to escape, though she was later found to have been hit by a torpedo that failed to explode. Although undamaged in the Bombing of Rabaul (November 1943), Shigure was ordered to back to Sasebo for a long overdue refit. Hara was relieved of his command and reassigned as senior torpedo instructor at the Naval Torpedo School at Oppama near Yokosuka to teach students in the Imperial Japanese Navy's belated Motor Torpedo Boat program. Hara was quickly frustrated with the lack of effective equipment as well as the lack of leadership in the navy and army. He hastily wrote a letter intended for Emperor Hirohito urging him to fire the heads of the army and navy and seek peace as the war was lost and hand delivered it to Hirohito's younger brother Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu at the Navy Ministry. Despite the potentially grave consequences of this action Hara did not hear anything further on the matter. Hara's last sortie was as captain of the light cruiser as flagship of the destroyer screen accompanying on her fateful last mission as part of Operation Ten-Go. He ended the war at Kawatana training Japanese sailors to operate Shinyo suicide boats, where he witnessed firsthand the effects of the second atomic bombing. During the war Captain Hara participated in 14 major actions: Air raid against American naval base at Davao on Mindanao (Philippines), 8 December 1941, escorting aircraft carrier Ryūjō; a complete fiasco, as no American ships were found (on Amatsukaze) Invasion of Davao on 20 December 1941, an easy Japanese victory, as the base was already almost completely evacuated (on Amatsukaze) Invasion of Ambon Island, 30 January-3 February 1942, a Japanese victory (on Amatsukaze) Battle of the Java Sea, 27–28 February 1942, a great Japanese victory (on Amatsukaze) Invasion of Christmas Island, 31 March 1942, an easy Japanese victory as British garrison surrendered without resistance (on Amatsukaze) Battle of Midway, 4–7 June 1942, a decisive Japanese defeat (on Amatsukaze) Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24–25 August 1942, a serious Japanese defeat (on Amatsukaze) Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942, a costly Japanese victory (on Amatsukaze) Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13 November 1942, a Japanese tactical victory but a very serious strategic defeat (on Amatsukaze) Battle of Vella Gulf, 6–7 August 1943, a crushing Japanese defeat (on Shigure) Battle off Horaniu, 17 August 1943, inconclusive (on Shigure) Battle of Vella Lavella, 6