An interview with the Ilocano survivors of World War II gave us more specific details and personal experiences about

Japanese invasion in our country that cant be read in many Philippine history books. Getting first-hand information from

someone who was actually alive and aware of the events back then was certainly gratifying. From what we learn at school, movies, and television, World War II was a war between nations: Japan, Germany, and Italy with the rest of the world. These three nations vowed to help defend each other if for any reason the United States attacked any one of them. The war in the Pacific and Far East was also known as the Pacific Theatre. Japan had a plan for the future of Asia called The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (Nash). The sphere was a Japanese empire, to include much of China, Southeast Asia, and the western Pacific. The president of the United States at that time, Theodore Roosevelt, had a goal of limiting the Japanese expansion by cutting off the supplies Japan needed, but without provoking a war. By the time the Japanese conquered and had control of Indochina, President Roosevelt reacted by ending all trade with Japan. When we asked our interviewees about their knowledge on how World War II really started, they told us: Tawen 1939 idi mangrugi ti maikadwa a riribuk iti sangalubongan. Daytoy ket gapuanan iti rikyar ti baetan ti dua a dadakkel a puwersa dagiti naciones a ibilbilangan metten ti Amerika ken Japan. Ngem gapu ta ti pagilian tayo a Pilipinas ket iturturayan idi ti Amerika, nairaman ngarud daytoy a nagsagaba iti adu a panakaparparigat. During the Second World War, the Philippines was among the most vital possessions of not only the United States, but for Japan as well. Aside from Hawaii, the United States used the Philippines locale as their further military extension in the Pacific. For the Japanese, the Philippine Islands were a land rich of natural resources, just waiting to be colonized. Facts also tell us that they bombed the Navy yard in the Philippines on December 10, two days after the Pearl Harbor bombing on December 8.

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This is in conformity with one of the veterans statement: Tawen 1941 bigla a pasabugen dagiti Hapon ti Davao, Baguio ken iti Clark Air Base sadiay Pampanga dua aldaw napalabas kalpasan a binomba da iti Pearl Harbor sadiay Hawaii . Kalpasan na, idiay Tacloban, Leyte iti temporaryo a nagtalinaedan da, idiay ti nagbalin a immuna a kampo dagiti suldado a Hapon. Nagwaras da ngarud tapnu masursor da iti amin a sulinek ti pagilian tayo. Nagpapaamianan da. Nakadanun da pay idiay Pangasinan ken sabsabali pay a probinsiya ti Luzon a kairamanan metten iti Ilocos Norte. In History textbooks, we could only read Philippine-based remarkable happenings during the Japanese invasion in the country. What we did not learned about was the individual stories, roles in play, and detail of the tragedies and victories. The veterans further narrated how the Japanese first reached the province of Ilocos Norte: Pagammuan mi lattan ta adu metten ti agsasaruno nga eroplano idi dita tangatang. Sadiay met Gabu, Laoag iti nagbalin a quarter da ditoy probinsiya. Adu nga kinarungsot dagiti Hapon ti inkam nagpasran ken mismo a naimatangan. Nagwaras da ngarud ditoy probinsya. Nironda da iti dandani isu amin nga sulinek aglalo kadagiti banbantay. During those times, there was no envy among Filipinos except sagdalistas. These were traitors and told on other Filipinos so that Japanese would take men because a sagdalista would accuse another Filipino as a guerilla. According to our veterans, there were many who have been recruited by Japanese and they helped in capturing and killing their fellow Filipinos: Nagrekrut da ngarud kadagiti Ilokano nga agbalin a katulungan ken spy da. Nagtiliw da kadagiti lallaki nga maatap a nalimed a makisansanib kadagiti Philippine
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Army. Isu da pay ti nagserbi a interpreter dagiti Hapon ket idiay metten a naawagan da iti MARA-HAPON. Adu ngarud dagiti napasurot da. Han mi masisinunuo nu apay a pinili da ti mangkampi dagiti kabusor ken irurumen dagiti pada da nga Ilokano. Ngem patiek, haan nga isu ti pudno a pagayatan da ngem gapu iti haan a mairusok a kinarungsot dagiti Hapon. Japanese were greedy and envious and they treated the Filipinos like animals. There were instances they put them in prison. Filipinos were very afraid when they saw the Japanese and they turned away when they saw one. We use to ask our interviewees about these facts and they agreed this way: Wen, aniaman a inka maisawang a kontra kadagiti Hapon, mabalin nga isu ti gapu a pangpatayan da kenka. Kaadwan na nga patpatayen ken putputulen da ti ulo na ket dagiti lallaki a matiltiliw da. Isu nga nu mapasangbayan mi idi idan, agalibtak kami idi nga mapan sadiay bantay tapnu aglemmeng. Inkami pay idi kadagiti uneg ti kuebkueba. Nu dadduma ket sadiay kami pay idin a maturog. Aniaman nga agdama a ububraen mi idi ket kasapulan nga talawan mi, ti nasken ket maisalbar mi iti biag mi. The Japanese continued to rule in the country. Gen Douglas MacArthur then was ordered out by President Roosevelt of United States to help the Philippines. Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright assumed command. They tried to defeat the Japanese soldiers who had been so cruel to the Filipinos. However, the besieged U.S.-Filipino army on Bataan finally fell down on Apr. 9, 1942, they did not succeed with their plans for the Japanese. But before fully surrendering, Gen. Mac Arthur promised that he will return in the country and the Filipinos really waited for it. After their surrender, the Japanese forced the surrender of all remaining defending units in the islands by threatening to use the captured Bataan and Corregidor troops as hostages. Many individual soldiers refused to surrender, however, and guerrilla resistance, organized and coordinated by U.S. and Philippine army officers, continued throughout the Japanese occupation.

