The book is about the history of the Philippines, World War ll,atrocities committed by the Japanese, Filipino Patriots, General DouglasMacArthur and personal stories by Filipino veterans never printedbefore.
The Philippines is a nation of hospitable and benevolent people. For centuries the Filipinos were unfortunate to be bound by thesubjugation of foreigners (Spain and the United States) that invadedtheir country and established their own form of government. The UnitedStates vanquished the Spanish in 1898 and declared the Philippines apossession of the United States. The U.S. defined and justified itscolonial role as one of tutelage; that is, preparing the Philippines foreventual independence, which occurred years later.
Japanese soldiers were the most atrocious invaders in the history ofthe world; judging by the totality of their barbaric atrocities against100,000 innocent women and children in Manila. Chapter 4 is about theholocaust in Manila, the pictures and stories are the tip of theiceberg. The stories and pictures were used for the War Crime Trials,and copies are on file at the National Archives.
There were several Filipino patriots during the past 500 years, thereis only one foreigner that has the respect and honor as the Filipinopatriots, and that is General Douglas MacArthur. Beth Day Romulo,Filipino citizen, and author of "The Manila Hotel," describes him from the Filipino perspective in her book by saying "It is difficult formodern-day Americans to comprehend just what MacArthur means toFilipinos. Despite his unique spot in American History - a distinguishedCareer that included front-line service in World War 1, theSuperintendent of West Point, Chief of Staff in Washington, as well ashis outstanding contribution as Commander-in-Chief of the Pacificoperations in World War ll - Douglas MacArthur means more emotionallyand spiritually to Filipinos than he does to Americans. In America hewas admired, but also criticized and sometimes reviled. In thePhilippines he was - and continues to be - a god. He is loved andworshipped as no other Westerner has been, or shall perhaps ever be, inAsia.