War always has its horrors, but in 1942 on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines, the Japanese Army treated American and Filipino prisoners with a cruelty rarely matched in human history. Over 10 days, an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 allied soldiers died from disease, mistreatment, exhaustion and, in some cases, cold-blooded execution.
The Bataan Death March took place immediately after some 76,000 American and Filipino soldiers surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942. The prisoners were then forced to make an 80-mile march, with little food or water, to reach a prison camp. Eventually, the path of the march was littered with bodies.
Why did things go so terribly awry? In "Whisper in the Darkness," an excellent account of the events in Bataan, authors Michael and Elizabeth Norman detail the factors that created the Death March.
First, the Normans note, the shear number of prisoners took the Japanese by surprise. The Japanese had anticipated no more than 40,000.
Second, the surrender took place earlier than the Japanese expected. They were not prepared to handle prisoners yet.
Third, the American and Filipino soldiers were already weakened by hunger and disease. The two sides had been fighting for four months, and after the Allied forces withdrew to the Bataan Peninsula they were cut off from resupply. Food and medical supplies dwindled. Men lived on half-rations of rice and not much more. Sick soldiers, absent proper medicine, couldn't get well.
Fourth, the march occurred, by chance, during the hottest and driest part of the year. Under the relentless sun, with little water available, throats became parched and men became dizzy and faint. Some men drank polluted water from fetid ditches and became sick.
All that said, there is no question what the biggest factor was: The Japanese were ready and willing to treat the prisoners cruelly.
The fighting on Bataan, the Normans note, was bitter. Early on, the Japanese had suffered severe losses. They hated their enemy and, given the chance at payback, they didn't hesitate.
The culture of the Japanese Army was a factor. In training, soldiers were abused and beaten to toughen them up. They were taught to fight to the death and they learned to have no respect for any solider that would surrender.
Lastly, as the Normans' book makes clear, there was little reason for the Japanese to try to keep their prisoners alive. The more that died, the fewer prisoners they would have to deal with. This was part of the reason many of the marchers went without food day after day, the Normans note.
"The Japanese, chronically undersupplied, habitually unprepared, and stoically indifferent to the distress of men who were their sworn enemies, simply could not, or would not, feed them."
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Sunday, May 11, 2014
Vocabulary guide to "Tears in the Darkness"
The book "Tears in the Darkness" is an outstanding account of the experiences of soldiers involved in the fighting on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines during World War II. But every once in a while in the book, authors Michael and Elizabeth Norman throw in a word that exceeded my vocabulary.
So, to help you read "Tears in the Darkness," here are some of the words and terms that stumped me when I read them. It's not a long list, but three of them show up repeatedly in the book.
Opprobrium: Harsh criticism or censure
Abattoir: A slaughterhouse.
Fata Morgana: A type of mirage seen just above the horizon
Subalterns: A junior officer or subordinate
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So, to help you read "Tears in the Darkness," here are some of the words and terms that stumped me when I read them. It's not a long list, but three of them show up repeatedly in the book.
Opprobrium: Harsh criticism or censure
Abattoir: A slaughterhouse.
Fata Morgana: A type of mirage seen just above the horizon
Subalterns: A junior officer or subordinate
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Book review: "Tears in the Darkness" by Michael and Elizabeth Norman
Perhaps you've heard of World War II's Bataan Death March and have a vague idea of how bad it was. Still, the reality was far worse than you can imagine.
In the compelling "Tears in the Darkness," authors Michael and Elizabeth Norman detail the horrific events that occurred on the Philippines' Bataan Peninsula in the spring of 1942.
It was on Bataan, after 76,000 American and Filipino troops surrendered to the invading Japanese army, that the vilest elements of hate and inhumanity emerged.
Some prisoners were tied up, repeatedly bayoneted in the torso, their dying bodies kicked into a ravine.
Men denied food and water on the hot 80-mile march to a prison camp collapsed in agony. If they failed to get up quickly enough, guards shot or stabbed them.
