What does "literally" mean?

[v0031]

Jan 1, 1946:
Hidden Japanese surrender after Pacific War has ended
An American soldier accepts the surrender of about 20 Japanese soldiers who only discovered that the war was over by reading it in the newspaper.
On the island of Corregidor, located at the mouth of Manila Bay, a lone soldier on detail for the American Graves Registration was busy recording the makeshift graves of American soldiers who had lost their lives fighting the Japanese. He was interrupted when approximately 20 Japanese soldiers approached him—literally waving a white flag. They had been living in an underground tunnel built during the war and learned that their country had already surrendered when one of them ventured out in search of water and found a newspaper announcing Japan's defeat.

[v0031]

Literally means that it actually is happening. Different from figuratively which is basically a metaphor.

Come on, you're an English teacher...

Thanks. Could you please find some pictures about this surrender?