.
This might be the border with civilized society.
Split into four groups.
Keep 400 yards between you.
My group will go first.
If anything happens to us,
you decide whether to run or give yourselves up.
By today or tomorrow,
our fate will be decided.
Where are you gentlemen headed?
Across the railroad tracks to south Manchuria.
- Just the three of you? - No.
There are 15 men behind us.
You may not know this,
but the railroad is about six miles from here.
Just beyond that is a POW camp.
Have any of our soldiers passed through here?
Some have passed through once in a while.
And they brought nothing but trouble.
They stagger in half starved.
We've used up all the supplies we brought,
and our fields have been constantly plundered.
We don't know what we'll do now.
What happened to those soldiers?
They would change direction when they left here,
but we'd always hear the distant rattling of those automatic guns.
It's doubtful any of them survived.
Do enemy troops come and make trouble?
At first we feared and hated them,
but they're actually better than our own men.
They bring us bread.
They're huge, but they're naive as babies.
If we're nice to them, they leave peacefully.
Not like our troops, who are just freeloaders.
You intend to stay here overnight?
Since even the Russians seem more popular than us,
I won't insist.
We can camp out.
You're a man of character. May I ask one favor?
The Soviets are supposed to look after us,
but that solves none of our immediate problems.
I know it's asking quite a lot...
What is it?
They're growing corn and potatoes
about two miles from here.
So we steal some?
It's an evil thing we ask,
but the women will carry it all.
Please just protect them from any harm.
I understand. We'll be your villains.
Come partway and wait for us there.
It's better if you don't enter the fields.
It's cold out here, even with a fire.
Why don't you men come inside?
I've kept a spot for you.
No need to keep watch?
I'll stay up a while longer.
Someone can relieve me later.
That young man's in for a surprise.
Why?
They're all rolling around together in the dark in there.
And there's more women than men.
Soldier, are you angry with me
for what I said about the Russians?
No.
But you think I'm immoral.
Is that it?
No.
Are the women here... I mean, are you married?
Yes.
So we married women should just starve?
Bite our tongues off and just die?
Who said anything like that?
Even if we get home alive,
how many of us can return to our former lives?
Women and soldiers who spend fleeting nights together
always talk about returning home together.
When flesh meets flesh, it really seems possible.
But at dawn, the soldiers are strangers again.
They get restless and anxious
and grab their weapons and sneak off.
Soldier, are you listening?
I hear you.
Women waste no tears.
They just wait patiently for the soldier who'll come
and take them away.
We'll never get home.
We'll never see our loved ones again.
We don't even know how long we'll live.
We all share the same fate. We're all ruined!
We eat only to keep our strength from failing.
We'll never get home!
We'll never see our loved ones again!
We all share the same fate! We're ruined!
We all share the same fate.
We'll never get home.
We'll never see our loved ones again.
Never get home...
never see our loved ones again...
Let's go inside.
It's safe here at night.
No Russians or Manchus will come.
You go on.
I'll find someplace to sleep later.
A paragon of virtue, eh?
Rare for a soldier.
Too good to be dallying with my kind.
So I was buying a woman by stealing that food?
Michiko...
I'm still alive.
I'm still walking toward you.
If you weren't waiting...
I doubt I could continue another day.
There's trouble brewing inside.
Some want to marry the women and stay here.
Others want to take them along.
What about you?
I felt like having fun last night.
Hadn't had a chance to work out the kinks in a while.
But what about you? You're acting like some Zen priest.
Weren't any girls interested? - Who the hell cares?
I'm thinking of disbanding our unit here.
Last night I really learned to appreciate a woman's tenderness.
What do you say
we discard our weapons and join them as refugees?
Weak-kneed women? We'd never get anywhere.
We'd have to discard them somewhere.
Not necessarily. With just men, it's kill or be killed.
With women, they might go easy on us.
Even some of the soldiers want to come along with us.
We have to act now while they're here.
This may be our last chance!
And if you run into Russians or Manchus on the road?
The soldiers have weapons. They might get away.
We could be stripped naked and who knows what else.
That young man's really afraid of you.
Why?
You have a way of intimidating people.
It was me who seduced him, you know.
How's that my business?
It is your business.
I hear you saved his life.
He claims he'll follow you wherever you go.
So I'm coming too. You don't mind, do you?
