The narrative is set during World War II, which began with Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939. In 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States entered the war on the side of the Allies, which included Britain and France, among others.

During what would become known as the Pacific War, the United States launched a series of campaigns against imperial Japan throughout the Pacific, with notable battles including Guadalcanal and the Battle of Midway. Despite Japan’s effective military defense of their Pacific territories, Allied forces were able to advance closer to the Japanese mainland. The advance of American troops closer to the Japanese mainland led to the infamous battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Throughout the campaign in the Pacific theater, US Navy and Air Force pilots wreaked havoc on mainland Japanese cities with near-constant bombing raids. Many pilots were shot down, and those who survived were often taken into custody as prisoners of war, like the character of Tom in “The Enemy.”

Japan’s confinement of Allied troops became infamous for its cruel treatment of prisoners and inhumane living conditions. Becoming a prisoner of war was, therefore, believed by American troops to be a fate worse than death.