Review by Martin Koenigsberg
When I first saw this book in a Thrift Store/Charity Shop, I was looking for material on the Mediterranean, but I ended up being very glad it’s about the Filipino Resistance movement against the Japanese in WWII. Edward Disette and HC Adamson are both authors with a lot of books on military and naval topics i on their records in the 1970s and 1980s, so the prose is direct and informed. This is the story of that movement in the Philippines – as told through the eyes of their logistical salvation- the US Navy, using their submarines both in direct missions and as a sideline to their relentless pursuit of sinking Marus. We follow the action, sometimes ashore, but more usually under the waves, as refugees and information leave the Islands, and weapons, uniforms, radios, medicines, and increasingly as the Japanese occupation kills off the local economy, food go over the beaches to the local Resistance networks. I enjoyed the book when I started it at home- loved it when i finished it in the Philippines and felt really well informed. This book was first published in 1972, with my copy dating to 1980, so the modern reader, especially a Filipino reader, will have to contend with quite bit of WWII and late 20th Century casual racism. Filipinos, of whatever background, are often “Natives” , and there are passages where the authors are patronising about local customs/cuisine. I am certain their discussions of the local politics between Resistance groups is vastly oversimplified and want to learn a lot more about this topic. But even with that- just cracking the seal on this topic- from both the resistance and naval sides is enough to make for a fun and informative read. It’s dated- but with morsels worth reading. This book has some adult themes, and a few graphic injury description passages, so it’s best for the Junior Reader over about 12/13 years with a historical interest. For the Gamer/Modeler/Military Enthusiast, this is a really interesting resource. For the Gamer- these make for some really interesting scenarios- although RPG Gamers might like them even more. Modelers get some very cool build/diorama ideas. The Military Enthusiast gets a whole new world of WWII struggle the Philippines Resistance against Japanese occupation. I loved finding out about this subject- and I think other readers will too. #WhatAreYouReading #BookReviews #20thCenturyHistory #MilitaryHistory #NavGeek #NavalHistory #FilipinoHistory #AmericanHistory #JapaneseImperialHistory #SubmarineWarfare #PacificWar #Logistics #WWIIHistory #SWWHistory #WWII #SWW #WargameResearch #GuerrillaSubmarines #DaringUnderseaActionBraveMenChangeTheFortunesOfWarInThePacific #EdwardDisette #HCAdamson #Bantam #Philippines #ChickParsons #Luzon #Leyte #VictoryAtSea #CruelSeas #FlamesOfWar #WorldWarIIWargaming
