It Took Four Years for the Rising Sun to Set (1941-1945): Recollections of an Unforgettable Ordeal by: Joaquin L.

Garcia

An Abstract Paper Submitted to the Faculty of Arts and Letters In Partial Fulfilment of the Course Requirement in PHIST

Submitted by: Leanne Kym Jane J. Lozaes Submitted to: Asst. Prof. Anita P. Garcia Date: March 19, 2012

Abstract Proper There are a lot of narrated accounts from individuals during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines at present. Some are fictional while others are scholarly done. Different accounts yield to different versions of the Japanese occupation. Nevertheless, these unreconciled accounts do not change the fact that the effect of the Pacific War in the Philippines was devastating, for the country became a battlefield for the Americans and the Japanese. The author of the book, It Took Four Years for the Rising Sun to Set (19411945): Recollections of an Unforgettable Ordeal, discussed the Japanese occupation in the Philippines from the perspective of a relatively confined section of south Manila from 1941 to 1945 through a reminiscence of the authors own juvenile memories, going through day-to-day events of the period which are all chronicled in the authors very own young mind. This account is a personal narrative of a boy growing up during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. It provides a first-person narration of how civilians were caught in the middle of the war between the Japanese and the United States in the Philippines, in the middle of World War II. The account brought more in-depth pieces of information to the spool of knowledge, regarding the Japanese occupation in the Philippines, which has already been generally described by most authors. Just as other historical narratives, its goal is to ensure that the next generation does not forget such events of the past, for these memories, etched in the minds of the survivors, must be forever recorded as a permanent reminder to future generations of Filipinos of the horrors of war and of mans inhumanity to man (Gonzalez, 2009). The author narrated the Japanese occupation through his own personal experience. The authors account envelops the whole Japanese occupation in the Philippines zeroing in a relatively confined section of the southern area of Manila. The account is a personal narrative; therefore, the author found it hard to remove the subjective notions might wrap his study. Nevertheless, the author was able to make it bias-free. The study will never be complete without it being validated by the veterans in the field of war history. Furthermore, it will never be published without the support of the publisher and
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the financial support of his colleagues. The author sought the validation of the events he recounted in his account through his brother and Brother Andrew Gonzalez, FSC, who corroborated the events he had recounted and reviewed the book. In addition, his account will also not be complete without the extended stewardship of the editors of the manuscript and some photos and maps to fully understand the situation during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. The authors approach to historical research is not truly evident because he used his own experience as his own source rather than using others narratives of the story. However, his account was validated by veterans in the field of war history. Furthermore, his approach to New Historicism a theory which states that any written document can be a source (Garcia, 2012) and Postmodernism a theory which states that any individual belonging to different sectors including those that are marginalized can be an eye-witness and can give his/her own account of the event (Garcia, 2012) is truly remarkable because the author was able use his own experience and he was also able to extract narratives from other people, particularly, those who are not given the chance to tell their own version of the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. The author made his account living in a sense that the reader would feel that he is present during the said event. The book is a living account of the Japanese occupation in the Philippines. The author started his account during his first communion dated December 8, 1941. It was a nice morning for his family because of the solemnity of the event. Not until their morning turned sour because of the announcement of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. One typical but solemn day for their family became horrific due to the drone of airplanes which appeared to be playing a game of catch-up in the authors young and innocent mind. In reality, it was a fight between Japanese bombers and American aircrafts. The Japanese want to invade the Philippines and control all of the South East Asia (the authors father as cited in Garcia, 2009). As the country felt the rage of the war, the Garcia family prepared for the worst. The tremors of the war was largely manifested through blackouts, air raids and Japanese bombings. Highschool cadets and others volunteered to help in the mobilization of the military.