Men were herded into fetid, overcrowded holding pens, often forced to sleep on ground covered with excrement, mucus, urine and blood. Sick and ailing soldiers were tossed into graves while still alive, their comrades ordered to toss dirt on them. In all, some 7,000 to 10,000 men died on the march.
This is, of course, not the first book about the events on Bataan, but the Normans' account shines because of their consistent attention to detail and because they manage to find small stories of human persistence amid the bleak circumstances. In particular, they follow the story of American Ben Steele, who manages to survive not only the Death March, but further atrocities in Japanese prison camps.
One of the strongest elements of the book, at least in the first half of the book, is the fact that the Normans tell the story from Japanese perspectives as well as the Americans'. The viewpoints of the Japanese soldiers may be most fascinating, perhaps because they're rarely told. (Disappointingly, the Japanese perspective almost disappears in the second half of the book.)
With its tales of American soldiers being abused in Japanese prison camps, "Tears in the Darkness" will draw obvious comparisons to the 2010 bestseller "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. But while the subject matter is similar, the stories of each are unique. I liked both books and it would be hard for me to recommend one over the other.
There's more to this book than the Death March. The Normans at first describe the bitter fighting in the Philippines, and note the little-remembered fact that the American and Filipino forces whipped the Japanese in the early stages. In fact, the Normans note, the besieged Americans and Filipinos would have been able to hold out for much longer except they failed to bring tons of stockpiled food to their Bataan positions. As it turned out, hunger was a main reason for the surrender on April 9, 1942.
The food screwup was the fault of General Douglas McArthur, say the Normans, a leader for whom the authors have no kind words. They portray him as an officer only interested in promoting himself and one whose leadership featured mismanagment and indecision.
"Tears in the Darkness" is an outstanding book, but it's not perfect. While the Normans do well providing perspectives from Americans and Japanese, there is little from the third party in the room: The Filipinos.
I'm also not sure that a chapter at the end that covers the post-war trial of Japanese general Masaharu Homma fits with this book. The section is interesting but in a book that focuses mostly on the experiences of lower-level soldiers the introduction of a general as a major character late in the story seems out of place. This chapter really should be the seed for a separate book.
If you're interested in the World War II events in the Philippines you might also consider "Escape from Davao" by John D. Lukacs. This book doesn't have the depth of "Tears in the Darkness," but the story of some Americans' daring escape from a Japanese prison camp is dramatic.
See also:
"What caused the Bataan Death March?"
"Vocabulary guide to 'Tears in the Darkness'"
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(Please support this blog by clicking on an ad, or by donating via the Paypal button below.)
In the compelling "Tears in the Darkness," authors Michael and Elizabeth Norman detail the horrific events that occurred on the Philippines' Bataan Peninsula in the spring of 1942.
It was on Bataan, after 76,000 American and Filipino troops surrendered to the invading Japanese army, that the vilest elements of hate and inhumanity emerged.
Some prisoners were tied up, repeatedly bayoneted in the torso, their dying bodies kicked into a ravine.
Men denied food and water on the hot 80-mile march to a prison camp collapsed in agony. If they failed to get up quickly enough, guards shot or stabbed them.
Men were herded into fetid, overcrowded holding pens, often forced to sleep on ground covered with excrement, mucus, urine and blood. Sick and ailing soldiers were tossed into graves while still alive, their comrades ordered to toss dirt on them. In all, some 7,000 to 10,000 men died on the march.
This is, of course, not the first book about the events on Bataan, but the Normans' account shines because of their consistent attention to detail and because they manage to find small stories of human persistence amid the bleak circumstances. In particular, they follow the story of American Ben Steele, who manages to survive not only the Death March, but further atrocities in Japanese prison camps.
One of the strongest elements of the book, at least in the first half of the book, is the fact that the Normans tell the story from Japanese perspectives as well as the Americans'. The viewpoints of the Japanese soldiers may be most fascinating, perhaps because they're rarely told. (Disappointingly, the Japanese perspective almost disappears in the second half of the book.)
