Unbroken: New York Times Bestseller to Major Motion Picture

Jayde Eubanks

“Unbroken” written by Laura Hillenbrand, tells the shocking true story of Louis “Louie” Zamperini, an Olympian’s journey from airman to castaway to captive. The amazing autobiography has successfully remained on the New York Times Bestseller list since its release in 2010, bringing recognition of the long forgotten tale to readers. For years, the truly inspiring story of survival has caught the attention of important figures, one especially Angelina Jolie, who became the director of the film adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s book.

Torrance, California received a wakeup call when Louie Zamperini, a clever delinquent, came to stay. At age 5, he began smoking cigarettes and at 8 years old, he began painting old milk jars white to hide its actual contents...whiskey. Louie got a kick out of stealing, taking anything, especially food, within his reach. Pies from the windows of others’ homes, set aside to cool down before consuming, candy from local stores, and coins from a pay-phone outside the Torrance movie theater. After years of thievery and delinquency, Louie’s older brother, Pete, vowed to keep Louie out of trouble by getting him involved in extracurricular activities. Since Louie was always running from the police, running was the logical answer. Louie ran for his town’s track team, eventually earning the nickname “Torrance Tornado” because of his unbelievably quick speed. Louie’s dedication to the sport proved successful. In 1936 at nineteen years old, he ran in the 5000 meter race in the Summer Olympics held in Berlin, Germany. He ran the last lap of the race in 56 seconds, setting a record and impressing Adolf Hitler, Chancellor of Germany. He met Hitler, shook his hand, in which Hitler responded, “Ah, you’re the boy with the fast finish.” Later that same day, a Nazi flag caught Louie’s eye. At that moment, Louie’s thieving skills kicked in and he stole that Nazi flag, holding on to it for almost 80 years.

After the Olympics, Louie returned home. He enrolled in the University of Southern California and began running for the school’s track team. In 1938, Louie set a national collegiate mile record at 4:08 minutes, which remained unbroken for fifteen years.

In September 1941, Louie enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. He became a bombardier on a B-24 bomber called Super Man. Louie went on many dangerous missions, one leaving the plane shot up with 594 bullet holes. The plane was deemed unfit for flight. Louie and his crewmates were given another B-24, The Green Hornet, its sole purpose to search and rescue a missing plane. However, as The Green Hornet scoured the ocean, its engine began to fail, and soon the B-24 along with most of its crew drifted towards the bottom of the sea. Out of an eleven man crew, all but three were dead. The three survivors Russell Allen Phillips (Phil), Francis McNamara (Mac), and Louie Zamperini shared two life rafts, surrounded by ravenous Great White sharks. The men had no food or water, forcing them to catch and eat raw fish. As the survivors grew hungrier and hungrier, their bodies shrank to well under a hundred pounds. Mac was the only man in the raft to not make it. He died on their thirty-third day lost at sea. Louie and Phil remained on the raft for another fourteen days before the Japanese found them in their life rafts.

Upon their discovery, Louie and Phil were transferred to Kwajalein, otherwise known as Execution Island. It is believed that most Prisoners of War (POW) held on Kwajalein were executed. Louie and Phil were incredibly lucky. Instead of being executed, the Japanese sent Louie and Phil to Ofuna, then to Omori. At Omori POW camp, Louie suffered daily beatings and emotional trauma at the hands of Mutsuhiro Watanabe, a psychotic corporal and prison guard, whom the prisoners referred to as “The Bird”. The Bird despised Louie the most among the prisoners because Louie possessed a fighter’s spirit, never allowing the Bird to break him. This caused the Bird to loathe Louie. Eventually, Louie caught a break when the Bird was transferred to another POW camp. The reign of terror was over.

For about two months, life at Omori POW camp became increasingly better. The Bird was no where around to beat and torture the prisoners, and the prisoners even gained some privileges, including writing letters home to their families. However, on the last day of February, fifteen POW officers, including Louie, were told they would be transferred to a camp called Naoetsu. The following evening, the officers boarded a train. The next morning, the prisoners arrived at Naoetsu, a seaside village in western Japan. They walked into the camp glancing at the Sea of Japan as they passed by. Suddenly, the men were told to stop and stand at attention by none other than The Bird himself. At this point, Louie fell unconscious to the ground.

The conditions at Naoetsu were far more inhumane than Omori. The prisoners suffered long days of backbreaking labor, carrying coal off a barge to a railcar, using large baskets strapped to their backs. If they stopped even to catch their breath, they were punished or immediately executed. One day, Louie made the mistake of stopping, and because The Bird was always watching, Louie received an incredibly difficult punishment. The Bird forced Louie to hold a heavy wooden beam, nearly six feet long, above his head. He called a guard over and said to him, “If the prisoner lowers his arms, ram him with your gun.” Louie successfully held onto the beam for thirty-seven minutes, until The Bird himself rammed his fist into Louie’s stomach. Louie collapsed, after he had dropped the beam on his head.

Months of physical and mental abuse continued, until the war ended in August 1945. On August 20th, a prison guard invited the prisoners to bathe in the river stating, “The war has come to a point of cessation.” The POWs waded into the water, confused as to what was happening. Within a few minutes, a plane soared above the men, leveling itself to show the broad white star in a blue circle painted on both its sides. The plane was American and the prisoners were free.

Louie never saw the Bird again, and for years after the war, he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He saw the Bird every night in his dreams, beating and torturing him into oblivion. However, in 1950, Louie and his wife, Cynthia Applewhite, whom he’d met just weeks after the war ended, attended a Billy Graham sermon, and it changed his life forever. At that moment, Louie gave his life to God. Within a year, he returned to Japan to forgive all of his former captors, hoping to keep the past in the past. The only person who refused to meet with him was the Bird.

Angelina Jolie’s film adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s #1 New York Times Bestselling book “Unbroken” became the talk of the new year. Many students at Mascoutah High School, myself included, went to see the most unforgettable story of a lifetime. Hailey Coleman said, “I thought “Unbroken” was a very well put together movie and it was very emotional. I feel like it’s something that everybody should see. This movie changed my life because Americans take freedom for granted. Louie was held captive for about two years, suffering beatings and living without food, water, or breaks. We get more than enough food, water, and time for relaxing. I think people enjoy seeing movies about people overcoming life’s greatest obstacles because they emit great emotion and they spark so many feelings. It also makes one cherish the life one has now. Those types of movies are just phenomenal.”

Another student at Mascoutah High School conveyed their love for the major motion picture stating, ““Unbroken” was an amazing movie that is very inspiring. It teaches one that they should live everyday like it is their last. Stay strong through all your struggles because eventually they will end.”

Mr. Doehring claims that “Unbroken” is his favorite book, so it was absolutely necessary to speak with him. He stated, “It’s my favorite book because it shows the strength of the human spirit, and resiliency and determination one can have against insurmountable odds. This book opened my eyes and inspired me to try and be a better Christian, husband, father, and teacher. Louie had such a good outlook on his experiences and that has helped me keep hardships in perspective.” Although Mr. Doehring has not yet seen the movie, he said he plans to see it soon.

Louie Zamperini passed away on July 2, 2014, at the age of 97. He was a true hero, believing that forgiveness was the path to redemption. Louie was also a fighter and he is someone people can relate to because there is a fighter in all of us. “If you can take it, you can make it.” Live your life to the fullest and don’t let anyone break you.

Pictured above: Movie poster for Unbroken. Below: Novel cover for Unbroken