Sixty-Six Hours to Manila: Survival and Liberation at Santo Tomas, 1942–1945

During World War II, the Japanese government held over 130,000 “enemy alien” civilians throughout the Pacific—including nearly 78,000 women and children. Most of the 7,800 civilians rounded up in the Philippines were American expatriates, and at any one time, about half of these were held at the campus of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. By late 1944, Washington, DC, was concerned that any ground gained as the US Army approached Manila in the early days of the new year would result in execution of the prisoners. Out of other options, a risky behind-the-lines attack was launched with 20,000 Japanese soldiers and 100 miles standing between the captives and their liberators.

Until now, no book has effectively blended the story of the internees with the military operation to free them. Discussing uncomfortable topics such as racism, collaboration with the enemy, and illicit personal relationships, Sixty-Six Hours to Manila: Survival and Liberation at Santo Tomas, 1942–1945 shines new light on what has largely been a neglected chapter in the story of World War II in the Pacific.