As Hideki, terrified, retreats into the cave, the lieutenant angrily shoots at him, yelling that he must participate in the attack. When the lieutenant pauses between shots, Hideki climbs up an air shaft and out onto a hillside. He cries for the Okinawans and for the futility of the Okinawan defense. His father is right—the Japanese don’t care about the defense of Okinawa and expect its people to die. He angrily pulls the framed photos of the Emperor out and throws them in the mud with a scream.

He decides that he should surrender to the Americans, but then US troops arrive and fire a flamethrower into the cave entrance without checking who is inside. The soldiers aim the flamethrower at Hideki, catching his uniform on fire. Hideki puts it out, mostly unhurt, and runs away.

The Japanese run up the hill slope. Ray shoots one soldier. Zimmer and a new guy, whom they call “New Guy,” cover Big John and Ray as they reload. They cannot let the Japanese soldiers climb high enough to shoot, as there are only three of them left. After about 15 minutes, the Japanese troops stop.

Suddenly, Okinawan refugees start to climb toward them. A woman in a blue dress holding a baby approaches sobbing, with dynamite strapped to her.