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As Christmas approaches, Manila was numb and Christmas was bleak. The Christmas spirit was not present and no one seemed to care about the Yuletide season. There were more blackouts and heavy curtains covered the windows. The Garcia familys living habits drastically changed everything has to be done before sunset and there a lot of time was spent listening to the radio. Victor de-Oglou, the familys foster child, was sent to Bataan as war reinforcement. At that time, Bataan, as the authors parents knew, was to be the site of the Americans last stand. Corregidor had been off-limits to all civilians. As weeks gone by, the effects of the war had grown rampantly. This led to the Commonwealth declaration of Manila as an open city to save the devastation of the countrys capital. Armies left Manila to defend Bataan and Corregidor, some went to establish resistance movements in the mountains. The Japanese arrived in the Philippines on January 2, 1942. Japanese flags affixed every telegraph and light poles. Within weeks, the Japanese Imperial Forces took possession of 90% of the De La Salle College. Japanese servants of the Filipinos before the war were sent back to Japan, but came back to the Philippines being soldiers. Those Japanese servants who were treated fairly gave back to their Filipino master their debt of gratitude. They gave the household a heavily wooden plank with katakana characters which forbids any member of the Japanese Imperial Force to enter their property without special permit issued by only the High Command. Furthermore, there was limited news about the outside world. However, it ended when the Japanese passed a decree that all radio had to be inspected and a permit to use one must be obtained from the Military Police. The war had a tremendous effect not only on peoples lives but also their means of livelihood (i.e. barnyards). Manicured lawns and luxuriant plants were left unattended and slowly choked by weeds and other more vigorous native creepers. Huge acacia trees were felled for new garrison. Sleek yachts that cradled meeting places of the gentry and tourists had been a Japanese naval command. At the first few months of the Japanese occupation, it was believed that General Douglas MacArthur along with his family fled to Australia. Filled with glory of the surrender of Bataan and Corregidor and
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drunk with power that comes along with it, the Japanese took control of the whole country. On the other hand, some Filipinos studied the enemy, analyzed their moves, checked out his patience and learned how to live with the Japanese while others did everything that the Japanese authorities demanded and tried hard not to betray the interests of people they represented and used their positions of power to protect the country and its people. Some had put up a resistance movement usually in the mountains, while others just simply betray their fellow citizens and collaborate with the Japanese. Changes rapidly took place. To start off with these changes, a civilian arm was formed, KALIBAPI an organization in service devoted to a new and better Philippines who regarded the Japanese as saviours. New currency was dubbed Mickey Mouse money because it has no value. The ladies were introduced to new fashion and the men were introduced to new organizations. The Garcias underwent these changes. They, too, experienced these transformations. It had been in the Japanese culture to think highly of them. A new president of the Philippines was appointed of the Puppet government. He was Jose P. Laurel. While taking his oath, the thousands of people were forced to attend the inauguration and were asked to face north in the direction of Tokyo and to bow their heads to pay homage to the Japanese monarch. A few days later, Manila experienced the worst weather in 40 years. Manila was turned into lake-like proportions. Food shortage compelled a lot of families to leave Manila for a better-life in the provinces. The Garcias were of no exceptions. By early 1944, Allied victories rang all-over Europe and American triumphs reverberated in the South Pacific. Manila was abuzz with rumors that the Americans were not too far away, bringing with them, the countrys liberation (Garcia, 2009). As a result, Japanese soldiers became sterner, roaming around the streets 24-hours a day. New regulations on acquiring an identifying resident certificate at all times regardless of age were formulated.

