About this title: For the first four months of 1942, U.S., Filipino, and Japanese soldiers fought what was America's first major land battle of World War II, the battle for the tiny Philippine peninsula of Bataan. It ended with the surrender of 76,000 Filipinos and Americans, the single largest defeat in American military history. The defeat, though, was only the beginning, as Michael and Elizabeth M. Norman make dramatically clear in this powerfully original book. From then until the Japanese surrendered in August 1945, the prisoners of war suffered an ordeal of unparalleled cruelty and savagery: forty-one ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Edition: MP3 UNA
Binding: Audiobook CD
Publisher: TANTOR MEDIA INC
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781400161676ISBN:1400161673
Description: In the tradition of All Quiet on the Western Front and Hiroshima, this major new work about World War II exposes the myths of military heroism as shallow and inadequate, and makes clear that war causes suffering for people on all sides. read more
Binding: Hardback
Publisher: FARRAR, STRAUS & GIROUX INC Country = UNITED STATES
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9780374272609ISBN:0374272603
Description: BRAND NEW HARDBACK. 496 pages. For the first four months of 1942, us, filipino, and japanese soldiers fought what was america's first major land battle of world war ii, the battle for the tiny philippine peninsula of bataan. it ended with the surrender of 76, 000 filipinos and americans, the single largest defeat in american military history. illustrations, maps (Hardback) read more
Description: This major new work about World War II exposes the myths of military heroism as shallow and inadequate. "Tears in the Darkness" makes clear, with great literary and human power, that war causes suffering for people on all sides. read more
Description: NEW. Hardcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780374272609. read more
"This was such an emotional book to read. The story tells what happened to one American soldier in the Philippines and what occurred as a POW of the Japanese Army during WWII. Japanese officers are also described so there are some explanations for their decisions during this period. I highly recommend it. I read it in about a day and a half. I couldn't put it down."
"This was a pretty well done study of the experience of an American POW in the Philippines in WWII. Ever since reading a fiction book on the subject a few years ago, I've wanted to read a historical account, and have begun a few, only to be discouraged by tone and language. It seems bad language is just something to put up with in this subject--this book had plenty, too, but because most of the book was presented as the story of one man, I was able to stick with it better. I was sometimes confused by the inclusion of many Japanese experiences as well, as I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. Still glad I stuck it out and read the book, but can't say it's a favorite book."
"This is a must-read books for all Filipinos. Once again, it tells us not only what atrocities Japanese and injustice Americans did to Filipinos. I wish that there will be a cheaper version of this book so that it will be more affordable to us. Tata J lent me this 1st edition (2009) book that he bought at around US$20. Thanks again, Tata J for another perspective- if not life-changing book!
This is my 3rd book read this year alone on what happened during World War II here in the Philippines. Last April, I read John A. Glusman's COURAGE UNDER FIRE (2004) and in August, Louis Morton's FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES (2005). If COURAGE is about four American doctors who were assigned in Corregidor hospital, this book TEARS IN THE DARKNESS is about a American private soldier Ben Steele, a ranger in Montana, who experienced each stage of the war from the bombing of Clark, to the retreat to Bataan, the eventual surrender, the work camp in O'Donnell, ride on the hellship to Japan, Japanese surrender, his return to the USA but most especially the highlight of the book - THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH.
If the FALL OF THE PHILIPPINES is about the fall of the whole country including its facts and figures making it a plan historical book, TEARS is written just like your amazing war novel. The writing is crisp, incandescent without being melodramatic. It also gives a balance view by having almost half of the book to the Japanese characters. Even the trial of Homma (because this was not tackled in the other two books) kept me guessing for the outcome.
My only regret is that there was not a single Filipino main character. It was often said that Americans and Filipinos fought the Japanese side by side and Filipinos even consider Americans their big brothers. Just like what Tata J said, it could have been more balanced if the bravery and gallantry of Filipino soldiers were also highlighted in the book. After all, Philippines had more casualties compared to Americans and Japanese combined.
In any of the 3 books, Filipinos are described as untrained (except the Filipino scouts who were trained by the Americans), ill-equipped (coconut husk as helmet and canvas shoes) and always count on the Americans to save them. This dependency to Americans is something that we are slowly shaking off. We made the right decision not to renew the military bases agreement in 2001 (or was it because of the Pinatubo volcano?). However, most Filipinos still welcome the intervention of America to help settle our political or economic issues.
This is similar to what most Filipinos of today still think of Gen. Douglas McArthur. That he was an American hero to us having a major thoroughfare in Luzon named after him. However, as this book again illustrates, he was a coward by having violated one of the most important rule in any battle: A good soldier does not leave another soldier behind. He left our Filipino soldiers suffering for 3 years - hoping each day that he would fulfill his promise to return.
The death march was covered in details in this book. If you do not get teary-eyed while reading the actual accounts of that 66-kilometer walk under the hot April tropical sun - with no food and water - and with the Japanese soldier not wanting you to break the line (otherwise, you would be killed or punished), you have a heart of stone. This was the book I was reading during the typhoon Ondoy onslaught last Sept 26-27 and when I saw Filipinos complaining of being foodless for 1-2 days, I told myself that it should be nothing compared to what Filipinos and Americans suffered in the hands of the Japanese soldiers.
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