A Review Of The Book Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken serves as a remarkable non-fiction story by written by Laura Hillenbrand. The work is based upon the true life struggle made by the US army officer Louis Zamperini, who underwent severe humiliation and torture as prisoner of war at the hands of the Japanese administration after getting arrested in the Marshall lands. The author has clarified the heroic deeds performed by the brave and dauntless American hero. The author applauds the brave man, whose courage never wavered at the face of hardships during his captivity under the Japanese cruelties, as the Japanese personnel left no stone unturned to torture the him belonging to the USA in order to prove their hatred and disgust for the Americans. It was the time when the hostility between both the countries was at its peak. The Japanese corps inflicted every type of pain on the American prisoners in order to take revenge of the losses Japan had suffered in men and material. Since Zamperini had refused to yield before the Japanese, the author calls her as the “unbroken one”, who can neither be bent, nor could be overcome by the enemy. The struggle made by this legendary soldier, fills the hearts of the readers with feelings of loyalty and patriotism, and urges them to render services for the great name and fame of their motherland without surrendering before the mountains of hardships as well as series of difficulties on their way.

Leading up to Zamperini being captured by Japan, he was always stealing stuff and always was in trouble. Running from the cops on foot he was noticed by a coach his speed and got offered a spot on the track team. He became a legend and was picked to run in the Olympics. Fate had other plans for him. Breaks my heart that he worked so hard in that sport, and the war broke out and he was sent off to fight not being able to live out his dream

The book reveals the perturbed state of affairs the world was undergoing in the aftermath of the UK’s declaration of war against Germany. Commenced from the central Europe in 1939, the Great War II immediately captured the entire globe in its ugly grip. The war observed intensity day by day, and German-led Axis Alliance dominated the war. At last, British statesmen had to seek the support from the USA in order to combat with German and Japanese succeeding victories in the battlefields. Consequently, the USA arrived for the rescue of the Allies, and declared war against the Axis Powers. The US entry in the war aggravated the situation, and infuriated Japan to a great extent. As a result, they planned to break the backbone of the US military might by arranging surprise attacks on the American soil; the Japanese raid on the Pearl Harbor was also a part of the same campaign launched by the Japanese forces against the USA. It was the time when WWII was at its peak, and the European powers were determined to crush the political and military strength of the German led alliance at any cost. The same were the feelings of the Axis Powers, which would display their anger by announcing severest punishments to those belonging to the UK, France and their allies. Since Zamperini and his associate belonged to the USA, and were responsible for making plans of bombarding in the Japanese regions, the Japanese considered their tortures as justified ones against the enemies of their country. The Japanese prisons guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe played the most heinous role in this regards, and inflicted extreme torments upon the Zamperini belonging to the USA and allies, whenever he got an opportunity for the same. During all this torture Zamperini never gave up, he would always overcome the trails he was forced through. He always fought through the pain no matter what was thrown his way. He always kept quiet, not saying much but Watanabe would always pick him out and would make his life literally a living hell. During all this he fought and fought all the way to the end to where the war was finally over and they were all freed! After being freed he finally got to live his dream! At the age of 81, Louis Zamperini got to carry the torch for the 1998 Winter Olympic! 

I love this book so much because it kind of gives a life lesson. No matter what is thrown at you, no matter how hard life gets, if you just keep fighting and never give up you will eventually overcome whatever it is you are challenged with. This book taught me a lot about never giving up. If Zamperini could overcome the torture and pain he went through, I knew I could overcome anything also.