The first time I laid my eyes on Louis Zamperini I saw pure strength, threatening strength, enough strength to stupefy an individual. ‘Don’t look at me’, I shouted after he stared me in the eyes. The sheer audacity to ogle an enemy right in the eyes frightened me. That event marked the day that I would not only idolize Louis but try to break him. Looking back on the war I remember many things, but the day I met Louis Zamperini is one that significantly stands out. I pushed him to his absolute limits, and not for one moment did he look like giving in. Every opportunity that arose to humiliate and tire Louis, I took. I did not hate Louis, I was jealous of his resilience and courage. I tortured that man out of pure envy, I came across an individual in my camp who was mentally tougher than myself which I saw as a threat. “Louis, how did you have the guts to stare into my eyes that day?” I ask. “At that point, I thought that I was never going to be freed from that camp. I simply was at the point where death would have been better than being tortured. I wasn’t afraid of you.” He replies. …show more content…
I hated Louis Zamperini purely because of the threat he was to my power. I never knew what Louis thought of me, I found him incalculable. After our first encounter, I thought for sure that it would lead to many more complications between us, and it did. I became addicted to trying to a better man than Louis Zamperini. I often pondered about how someone below me could be such a threat. After one year of being in control of the Omori camp, it was time for my men to be transferred to the northern prisoner of war camp in Naoetsu. Here, the captures would be made into slaves and work with the transportation of coal. When I found out that Louis was being transferred, I wrote a letter to the head of the camps requesting to also work at Naoetsu. After the acceptance of my request, I was on the next