“[Mitsuo] Fuchida was born in the year of the Tiger. … I used the title as a metaphor for Fuchida and the nation of Japan,” said author T. Martin Bennett. “They wanted to be a great nation throughout the world like the developed nations … but they were marginalized as kind of a second-tier nation. That’s how they developed and they resented that.” The author of Wounded Tiger, the third edition of a book that released this week, shared his thoughts on the true story with The Stream.

Wounded Tiger tells the story of Fuchida, the Japanese pilot who led the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The book intertwines his story with that of an American prisoner, Jake DeShazer, and a missionary family, including their daughter Peggy, whom Fuchida never met, but who changed his life in a miraculous way.

A Dynamic Story

Wounded Tiger, while a true story, reads like a novel. But Bennett says that he did not make anything up. He had extensive interviews with family members and others to create this unique nonfiction novel. “A regular nonfiction book is kind of dry … it’s not dynamic,” said Bennett. “A novel is very dynamic because it’s all happening now. So, I used the format, which is referred to as a nonfiction novel.” Bennett said that he’s a stickler for accuracy. “I went to great lengths to ensure that this is accurate and honest. … I have vetted this thing to the nth degree. It is a true story.”

God’s Hand was on Them

Forgiveness is a big theme in Wounded Tiger. In fact, it changed Fuchida’s life. “Peggy Covell — she’s really the fulcrum of change in Fuchida’s life. And without giving anything away, when she was faced with horrible circumstances and revelation, her response was, ‘How can I show love to my enemies in the greatest way possible?’ She just very privately volunteered to go help the Japanese in the U.S., and the Lord miraculously used her to have a monumental impact on the life of Fuchida, 5,000 miles across the ocean.” Bennett said there was no way the events could have happened if they didn’t have the hand of God on them. 

Bennett wrote a screenplay for Wounded Tiger before the book. He’s had multiple offers to create the movie, but won’t hand over creative control. The story must be told in an authentic way, without meaningless scenes or additions to the script. “I don’t want Jesus Christ turning into ‘higher power,’ I don’t want them to put in a sex scene, or all kind[s] of profanity. I thought, ‘I can’t do that.'” He had to protect the integrity of the story. 

True Hope 

Most of all, Bennett wanted readers to take away hope in God. “If you put your hope, faith and trust in God, you will not be disappointed, and that’s what I hope this story does for people.” 

Wounded Tiger released to store shelves Wednesday, November 8. For more information about the book, visit woundedtiger.com. 

Nancy Flory, Ph.D., is a senior editor at The Stream. You can follow her @NancyFlory3, and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.