This is no time to be playing house.
The past few weeks have made a man out of Terada.
If casual love turns into the real thing, fine.
I'll leave him behind. You two can do as you wish.
You were probably his first woman.
Any man might do for you,
but the boy's still naive.
If he fell in love overnight, you're partly responsible.
I just want you to stay clear of me.
After all, I'm human too.
The women insist on relying upon you
and going wherever you go.
Won't you become a refugee and go south with us?
At least wait till dusk and take us as far as the railroad.
Please?
There we can decide whether to go north or south.
That'll only take till dawn. Let's do it.
Is that asking too much?
I've heard various opinions
from my men and the women.
I myself don't know would what be best.
So those who feel the same way should go on together.
Each person can decide which group they'll join.
What are you going to do?
I'm crossing the railroad and continuing on.
And your rifle?
I'm taking it.
Are you sure you'll make it?
No... but I'm going to try.
I'm leaving right now.
Terada, you'd better stay here.
You can pass as a young refugee.
Bury your rifle and bayonet.
I won't stay behind.
I'm going.
What about her?
She's depending on you.
Didn't you want someone to depend on you?
She means nothing to me. It's only 'cause you rejected her that she -
Stop pretending to understand things you don't.
She doesn't want you or me.
She just wants male protection.
Stay behind and give her that.
Keep trotting along behind me and you'll never become a man.
Run for it!
Enemy troops!
Take cover!
Women out of sight and don't come out!
How many?
About 20. Soviets and Chinese peasant militia.
Fire when you hear my first shot.
Toss your grenades and attack immediately.
Aim for the automatics first!
Wait till I fire!
Stop!
What will happen to us if you start a battle?
Please!
Soldiers...
please don't!
Soldiers!
Drop your weapons, all of you!
We're surrendering.
Terada, don't come out! Stay with the women!
Six... seven... eight... nine...
Son of a bitch!
Stop crying!
It's not over yet.
It's only just beginning.
Forward!
Get in line!
Let's go.
Move it!
Get going!
You there! Move it!
You there! Move!
Get back in line!
Back in line!
Stand up.
Move along!
Stay in line!
Bastard!
Get up!
Terada, get up!
Halt!
Get up!
Get up, quick!
No sitting down!
Get up! No sitting down!
Interpreter!
Who called this halt?
Who gave the unauthorized order to halt?
It came from the rear.
Who was it?
Step forward or everyone will be punished!
The commander's angry.
If the culprit isn't found,
you'll all get three days' hard labor without food.
Who was it? Step forward!
Who did it?
It was you. Step forward.
Go on!
It was me.
Fool! Why'd you do such a thing?
I didn't mean to.
I didn't think they'd halt, but I was hoping they would.
He says the prisoners need a rest.
That's for the commander to decide.
Are you resisting my authority?
You're just a prisoner.
Just do as you're told.
Explain what I'm saying.
The commander doesn't realize conditions at the rear.
The men are hit by diarrhea.
Some have even been kicked by the guards.
Maybe I went too far,
but he has to understand the conditions back here.
He says many men in the rear have diarrhea.
The guard kicked one of these men.
He wants the case investigated.
He claims one of you kicked a prisoner. Is this true?
Physical force against prisoners is not allowed!
However, if a prisoner violates military discipline again,
he'll be punished!
Fascist samurai!
He'll let you off this time, but don't do it again.
And he called you a fascist samurai.
Forward!
Filthy dog! Go to hell!
Get up!
I'm sorry.
It's okay. Forget it.
- Fascist samurai? That's a good one. - Shut up!
Starting today,
I, Noge, assume command of this work detail
by order of the Red Army.
The fortunes of war have turned against us,
and we've tasted the bitterness of defeat.
But our fatherland still remains.
Someday we shall again trod the soil of our fatherland.
The Japanese are a race that respects authority.
To show the Soviets what an extraordinary race we are,
we must meet our labor quotas.
I will then be able to negotiate with the Russian officers
to win improvements in your work conditions.
You must endeavor to maintain good health,
bear these bitter trials,
and await the rebuilding of our fatherland.
That's all.
They eat officer rations and do nothing. Easy for them to say.
International law allows for special treatment for officers.
Oh? Discrimination in the land of the Reds?
WORK STATION #1