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This fact gave us some confusion so we tried to ask their opinion regarding this and they told us: Kadagidiay a panpanawen, makuna a iggem na tayon dagiti Hapon nu man pay haan tayo pay naan anay a winaywayaan idi dagiti Amerikano nga isu a agdama nga mangiturturay ti pagilian tayo idi dumteng dagiti Hapon. Nu man pay kasta, haan met a inpalubos dagiti Apo tayo Amerikano nga agballigi dagiti Hapon ditoy pagilian. Inbaon da nagrud ni Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur tapno idauluan na dagiti suldado a Amerikano nga makigubat kadagiti Hapon sipud ta awan mababaelan idin dagiti Pilipino. Nagturong da ngarud sadiay Bataan a ayan idi dagiti kaadwan a suldado a Hapon. Adu met dagiti napaksiyat da idi a kabusor ngem maibaga a haan da unay nakasagana ta napasuko metla isuda dagiti Hapon. Ngem uray han da nagballigi iti plano da, sakbay da nagsubli idiay Amerika, insawang ni Gen. Mac Arthur daytoy a balikas: I shall return. Daytoy a balikas metten ti nangpatpatibker iti pakinakem mi. The Japanese military authorities immediately began organizing a new government structure in the Philippines. They initially organized a Council of State through which they directed civil affairs until October 1943, when they declared the Philippines an independent republic. The Japanese-sponsored republic headed by President Jos P. Laurel proved to be unpopular. Japanese occupation of the Philippines was opposed by large-scale underground and guerrilla activity. The Philippine Army continued to fight the Japanese in a guerrilla war and was considered a back-up unit of the United States Army. Their effectiveness was such that by the end of the war, Japan controlled only twelve of the forty-eight provinces. The major element of resistance in the Central Luzon area was furnished by the Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon - "People's Army Against the Japanese"), which armed some 30,000 people and extended their control over much of Luzon. We aked the interviewees about this matter and what are their involvements during those periods and they told us the following:

