Customer Reviews

Horyo: Memoirs of an American POW

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This is an incredible well written narrative. Major Gordon is a major figure in the Battling Bastards of Bataan. His discussion of the events are well thought and eye opening. The conditions of the POW camps, their senior officers and the reflections of exactly what happened is told in a different light. His youth and early childhood reflect the reasons why a young man would enlist in the military. The deliberate thoughts that would enable a teenager of the 40's vs todays same teen. The respect for government vs 2000 traditional thoughts. The war in general tells much of the 1940's as seen from Major Gordon's eyes.His discussion of the POW conditions, the horror of war. The hostilities and the reasons for the early surrender. Much of what Major Gordon states is much different from the many history books that I have read. The major premise for reading this book is to make Americans aware of this battle and the horrible knowledge that these survivors were left behind. Today the Major is a battling force in helping Americans to remeber Bataan. A war cry of Remember the Alamo, Remeber the Maine, should now be Remember Bataan. We should all salute Major Gordon and his heroic comrades. We should all remember the heroes of Bataan.

Richard Gordon and my father shared some of the same experiences, as they were both in the Bataan Death March, were on the same hell ship to Japan and were in the same prison camp together. My father went on to Kanose prison camp in 1944, as Mr. Gordon notes in his book. This book has enabled me in my research on my father, Jack, to understand what he went through. It has given me an even greater appreciation of those men who were prisoners of the Japanese. And for those captured on Bataan and taking the Death March, and those who fought on Corregidor, it only serves to further bring to the forefront, that these men were indeed considered EXPENDABLE by their government. In fact, in all of the hoopla of World War II, what happened on Bataan and Corregidor has all but been forgotten in the annals of history, except for those men and their families who fought there, died there, or were imprisoned. Some came home, most did not. My father notes in his letter home, after release, that of the 120 men in his company (Headquarters) in the 194th Tank Battalion, only 32 were coming home. He notes that that is apparently true with the whole battalion. I have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gordon, and several other men who were in prison with my father. I have been corresponding with others. I have met men who were in the 194th with him. How any of these men survived is a miracle. Mr. Gordon's story, along with those of others, deserves everyone's attention.

Major Gordon's experiences accurate reflect those of thousands of his fellow prisoners of the Japanese. The nation owes a debt to Major Gordon, not just for his service, but for his willingness the recall the unending horror and write it DOWN!

Typically, post war records are replete with errors and it is only through thoughtful histories such as Gordon's can the next generation understand what price was paid for the freedom of the world.

Sadly, today we no longer teach the history of World War II. Ask any crowd of college kids and less than 5% would recognize the names of Bataan and Corregidor. Yet these same students can tell you every detail about the nasty twelve months of the "McCarthy Era" and, from their history text books, the life story of the "Beetles." The "Quislings" remain in control of our colleges and media. No one is ever taught about the Kamikazes of Japan and how the terrorists who attack today are absolutely the same enemy.

"Horyo" is a worthy addition for any serious student of World War II. Only with books like this, can the public ever understand why Japan owes the world an apology and reparation to its victims. Next to the Japanese, the Nazis appear angelic.

I felt this book gave me a better understanding of a critical period in American history. It is not typical of a lot of POW narratives I have read. The author provides an interesting look at pre-war military life in the Philippines. He also looks at questions surrounding the surrender of American and Filipino forces to the Japanese. I found his discriptions of POW life very insightful. They poignantly demonstrate what can happen to military personnel when there is an absence of leadership and discipline.

This heartbreaking book must be read with a half-decent grasp of the truth of American history. Otherwise, Gordon's story becomes trivialised. Out of context, it loses its meaning. Just another war story.

America is at an historical crossroads. More than ever, this arrogant, over-confident, money-obsessed, chronically ignorant, 'super'power needs to face the nasty FACTS of its own Hollywood-distorted history. Acting on unfathomable ignorance, its media-induced citizens can endorse yet another monumental politico-military blunder. This time, one too many perhaps!

The bigger they are, the harder they fall!

Bataan & Corregidor were purely American/MacArthur disasters. A truly hideous episode, swept under the rug. There is nothing to romanticise or commercialise. There is no saving grace, just total & utter disgrace - so Hollywood & the Spielberg's of this world, steer well clear of it; preferring to fantasize that Americans won WWII, when it was really won by the Russians at Stalingrad!, more than anyone.

O dear, that won't go down well in the Pentagon, will it? Is that the FBI I hear tapping my phone?

The average American imagines that 'Americans' won the Revolutionary War, led by Geo. Washington. But it was France who financed it and the French navy, more than anyone, that defeated the British monarchists. The American colonists/Congress neither financed nor supported the war in any heroic sense, at all. In fact their neglect of Washington & his tatterdemalion 'army' was a disgrace! From Chesapeake to Corregidor is not such an unimaginable leap in the context of American military history.

After the disgrace of Bataan & Corregidor (covered up), nevermind the fright of Pearl Harbour (now romanticised), the Americans did wage the Pacific War, and won decisively, only because of the Atomic Bomb, courtesy of scientists fleeing Hitler + a ruthless Truman, who DID grasp American military history as few Presidents have, and quit while he was ahead - ignoring MacArthur! Then came the utter stupidity and failure of Korea.

Do these people never learn?

Then the infamous, unforgiveable Vietnam War. A purely American war, with catastrophic results. Kennedy/Johnson/Nixon were all historically clueless. Read McNamara to find out how totally incompetent the American politicians & military were, once again.

Before outraged Americans follow Messrs Bush, Cheney, Rumfeldt and Powell's yahoo-ing posse too enthusiastically, into yet another ambush, under the banner of a "World-wide War against Terrorism", they would be wise to read up on the history of their own military prowess. We will avert our gaze from the futility of "Desert Storm" which was little more than a bloated fart against the winds of history, as we can now see.

Vast armies and unlimited weaponry do not a victory make.

The dwindling percentage of Americans who vote, urgently need to unglue themselves from their TV screens and read up on their real history, which is inglorious to say the least. Major Gordon's story is a pretty decent place to begin their long overdue education. It's an honest tale, rather well told, about an ugly (but far from isolated) chapter in American history.

America IS blessed with ONE redeeming feature: Energetic, investigative journalism and honest historical researchers, second to none in the world. Major Gordon, and many others, cut from the same cloth, may yet wake up this slothful, over-moneyed, ignorant nation, before it is too late: But only if their stories are taken to heart.

God bless America indeed!