Kolakowski Comes Out of the Jungle
ECW offers our congratulations to Chris Kolakowski for his newest book! McFarland Press has just released his new book, Last Stand on Bataan.When he’s not been sailing the high seas with the Federal or Confederate navies here at Emerging Civil War, Kolakowski has been spending a lot of his time in the Philippines (at least metaphorically and literarily!). Those efforts have finally come to fruition.
From the back cover:
In the opening days of World War II, a joint U.S.-Filipino army fought desperately to defend Manila Bay and the Philippines against a Japanese invasion. Much of the five-month campaign was waged on the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor Island. Despite dwindling supplies and dim prospects for support, the garrison held out as long as possible and significantly delayed the Japanese timetable for conquest in the Pacific. In the end, the Japanese forced the largest capitulation in U.S. military history. The defenders were hailed as heroes and the legacy of their determined resistance marks the Philippines today. Drawing on accounts from American and Filipino participants and archival sources, this book chronicles these critical months of the Pacific War, from the first air strikes to the fall of Bataan and Corregidor.
ECW readers might be familiar with this book, as Chris has blogged about Bataan’s Civil War connections here:http://emergingcivilwar.com/2015/04/09/civil-war-echoes-bataan/
and here: http://emergingcivilwar.com/2015/10/15/civil-war-echoes-philippine-scouts/
and here: http://emergingcivilwar.com/2015/05/28/saving-the-mclaws-silver/
and here: http://emergingcivilwar.com/2015/03/02/the-fall-of-cities-some-reflections/
and here: http://emergingcivilwar.com/2014/05/06/civil-war-echoes-general-wainwright-and-corregidor/.
and here: http://emergingcivilwar.com/2015/10/15/civil-war-echoes-philippine-scouts/
and here: http://emergingcivilwar.com/2015/05/28/saving-the-mclaws-silver/
and here: http://emergingcivilwar.com/2015/03/02/the-fall-of-cities-some-reflections/
and here: http://emergingcivilwar.com/2014/05/06/civil-war-echoes-general-wainwright-and-corregidor/.
“The story of the defense of the Philippines is one of gallantry and steadfastness against incredible adversity,” Kolakowski says. “The last detailed treatment of the campaign was in the 1970s, before many records, especially operational reports, had been declassified. Using those now-accessible records, plus personal reminiscences from participants, I offer the latest interpretation of this important episode of the Pacific War.”
Last Stand on Bataan is available for order from McFarland and is also available on Kindle and other digital formats.
Looks very interesting. I had a great-uncle who served in the Philippines. I have a photo album that his brother (my grandfather) left me with some pretty gruesome photos taken of what American soldiers did to their enemy. If Chris is interested in seeing some of them, let me know and I’ll scan and send along.
Thank you! Yes, I am interested in seeing some of these pictures, especially as we have an exhibit up at the moment about the liberation of the Philippines. Please email scans to Christopher.Kolakowski@norfolk.gov.
Chris – I’ll dig them out tomorrow and get them to you. It’s been a while since I had my hands on them, but I think I can find them rather quickly.