It was my 8th-grade history teacher, Mr. Danhausen, who started me on my life-long obsession with World War II.
It was my friend, Anthony Garrett, who provided me with a copy of his grandfather's journal.

Elwood Llewellin Garrett was an American businessman in Manila at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
This is his story, as he recorded it, of living under Japanese rule in an enemy-occupied foreign land.

May 7, 1942

Quite some time has elapsed since my last entry, during which time the rumors have been coming in strong and unreliable as ever and I have been keeping out of trouble puttering around making one thing and another. Have made three folding canvas chairs, cabinet for supplies and a shanty for a friend. When I get started on these jobs I don't like to quit until I'm finished, resulting in the neglect of this. Although there has not been much to tell lately anyway.

Apparently all the rumors about reinforcements arriving in the Philippines is "bunk." Bataan has definitely fallen and today we have confirmation that Corregidor surrendered yesterday. This is the last of American stronghold and completes the surrender of the Philippines to the Japs. Needless to say, no one is feeling any too good today. It now looks like we will be here for a long while. In three more days we will have completed four months in the "klink."

According to rumor, the European situation is more favorable and the betting by Lloyds and Wall Street is four to one that the mess there will be over in thirty days. The Russians are going strong and progress is being made on all other fronts. Naturally, the sooner the European mess is cleaned up, the better it will be for us out here as an all out on the Japs can then be made. We hear of large convoys arriving in Australia from the U.S.A. which is, I imagine, the preparation or ground work for the big push. In the mean-time, we are still locked up and the chow getting no better fast. Am down to 160 pounds now.

Am not much in the mood for writing today, but this has broken the "ice" so will be back again tomorrow with the latest.

No comments:

Post a Comment