With its tales of American soldiers being abused in Japanese prison camps, "Tears in the Darkness" will draw obvious comparisons to the 2010 bestseller "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. But while the subject matter is similar, the stories of each are unique. I liked both books and it would be hard for me to recommend one over the other.
There's more to this book than the Death March. The Normans at first describe the bitter fighting in the Philippines, and note the little-remembered fact that the American and Filipino forces whipped the Japanese in the early stages. In fact, the Normans note, the besieged Americans and Filipinos would have been able to hold out for much longer except they failed to bring tons of stockpiled food to their Bataan positions. As it turned out, hunger was a main reason for the surrender on April 9, 1942.
The food screwup was the fault of General Douglas McArthur, say the Normans, a leader for whom the authors have no kind words. They portray him as an officer only interested in promoting himself and one whose leadership featured mismanagment and indecision.
"Tears in the Darkness" is an outstanding book, but it's not perfect. While the Normans do well providing perspectives from Americans and Japanese, there is little from the third party in the room: The Filipinos.
I'm also not sure that a chapter at the end that covers the post-war trial of Japanese general Masaharu Homma fits with this book. The section is interesting but in a book that focuses mostly on the experiences of lower-level soldiers the introduction of a general as a major character late in the story seems out of place. This chapter really should be the seed for a separate book.
If you're interested in the World War II events in the Philippines you might also consider "Escape from Davao" by John D. Lukacs. This book doesn't have the depth of "Tears in the Darkness," but the story of some Americans' daring escape from a Japanese prison camp is dramatic.
See also:
"What caused the Bataan Death March?"
"Vocabulary guide to 'Tears in the Darkness'"
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Friday, May 9, 2014
Bold educational initiative by Corona Del Mar High School
This week, the principal of Corona Del Mar High School in Southern California came out with a remarkable statement:
"It is not OK for any student to be objectified or judged in any way," said principal Kathy Scott.
Scott was referring to a so-called "prom draft" at the school which has grabbed a lot of media attention, but her assertion that students should not be judged "in any way" suggests a bigger story:
Corona Del Mar High to eliminate all grading
In a bold move, Corona Del Mar High School teachers will no longer grade students. There will be no report cards. All homework will be given a checkmark and returned without comment. In sports, no scores will kept and no cheering will be allowed. All students will graduate whether they attended class or not.
"It is not OK to judge students in any way," said Principal Kathy Scott ...
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"It is not OK for any student to be objectified or judged in any way," said principal Kathy Scott.
Scott was referring to a so-called "prom draft" at the school which has grabbed a lot of media attention, but her assertion that students should not be judged "in any way" suggests a bigger story:
Corona Del Mar High to eliminate all grading
In a bold move, Corona Del Mar High School teachers will no longer grade students. There will be no report cards. All homework will be given a checkmark and returned without comment. In sports, no scores will kept and no cheering will be allowed. All students will graduate whether they attended class or not.
"It is not OK to judge students in any way," said Principal Kathy Scott ...
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Friday, May 2, 2014
Los Angeles daily newspapers, 1869 to present
Here is list of daily newspapers that have served Los Angeles, with the year they started:
- Los Angeles Daily News, 1869
- Los Angeles Star, 1870
- Los Angeles Evening Express, 1871
- Los Angeles Daily Herald, 1873
- Los Angeles Evening Republican, 1876
- Los Angeles Times, 1881
- Los Angeles Record, 1895
- Los Angeles Examiner, 1903
- Rafu Shimpo, 1903
- Los Angeles Daily News, 1923 (different from the earlier paper of the same name)
- La Opinion, 1926
- Los Angeles Evening Herald Express, 1931 (merger of Evening Express and Daily Herald)
- Los Angeles Mirror, 1948
- Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, 1962 (merger of Herald Express and Examiner)
- Korea Times, 1969
- Daily News of Los Angeles, 1981 (formerly Van Nuys Call, Van Nuys News, and Valley News)
- Hoy, 2004 (five days a week)
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