Post by cbuehler on Nov 22, 2012 3:07:28 GMT 8
I had been reading another thread on the forum regarding the plethora of books and accounts of the Bataan battles and surrender.
Mention had been made by Munson regarding the care with which any serious student of the history should exercise in accepting the validity of much that has been written on the subject.
I very much agree with this.
I have read accounts which seemed to border on fiction to the degree that I threw them out!
In all cases when studying history, much of what makes up the truth is that which did NOT happen relative to what did. But it is what DID happen that normally is written about and remembered.
Bataan is remains a very emotional and at times controversial subject to this very day. It is said that history is written by the victors and this does hold some validity.
Unfortunately for historians and posterity, there is very little information we have from the Japanese experience and highly unlikely there will ever be anything more forthcoming.
We primarily have to rely on the what can be gleamed from the America and Filipino accounts for insight into the Japanese actions and this is of course fraught with potential inaccuracies.
The very first book about Bataan that I read was Col. Richard C. Mallonee's Battle for Bataan (Originally published as The Naked Flagpole) and it remains one of my favorites. I always felt it was written with honesty, balance and an unbiased assessment of the battle and surrender.
His account of the Death March recognizes some of its causes more honestly than many.
CB
Mention had been made by Munson regarding the care with which any serious student of the history should exercise in accepting the validity of much that has been written on the subject.
I very much agree with this.
I have read accounts which seemed to border on fiction to the degree that I threw them out!
In all cases when studying history, much of what makes up the truth is that which did NOT happen relative to what did. But it is what DID happen that normally is written about and remembered.
Bataan is remains a very emotional and at times controversial subject to this very day. It is said that history is written by the victors and this does hold some validity.
Unfortunately for historians and posterity, there is very little information we have from the Japanese experience and highly unlikely there will ever be anything more forthcoming.
We primarily have to rely on the what can be gleamed from the America and Filipino accounts for insight into the Japanese actions and this is of course fraught with potential inaccuracies.
The very first book about Bataan that I read was Col. Richard C. Mallonee's Battle for Bataan (Originally published as The Naked Flagpole) and it remains one of my favorites. I always felt it was written with honesty, balance and an unbiased assessment of the battle and surrender.
His account of the Death March recognizes some of its causes more honestly than many.
CB