Philippines

1946 · 60810 — New York: Frederic H. Stevens Stratford House Inc. 1946. 8vo. xiv 569 1 pp. Frontisp. illust. of Santo Tomas Building numerous text illustrations. Beige cloth red & gilt lettering on front cover minor shelfwear & dustsoiling still VG copy from the library of former internee Charles Kurz 1891-1978 a business agent and later accountant for the Pascific Steamship Line World War I veteran and headed the labor safety battalion for American prisoners inside Santo Tomas w/ ownership markings on ffep. and 1950’s passport photo of Kurz laid-in. First edition of this scarce and graphic work chronicling the conditions of one of the largest of Prisoner-of-War Internee camps set up by the Japanese during World War II composed mostly of American civilians. The University of Santo Tomas in Manila was utilized for the camp and housed over 4000 civilians many of whom were near death at the end of the war due to starvation and poor conditions. The 1st Cavalry Division pushed forward in a 100 mile advance to Manila in 66 hours in order to prevent the Japanese from killing all of the internment camp prisoners and subsequently fought the Japanese forces across Manila. Frederic H. Stevens, Stratford House, Inc., hardcover