In
December of 1941, the Philippines and its people, while in the process
of seeking
political
independence from the United States, was dragged into a war with Japan.
A
war clearly not of its own making. Masked behind each material used
to illustrate
this
exhibit are the severe realities of war: Filipinos were forced to
bow their heads
to
the new lords of the land, made to endure pain and forced to bear witness
to
the senseless killings of relatives and friends.
But
perhaps the biggest tragedy that befell on the Filipinos
is
that for more than three long years they were a forgotten people.
Alone,
they resisted the new rulers with dignity and pride.
However,
at the same time, the Filipinos were faced with the reality
that
in order to survive, it must also learn to live side by side
with
the new colonizers. In brief, this is what this exhibit is all about.
Censorship
of outbound and incoming mail.
The
collaboration of some of its citizenry.
The
geopolitical changes the Japanese made.
The
resumption of postal services.
Resistance
to the occupation by guerrilla forces.
Censorship
on all mail matters was imposed throughout the Philippines.
The
Prisoners of War, both military and civilian, detailed through prisoner
of war mail,
with
emphasis on the arduous route it took to reach the Philippines.
The
landing of American troops in Leyte and culminating with the liberation
of Manila
and
the entire Philippines from Japanese rule. Japan’s military power finally
ended
when
it signed theUnconditional Surrender Documents
on
board the USS Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.