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Iti ipapanaw ngarud iti batalliones ni Gen. Mac Arthur, lalo pay nga immulpit dagiti Hapon ditoy pagilian. Adadu manen dagiti pinappapatay da, dagiti pinarparigat da. Agala da pay idi kadagiti taraken ken natnateng a mula tapnu agserbi a taraon da. Ada met dagiti gundaway idi a suruten mi dagiti suldado a Ilokano a mapan makiraot. Ikkan dakami idi iti armas mi nga tinaridan a BOLO ket inawagan dakami metten a BOLOMEN. We were shocked when they narrated us some of their most unforgettable experiences during those times and this was happened particularly in Bacarra since most of them are just from nearby barangays of the said town: Maysa kadagiti haan min to pulos malipatan a pasamak ditoy Bacarra bayat iti kaadda dagiti Hapon ket idi napan da nagronda sadiay Brgy. Libtong. Napakadaan dagiti agindeg iti iyuumay dagiti Suldado a Hapon. Napan da ngarud naglemmeng kadagiti banbantay. Awan nadanun dagiti Hapon iti nasao nga lugar. Nakapungtot da ngarud ti kasta la unay ket pinuuran da dagiti balbalay. Napalaos ti ladingit dagiti tattao ta awan metten ti nasublian da a pagtaengan da. Awan pulos ti naisalbar da nga kagawaan da. Naamwan dagiti puwersa Ilokano iti napasamak ket nagibales da. Napalabas iti sugmamano nga aldaw, nakaaramid da met ti set-up a para kadagiti Hapon. Namaysaan da nagrud isuda ket adu met dagiti napatay da ken pinutulan da ti ulo. Napan da inkutkut dagiti bangkay sadiay Binirek (itan ket Brgy. Dadaeman, Pasuquin) a nagbalin a quarter da met. Nakasuron manen dagiti Hapon ket napan da ngarud tiniliw dagiti opisyales iti ili sadiay Presidencia(itan ket Municipio). Inpukok da ida sadiay daya na ket inaladan da iti sibubuo nga sentro babaen iti pinangpalawlaw kadakuada dagiti suldado nga Hapon ken Mara-Hapon. Ngem gapu ti kinasiglat ken kinasirib da Tillo Acob ken Antonio Guillermo (opisyales ti Presidencia), nakalibas da ket nangpanunut da ti wagas tapnu isalbar dagiti naipukok. Naglugan da ngarud iti

saggaysa da nga kabalyo awit-awit da iti saggaysa da nga armas(maysa nga paltog ti Hapon ken maysa nga paltog ti Pilipino). Nagturong da ngarud idiay Tapawan(itan ket Bacarra-Laoag Boundary). Idiay a nagpappaputok da nga nangparuay iti panagdanag

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dagiti Hapon. Ti ammo da idi ket madama a makigubgubat dagiti kadwa da isu nga napan da ngarud iti nasao nga lugar tapnu tulungan isuda. Tinalawan da dagiti inpukok da nga natiliw da nga Ilokano. Ngem idi makadanun dan idiay Tapawan, anian a pannakadismaya da da nautob da nga maysa laeng didiay nga pakulo. Nu man pay adu idin ti napapatay dagiti Hapon, ada da met dagiti nasalbar gapu iti inaramid da Acob ken Guillermo. Japans efforts to win Filipino loyalty found expression in the establishment (Oct. 14, 1943) of a Philippine Republic, with Jos P. Laurel, former Supreme Court justice, as president. But the people suffered greatly from Japanese brutality, and the puppet government added little Japans efforts to win Filipino loyalty found expression in the establishment (Oct. 14, 1943) of a Philippine Republic, with Jos P. Laurel, former Supreme Court justice, as president. But the people suffered greatly from Japanese brutality, and the puppet government added little support. We also asked the veterans when the Japanese Government began to confirm the informations read and were glad they responded though it is more specific than what is in textbooks: Tawen 1943 idi naan anay nga inpatakder dagiti Hapon iti gobyerno da ditoy pagilian. Isu da ngarud ti nagturay. Adu dagiti linteg a inaramid. Ngem panay kinaulpit, pannakaparparigat iti inkam nilaklak-am. Buteng ken danag ti naagar-ari kadagiti kaunggan. Awan pulos idi ti waya mi a mangaramid iti kayat mi. Kontrolado amin a garaw mi ken panay siput mi ti aglawlawmi ta aniaman a oras ket mabalin a makaengkwentro mi ida. Ada dagiti gundaway idi nga umay da agronda ket makipangan da iti balay dagiti panglakayen. Kadakami nga ububbing, kasapulan nga kablaawan mi isuda babaen ti panaangibaga mi iti ARIGATO ken dadduma pay a pagsasao ti Hapon. Insuro da pay diay pagadalan iti lenggwahe nga Niponggo. Ket ti nagbalin a kuarta mi idi ket isu iti makuna a YAPYAP. Inturayan dan nga naan-anay iti pagilian tayo.

