5. Convincing Oba to Give Up
American officials finally brought in a Japanese general who had commanded a brigade in Saipan, and sent him in to try and find and reason with Sakae Oba. The general tramped the jungle while whistling Japanese military tunes, until he drew out some of the holdouts. They took him to their commanding officer, and after presenting Oba with official documents from Imperial General Headquarters ordering him to surrender, the holdout ended.
On December 1st, 1945, Oba marched his charges out of their jungle hideouts, and in a dignified ceremony, surrendered his sword and his command. Upon repatriation to Japan, he Oba led a productive life, working in the private sector, before turning to politics and getting elected to his city’s council. He died at age 78, in 1992.