I guess it was easier to say you will fight to the last man, when your enemy doesn’t have the power to wipe you out without you getting a punch in.
Bergamani’s book is the best work on the war from the prospective of Japan.
For many years it was dissed by academic’s who were pro-japan and the emperor, but it has prevailed.
Great read..on of the key books on Japan and Asia for every scholar to study.