50,000 Japanese Hunted One American for 3 Years — He Built a Secret 35,000-Man Army

Why one American engineer refused to surrender during WW2 — and secretly built a 35,000-man guerrilla army while 50,000 Japanese troops hunted him for three years. This World War 2 story reveals how a mining engineer from Colorado attempted the impossible behind enemy lines.

May 10, 1942. Lieutenant Colonel Wendell Fertig, a 41-year-old mining engineer, watched 78,000 American and Filipino soldiers march into Japanese prison camps on Mindanao. Every officer was ordered to surrender. Fertig walked into the jungle instead. He had no weapons, no radio, no soldiers. He promoted himself to brigadier general using silver stars made from coins. MacArthur's headquarters thought he was either insane or a Japanese trap.

They were all wrong.

What Fertig attempted over the next three years seemed impossible. Building an army from nothing. Uniting tribal enemies who had fought each other for centuries. Making bullets from curtain rods and telegraph wire from iron fences. Creating a radio network to reach Australia two thousand miles away. All while Japanese patrols hunted him with a price on his head.

The Japanese launched offensive after offensive into the mountains. They burned villages. They tortured prisoners for information. They committed every resource to crushing this one American engineer who refused to surrender. But Fertig kept building. And his army kept growing.

What happened when MacArthur finally returned to the Philippines changed everything.

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⚠️ Disclaimer: This is entertainment storytelling based on WW2 events from internet sources. While we aim for engaging narratives, some details may be inaccurate. This is not an academic source. For verified history, consult professional historians and archives. Watch responsibly.