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MacArthur's Allied forces landed on Leyte on October 20, 1944. Landings in other parts of the country followed, and the Associates pushed toward Manila. The landing was followed (Oct. 2326) by the greatest naval engagement in history, called variously the battle of Leyte Gulf and the second battle of the Philippine Sea. A great U.S. victory, it effectively destroyed the Japanese navy and opened the way for the recovery of all the islands. Luzon was invaded (Jan., 1945), and Manila was taken in February. On July 5, 1945, MacArthur announced All the Philippines are now liberated. The Japanese had suffered over 425,000 dead in the Philippines. Fighting continued until Japan's formal surrender on September 2, 1945. The Philippines suffered great loss of life and monstrous physical destruction by the time the war was over. An estimated 1 million Filipinos had been killed, and Manila was extensively damaged.

The Philippine congress met on June 9, 1945, for the first time since its election in 1941. It faced huge problems. The land was destroyed by war, the economy destroyed, the country torn by political warfare and guerrilla violence. Lastly, we asked the survivors when and how the Japanese invasion in the country ended: Ninamnama mi ngarud iti isasangbay manen da Gen. Mac Arthur. Adu man nga rigat ti inkam sinagaba ngem inibturan mi, inuray mi dagiti Amerikano a isu nga inbilang mi a kakampi mi. Isu da ti ninamnama mi a makatulong iti pagilian tayo. Ket tawen 1945 ngarud idi dimteng manen dagiti Amerikano. Insaganaan ti buyot da iti pannakigubat kadagiti suldado a Hapon ket sadiay ngarud a napaksiyat da ida. Simmuko da ngarud ket tinalawan dan iti pagilian. Baro a namnama idi iti inkam narikna. Napalaos iti panagyaman mi iti idadateng dagiti Amerikano ta idiay a nangrugi metten iti talinaay ti aglawlaw. Naulimeken iti amin a lugar ket nagari metten iti kapia iti kaunggan mi nga dati ket lawlawlawen iti buteng ken danag. Dita ngarud nagpatingga iti amin a kinaulpit ken kinarungsot dagiti Hapones ditoy Pilipinas ket kalpasan ti sumagmamano a bulan, nangrugi metten ti baro a gobyerno ditoy a Pilipinas. Pudno, adu dagiti nadadael dagiti Hapon haan laeng a biag ti tattao ngem

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namateryalan payen a banbanag. Ngem sinuktan da amin dagidiay babaen iti agduduma a proyekto ken tulong iti pagilian nu ada dumdumteng a kalkalamidad. This evaluation further discusses what it was like living during the period of World War II, paying particular attention to the way Filipinos understood the significance of the war, the sequence of events, the way they related to Americans, and their attitude towards their third colonizers: the Japanese. Our purpose in the interview is not to put down what has been written out in textbooks but further detailing the events that occurred. Overall, from the interviewees perspectives, they believed the United States were their friends and saviors. During the Japanese occupation, they waited anxiously for the return of the Americans. They viewed the Japanese as inhumane or walang hiya. With the return of the Americans, Filipinos knew that they would be saved. The point of the evaluation was to learn the views, beliefs, and stories of the Ilocano veterans experiences towards World War II. By comparing this interview with what we know from history books, we encounter some contradicting points. In addition to that, we also learn that by looking at events from history from different perspectives, the history that we once knew alters with biases.

(These are consolidated facts about the World War II and write-up of the interviews with Alfredo Madariaga, Alejandro Madamba, Catalina Robles, Consolacion Pugat and Erlinda Puyaoan. Note: The interviewees statements were translated and dubbed to Filipino in the video presentation created by the compilers.)

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