Unbroken (The Young Adult Adaptation): An Olympian's Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive

Content Warning: This section contains scenes of alcoholism, depression, and domestic abuse.

Louie returns home to his family in October. They are relieved that he “seems” happy. However, when his sister plays a recording of his message broadcast from Radio Tokyo, he begins “shaking violently” and screaming for her to “Take it off” (243). That night, the Bird haunts his dreams.

After the end of the war, over 250 people testified that the Bird committed atrocities. He is listed among the war criminals sought by the United States. He vows to never be caught and vanishes.

Meanwhile, Louie is thrust into the spotlight, regularly doing press interviews and speeches. To handle the stress of reliving his stories from the war, he turns to alcohol.

While on vacation at Miami Beach in March of 1946, Louie meets Cynthia Applewhite. The two spend the next two weeks together, then, although she is only 20 and Louis 29, and they know little of each other, they get engaged.

Cynthia’s parents initially refuse to allow her to go to Los Angeles, and Louie and Cynthia communicate via letters. Eventually, however, her parents allow her to go out to visit him, and the two get married, which angers her parents.