During World War II almost all Japanese military servicemen died in action, refusing to surrender. They regarded it as their sacred duty to the Emperor of Japan, whom they regarded as having divine origins and authority. However, in the Marianas campaign, one Marine, Guy Gabaldon, began to go out beyond friendly lines and persuade Japanese soldiers and civilians to surrender rather than fight to the death. His efforts were extremely successful, and led to anything between 1,000 and 1,500 Japanese surrenders (the exact figure is disputed). He was awarded a Silver Star in recognition of his efforts, which I think was to undervalue them significantly. The Marines clearly felt the same, because some years later his award was upgraded to a Navy Cross: and now, after his death, there are proposals to upgrade it further, to the Medal of Honor.This twenty-minute TV documentary examines his activities and achievements, as well as how other service personnel began to take the idea further. I'm told that after the Marianas campaign, when the war moved on to the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, such tactics were more widely used, but I haven't been able to confirm that.If you're interested in World War II, and the Pacific War in particular, this documentary is a must-see.That's an episode of World War II combat history of which I'd never heard before.Peter