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In late-August, American bombers hint Davao City and destroyed the airfieild, the oort area and the communication towers. This was the beginning of the end of the Japanese occupation. The liberation of Manila started off with a Japanese military exercise. Pretention battle took place, but later on, was changed by American assaults leading to the destruction of some Japanese aircrafts. This was witnessed by the author himself along with other civilians. Attacks went all day long and explosions continued. There were moments of silence but out of nowhere came thunderous roar of explosions. The focus of the American attack was on Manila Bay. The situation in Manila got worse because the Japanese were getting very nasty. People walking down the street were being stopped and forced to dig trenches and fill sandbags while those who rode bicycles lost theirs to growling soldiers (Garcia, 2009). The Leyte landings of 1944 brought more Japanese troops to Manila. This was an evident preparation for the defense of Manila against an expected Southern Luzon invasion force. For days, raids were widely spread and the Garcia family had no other choice but to remain nonchalant about the air strikes. The American forces focused on the battle of Leyte which had intensified due to the arrival of Japanese reinforcements in Leyte. However, Manila was not left vulnerable by the American forces. Every night at 9 P.M., a plane scanned the perimeters of Manila, dramatically leaving traces of a propaganda movement a four-stick pack of camel cigarettes and leaflets with the message I have returned signed by General Douglas MacArthur. Air raids intensified come December. Manileos practically lived in the air-raid shelter and did not dare venture out into the garden. Prayers, that Manila would again be declared as an open city, resounded. The Americans protected Manila by abandoning it, allowing the Japanese to take over the city leaving no civilian casualties. Meanwhile, the Japanese in Manila became intolerable. They seized food from people, confiscated horses and bicycles. People began to disappear. They built more barricades leaving the Manileos a realization that Manila would not be declared an open city. The Japanese would continue to fight on and they were trapped in the middle of it all. The Americans arrived in the northern side of the Pasig River. Electricity and telephone lines had been cut off and artillery fire rocked the Manileos daily.
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In February, the Americans were now bombarding the perimeter near the Garcias home. Burning homes encircled theirs and only St. Scholasticas College was the buffer that separated them from the conflagration. Japanese soldiers burned houses as American troops advanced. The family along with others were obliged to leave. An evacuation plan was formulated but it was hindered by the explosions and exchange of fires from both the Americans and the Japanese. The familiess safety relied on what they decided to do. The families had managed to arrive at the gates of St. Scholasticas College along with hundreds of residents who sought refuge in the walls of the college. Uncertainty filled the whole building, uncertainty of what will happen next. St. Scholasticas College was not exempted from the artillery bombings. The building was later on shattered, having received a great number of hits. The refugees all searched for the exit. A number of civilians died reaching for the exit because of continuous exploding shells and flying debris. Luckily, the entire family managed to escape unhurt. After hours of continuous explosions, firing and burning, American tanks finally arrived in the building and helped the survivors. Later on, American officers advised the people to expect a Japanese counter-attack. They were obliged to move out of St. Scholasticas College and trek to Sta. Ana where they would be cared for and fed. The Japanese were on full retreat; however, they planned a kamikaze mission on destroying properties and wreaking vengeance on everyone. Late afternoon of February 11, 1945, the so-called slaughter of the south began. The Japanese force was ordered to slaughter the populace and pillage their property. Manila was liberated later on. Manila was devastated and there were a lot of recorded casualties. In the end, all is well. Americas promise that she will redeem the Philippines took four years for the fulfilling to take place. Nonetheless, the Filipinos accepted it regardless of how late it took for the promise to be fulfilled. The Garcia family is only one of the families affected severely by the war of the Pacific. Memories like this will forever be etched in the heart and the mind of those that had witnessed it. Recollections of these unforgettable ordeal triggers pain but will be a vital addition to historical records on war.

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Herodotus said: In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons. In war, no one is exempted. Everyone is in a vulnerable state. Thousands die, hundreds are injured and millions of properties are destroyed. If it not had been for the United States, the Philippines would never be caught in the middle of the war and the Filipinos would not learn to depend on the United States for refuge. Nevertheless, the Filipinos would never understand the meaning of patriotism and nationalistic ideas if it not had been because of the war. In the end, what matters is the learning that people get in such horrible memory. In the end, life has a way of sorting things out. In the end, all will be well.

Bibliography
Garcia, J. (2009). It Took Four Years for the Rising Sun to Set (1941-1945): Recollections of an Unforgettable Ordeal. Quezon City: C&E Publishing Inc. Gonzalez, A. (2009). Foreword. In J. L. Garcia, It Took Four Years for the Rising Sun to Set (1941-1945): Recollections of An Unforgettable Ordeal (2nd ed., p. vii). Manila: C&E Publishing Inc.

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