Rampage

MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila

De: James M. Scott

Narrado por: Jesse Einstein

The definitive history of one of the most brutal campaigns of the war in the Pacific.

Before World War II, Manila was a slice of America in Asia, populated with elegant neoclassical buildings, spacious parks, and home to thousands of US servicemen and business executives who enjoyed the relaxed pace of the tropics. The outbreak of the war, however, brought an end to the good life. General Douglas MacArthur, hoping to protect the Pearl of the Orient, declared the Philippine capital an open city and evacuated his forces. The Japanese seized Manila on January 2, 1942, rounding up and interning thousands of Americans.

MacArthur, who escaped soon after to Australia, famously vowed to return. For nearly three years, he clawed his way north, obsessed with redeeming his promise and turning his earlier defeat into victory. By early 1945, he prepared to liberate Manila, a city whose residents by then faced widespread starvation. Convinced the Japanese would abandon the city as he did, MacArthur planned a victory parade down Dewey Boulevard. But the enemy had other plans. Determined to fight to the death, Japanese marines barricaded intersections, converted buildings into fortresses, and booby-trapped stores, graveyards, and even dead bodies.

The 29-day battle to liberate Manila resulted in the catastrophic destruction of the city and a rampage by Japanese forces that brutalized the civilian population. Landmarks were demolished, houses were torched, suspected resistance fighters were tortured and killed, countless women were raped, and their husbands and children were murdered. American troops had no choice but to battle the enemy, floor by floor and even room by room, through schools, hospitals, and even sports stadiums. In the end, an estimated 100,000 civilians lost their lives in a massacre as heinous as the Rape of Nanking.

Based on extensive research in the United States and the Philippines, including war-crimes testimony, after-action reports, and survivor interviews, Rampage recounts one of the most heartbreaking chapters of Pacific War history.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 James M. Scott (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Bloody Nightmare

Do not attempt to eat anything when u listen to this. You may upchuck. This is a tale of TOTAL WAR!
The

EXCELLENT story that will open your eyes!

I thoroughly enjoyed Rampage. This story will open your eyes to the history of what truly took place in the Philippines after the Japanese invaded. This book will enlighten the reader to the truth of a horrible time in history when many innocent women, men and children where callously executed. You should read ALL of James M Scott’s books!

Good but , hard to listen to in some parts.

While this book discusses the Battle of Manila, it is mainly centered on the Japanese treatment of the resident of the city, during the course of the battle, and the Japanese action are discussed for approximately 100 people, including a description of the number of bayonet wounds and other wounds, that each person received. These details are very hard to listen to for hour after hour. I had to put the book away numerous times because of the detail provided. IMHO A better title in my mind for this book would have been the MacArthur , Yamashita and Rape of Manila!

The most vivid example of a war on foreign land

Everything about this book made me feel like I was a 3rd person among those who fought on this horrific war and made me appreciate much more the Philippines especially those who leave among me

Something not taught in schools.

I knew a bit about what happened through reading articles, but this was an eye opener. I had never really heard how brutal. We have always heard about the Germans but think the Japanese got off easy...

Woosh, Sound of air leaving lungs

I have been woefully ignorant of the Pacific Theater in WWII, despite my mother serving in the Marines in the Pacific. She carried with her a lifelong hatred of the enemy, which subject I dutifully avoided in her company. I now completely understand her emotions, her second-hand experiences, her patriotism.
This book defies description. If you think you know how low the human race can crawl, well there is a lower level. Rampage describes the MacArthur family legacy as your introduction to this point in history. The staggering detail, research, word-by-word, moment-by-moment history of this battle defies my understanding. It is riveting, completely absorbing and stunning in the tale that is told. To quote from the book "Even American investigators proved at a loss to comprehend the widespread butchery, exhausting the thesaurus for adjectives like diabolical, inhuman, savage ..." "The New York Times: 'As foul a tale of savagery as recorded in all history' ".

Yamashita's trial is a story unto itself. I had pity on the defense team, whose families were taking heat because of their participation on the defense of this individual. Surprisingly, some of the defense team held him non-accountable for the attrocities committed in his territories. And when the trial was handed up to the Supreme Court, I shook my head in dull denial, muttering "noooo".

I had no idea. I really had no idea how truly hideous it was in the Pacific. Now I know.

Jesse Einstein's calm mellifluous telling of this awful tale is the perfect underscore. I will be looking for more of his narrations.

I am already looking for more of Mr. Scott's books. His research is astounding and his telling is ... I, too, search for adjectives ... compelling.
(I completely agree with the review typed in all CAPS. This book IS all CAPS.)

Shocking

The masterful story of a battle that probably did not have to be fought. It demonstrates the hubris of a few men over the humanity of man. An excellent performance too.

Brutal by Necessity

A thoroughly devastating and brutal account of an often overlooked moment in history. James Scott brings the events so into focus that anyone with a soul will almost smell the horror.

Not read well. Was there no producer to stop for the numerous times English words were mispronounced? Fortunately his subsequent titles are excellent performances.

A gut wrenching history

Rampage is James M Scott's history of the little known Battle of Manila, a catalogue of Japanese army crimes against humanity and a narrative of the subsequent war crimes trial. What becomes clear in this fascinating and gruesome account is how ill-prepared the American forces which for much of the war in the Pacific in which they had fought the enemy in jungles and beaches were for urban combat. General MacArthur' leadership is depicted at the battle as at best distant both literally and figuratively. For much of the Manila campaign the general was headquartered well out side the city, and except for a few quick trips to Santo Tomas and other prisons had little real knowledge of the rapidly deteriorating battle terrain or the obstacles his troops were facing. Instead MacArthur spent time in staff meetings preparing for his celebrated return and planning a victory parade.

The Battle of Manila though rapidly becomes secondary in Scott's narrative as the majority of the Rampage given over to the Japanese army's rapid descent into chaos and barbarism. Toward the end of the battle, the Japanese troops acting on a fear of Manila 's civilian population, racism and General Yamashita's (Like MacArthur, Yamashita's HQ was well outside the city.) indifference causally slaughtered and systematically raped and tortured thousands of helpless civilians. Overall I found Scott's knows his subject well, though I expected more on the battle and tactics. However it was in his quest to "get it all down" that Rampage became for this listener mind numbing as chapter focuses and relentlessly details murder, rape and pillage.

History of one of Japan's vilest savagery in WW II

Well researched history of Japanese subhuman savagery in the Phillippines in World War II. This one example, among many, almost justifies the use of the atomic bomb to subdue their arrogant and repulsive culture. The book has some interesting information on MacArthur's personal relationship to the Philippines. Narrator is expressive and tells the story effectively, although his mispronunciation of a significant number of words is somewhat distracting.