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Ghost Soldiers

the Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission
Mar 10, 2014tericson1314 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is a very well-written book! I found it hard to put down. The atrocities of war were not glossed over but the strength and determination of the human spirit was certainly evident, both in the portrayals of the American prisoners and those who were tasked with rescuing them. It was interesting to read about the beginnings of the Army Rangers and I learned a lot about the Filipino people as well. I found numerous passages that were quite enlightening: “Never had the U.S. Army fought against an enemy about whom it knew so little.” “For the Rangers, the intensely pro-American loyalty of the Filipinos like Joson and his guerillas was both touching and a little hard to understand. Yes, they shared the same enemy – and if anything, the Filipinos hated the Japanese even more virulently than the Americans did. But why should the Filipinos worry over the fate of 500 American prisoners when they had their own immeasurable tragedies and sufferings to contend with? Their country was going up in flames all around them. Once again, two nations from across the seas were thrashing it out on Philippine soil, and once again, they were caught in the maelstrom. Like history’s stepchildren, the Philippine people repeatedly seemed to bear the brunt of other people’s arguments.” I would encourage anyone who is interested in World War II history to read this book.