| Location |
RHC |
| Item Call Number |
MS RH 48 |
| Copynumber |
1 |
| Status |
Available |
| Barcode |
16214 |
| Language Code |
- Language code of text/sound track or separate title - eng
|
| Main Entry |
- Personal name - Parsons, Charles
|
| Title Statement |
- Title - Report of Mr. C. Parsons to the Department of State, August 12, 1942 [manuscript]
|
| Publication, Distribution, Etc. (imprint) |
- Place of publication, distribution, etc. - [S.l. :
- Name of publisher, distributor, etc. - s.n.,
- Date of publication, distribution, etc. - 1942].
|
| Physical Description |
- Extent - [51] leaves :
- Dimensions - 32 x 25 cm.
|
| Content Type |
|
| Media Type |
|
| Carrier Type |
|
| General Note |
- General note - Manuscript (Loose-leaf with binder)
|
| Summary, Etc. |
- Summary, etc. - Charles “Chick” Parsons was manager of the Luzon Stevedoring Company before the war, but was also a reserve officer in the US Navy. He was on active service when war broke out, and actively supported USAFFE operations in Manila. Parsons and his family were in Manila when the Japanese took over; Parsons was able to evade internment by the Japanese by virtue of the fact that he was honorary consul of Panama, a neutral state. Parsons was thus able to witness and learn, through his pre-war Japanese friends and others, conditions in Manila during the early months of occupation. As a diplomatic representative of a neutral country, Parsons was allowed to be repatriated on the SS Gripsholm, an exchange ship for repatriating neutrals and diplomatic personnel. While on the ship, he wrote this formal report on the information he had gathered. Upon reaching the US, he turned his report over to the US State Department.
Parsons narrates his experiences when the Japanese entered Manila, and then provided details on life during the early month of the occupation, location of Japanese officers and forces, political situation, economic and living conditions, situation of American property, Japanese atrocities, Japanese treatment of Filipinos and foreigners, and other information. He provides information on prisoners of war and American civilians, and provides a preliminary list of POWs.
For the US government, this was one of the earliest comprehensive reports on conditions in the Philippines from one who was there; it was understandably kept confidential. - Prof. Ricardo T. Jose
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| Language Note |
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| Subject Topical Term |
- Topical term or geographic name as entry element - Philippines
- General subdivision - History
- Chronological subdivision - Japanese occupation, 1942-1945.
- Topical term or geographic name as entry element - World War, 1939-1945
- Geographic subdivision - Philippines.
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