Louie和他的好友在Kwajalein island被囚禁.他們在那裡受到非常慘忍的對待.不只食物和飲水少的可憐.監牢的衛生情況更是差的我無法形容."Lice hopped over the captives' skin. Mosquitoes preyed on them in swarms so think that when Louie snapped his fingers into a fist, then opened his hand, his entire palm was crimson."他還腹瀉.到後來已是血色.而每天只能喝兩口水.不管他如何的請求.日本獄卒完全不與理會.甚至有時拳腳伺候.用各種方式羞辱他們.不過書中也提到他在這邊被關的某一天也有聽到歌聲.是和海上漂浮時聽到的歌聲一樣
他在日本被關在Ofuna.那是用來關具有重要價值的戰犯.這和一般的POW (prisoners of war) camp不一樣.一般的POW會有國際紅十字會的登記.而這登記會送回美國.讓家人知道他們還活著.但在Ofuna的戰犯是被祕密囚禁的.所以紅十字會無從追蹤.所以Louie的家庭完全不知道他們的生死和下落
根據戰俘的紀錄.看管戰俘營的守衛都是軍隊裡能力比較差的.主要分兩種.一種是智力差.另一種是心理不正常的.而在軍隊裡老鳥欺負菜鳥.高階欺負低階.也因此看管戰俘營的守衛會把他們在軍隊裡所受到欺負給移轉到戰俘身上.甚至變本加厲從中獲取快感.日本的歷史學家稱這種為"Transfer of oppression".且這種會轉移到同儕身上.假如守衛對戰俘表達同情.則會被其他守衛教訓.這本書對於戰爭的一些歷史和軍人的心態有非常詳細的解釋.也因此這本書讓我越看心情越沈重
另外也有可能是因為藉由毆打犯人.可以獲得其他軍官的尊敬.以及獲得快感.這些原因都讓他毆打戰犯的行為更加變本加厲.而Louie是美國奧運選手.這身分讓他成為Bird主要毆打的目標.所以在Louie進到Bird所在的戰俘營時.Louie說"After the first few days in camp,
I looked for him like I was looking for a lion loose in the jungle."從這段話.你就可以體會Bird給Louie的恐懼感是多麼的強烈.書中還有許多令人難以置信的事情.我只列舉一些
其中有一段.當美軍逐漸把戰區給逼到日本本土.並開始大規模的轟炸.在Louie所在的戰俘營.Bird會像瘋子一樣不允許戰俘去避難.並要他們站在戶外."With bombs booming, the Bird raced up and down the line of terrified POWs, swinging his sword over their heads".
然而身體上的折磨永遠比不了心靈上的創傷
Nearly forty years after the war, more than 85 percent of former Pacific POWs in one study suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterized in part by flashbacks, anxiety, and nightmares.也因此在1970年的報告中.太平洋戰俘的自殺率是百分之三十.另外超過四分之一的人酗酒
這一本書不但記載了Louie的一生.也記載了許許多多戰俘的悲慘回憶
經過這麼多年的折磨.Louie的腳也因被毆打受傷而無法繼續讓他成為運動員
"Louie was racked. The quest that had saved him as a kid was lost to him. The last barricade within him fell. By day, he couldn't stop thinking about the Bird. By night, the sergeant lashed him, hungry and feral. As the belt whipped him, Louie would fight his way to his attacker's throat and close his hands around it. No matter how hard he squeezed, those eyes still danced at him. Louie regularly woke screaming and soaked in sweat, He was afraid to sleep."
對於Louie以及其他戰俘.似乎唯有讓那些曾經施加暴力的守衛也經歷相同的痛苦.才能讓這些戰俘減輕痛苦.這種報復心一直在Louie的腦海裡
"One night in late 1948, Louie lay in bed with Cynthia (his wife) beside him. He descended into a dream, and the Bird rose up over him. The bely unfurled, and Louie felt the buckle cracking into his head, pain like lightning over his temple. Around and around the belt whirled, lashing Louie's skull. Louie raised his hands to the Bird's throat, his hands clenching around it.......
There was a scream, perhaps Louie's, perhaps the Bird's.......
Louie was straddling Cynthia's chest, his hands locked around her neck.....Louie was strangling his pregnant wife."
可是他老婆一直不放棄帶他上教堂聽講的念頭.這時在他人生中出現一個轉捩點.就是Billy Graham的出現.他是美國相當出名的preacher.他曾經和包括Barack Obama和美國其他六位總統會面過.Graham和Louie碰面的時候.Graham才三十出頭.有一次Graham跑去加州佈道.而剛好Louie的老婆拉著他去聽講.就在第二次聽講時.Graham說"God works miracles one after another.....God says, "If you suffer, I'll give you the grace to go forward."
Louie found himself thinking of the moment at which he had woken in the sinking hull of Green Hornet (他落海時乘坐的飛機), the wires that had trapped him a moment earlier now, inexplicably, gone. And he remembered the Japanese bomber swooping over the rafts, riddling them with bullets, and yet not not a single bullet had struck him....He had fallen into unbearably cruel worlds, and yet he had borne them. When he turned these memories in his mind, the only explanation he could find was one in which the impossible was possible. 最後一句我很喜歡.沒有不可能的事.
I'm coming home
I'm coming home
tell the World I'm coming home
Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday
I know my kingdom awaits and they've forgiven my mistakes
I'm coming home, I'm coming home
tell the World that I'm coming
住戶編號:1946461
檢舉原因
心情: 
