War Memoir

By: Jose P. Laurel

Nowell Paolo Q. Sim

2LM2
HISTORY
March 5 2014

BOOK SUMMARY
A. PRELIMINARIES
(1). BACKGROUND
- Gloria in execelsis Deo et in Terra pax (Laurel 1945)it means Glory be to
God and peace on earth. War Memoirs by Jose P. Laurel was about the life
of the writer, Jose Paciano Laurel, before and during the Japanese
Occupation in the Philippines.

(2). AIM/PURPOSE OF THE BOOK FROM THE VANTAGE OF THE

CONTENT, OR THE AUTHOR IN WRITING THE BOOK
- The main purpose of Jose P. Laurel in writing this book was to be able to
show his side of the story in where he served the country and then under the
Japanese rule he went through lots of hardships and decided the fate of our
country during the Pacific War. Then lastly he was filled of treason and
Collaboration, he wrote this book to prove that he didnt want to do that and
his purpose was for the survival of our nation.

(3). METHOD OR STYLE OF WRITING

- The book was written like diary. It was by chapter from when he became
Associate Justice to becoming a president and then prisoner.

(4). RESULTS OR SALIENT POINTS EMPHASIZED IN THE BOOK

- The emphasized points in the book was Jose P. Laurels point of why he did
collaborated with the Japanese and why shouldnt be accused of being a
traitor. The result is he was then amnestied.

(5). CONCLUSION
- For me what Jose P. Laurel tried to prove in this book was he is not guilty in
what the US government and the next officials were filling against him cause
his intentions were for our country. In the end he proved them right and was
amnestied, truth really did set him free.

B. SUMMARY OF THE BOOK

The book is composed of several entries written by Jose P. Laurel at Lugamo
Prison from Sept. 15 to November 16. 1945. It starts before the outbreak of the Pacific
War I when Jose P. Laurel was Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the
Philippines. He was appointed in the month of February 1936. But around September or
October President Quezon invited him to breakfast and requested for him to be his
Secretary of Justice. He really didnt want to be like that because he said I was thru
with politics and I wanted to make a name in the juridical field and bring about the
codification and integration of all our laws (Laurel, 1941). But later on becoming a
member of the Presidents War Cabinet. He then attended meetings of the War Cabinet,
which was twice a day one in the morning and in the afternoon.
December 8, 1941, Baguio and other places of the Philippines were bombed
by the Japanese. President Quezon was advised by the US government to evacuate at
Corregidor with some of his officials for protection. President Quezon chose VicePresident Osmena, General Valdes , Manuel Roxas and lastly Jose P. Laurel. Then on
December 23, 1941 President Quezon announced who were the people to come with
him at Corregidor. Then Jose P. Laurel asked President Quezon if he can leave his
position and hide on the mountains because surely when the Japanese would be able to
invade Philippines the remaining government officials would still act but surely the
Japanese would influence them and make them do things that would make them a traitor
of the Commonwealth republic of the Philippines. The answer of President Quezon and
General MacArthur was to do what they ask them to do except to take any oath of
allegiance to Japan. Then when President Quezon departed to Corregidor, he
reorganized and simplified the government setup and left Jose P. Laurel as Secretary of
Justice and Acting Chief Justice of the Philippines. Jose P. Laurel was left at Manila to
help Mr. Jorge B. Vargas in protecting the population.
December 31, 1941 the Japanese units were near Manila. Mr. Varagas said that
they needed a representative of the commonwealth Government to meet Japanese
Consul-General Jitaro Kihara and the force from the south. But General Natividad and
Consul Kihara were at Binan Laguna where they contacted the first contingent of the
Japanese invading forces. According to Jose P. Laurel: There was confusion,

excitement and general consternation when the Japanese unit entered Manila in the
afternoon of January 2, 1942. Lt.-Col. Maeda and Maj.Gen. Hayashi were the first highranking officials to enter Manila. The Japanese began to contact prominent people in
Manila. They were told to organize themselves into central administration organ for the
maintenance of peace and order. They were also told to cut off their connection with the
Commonwealth Government and to change the whole setup of government. Then the
Japanese high command selected the members of what was known as Executive
Commission (Ad. Order No. 1 Jan. 23, 1943 addressed to Jorge Vargas). Mr. Jorge
Vargas became chairman. Benigno Aquino, Commissioner of the Interior, Antonio de las
Alas, Commissioner of Finance, Jose P. Laurel, Commissioner of Justice, Raphael
Alunan, Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, Quintin Paredes, Commissioner of
Public Works and Communications, Teofilo Sison, Auditor General and Director of the
Budget and Jose Yulo, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Executive Commission
was formally organized on January 23, 1942. As a Commissioner of Justice Jose P.
Laurel retained everything as is. But the military began to interfere He was with
incompetent and unfamiliar military advisers. They began to harass the people like what
they did to Jose P. Laurel who was detained at Fort Santiago just for him to repeal the
circular, which was about prohibiting dismissal of cases pending trial or investigation
except in due course of legal procedure. Many Commissioners had bitter experience
during the Japanese occupation. What the Japanese military authority wants must be
done. But Jose P. Laurel and the other Commissioners did all they can just to save the
prisoners of war and people. The Executive Commission covers a period from January
23, 1942- October 14, 1943. The Japanese announced that the Philippines would be
given her independence, as early as possible, but as war rages on it was not opportune.
People are just saying that the Japanese are doing this as propaganda to emancipate
the peoples of Greater East Asia.
Early December of 1942, Kalibapi ( Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod Sa Bagong
Pilipinas) was made by the Executive Commission. The government was reorganized
the political parties were abolished. The Chairman Vargas became President and
Benigno Aquino, Commissioner of the interior as Vice-President. Then Jose P. Laurel
became the Commissioner of the interior even though requesting that he stay at the
Department of Justice but was denied because the decision was by the Japanese High
Command.

As the Commissioner of the Interior he was in charge of games and

amusements it was where he was able to take care of many released prisoners of war.

June 5, 1943 Jose P. Laurel was shot at the back at Wack Wack Country Club
in Mandaluyong. He was immediately taken to Philippine General Hospital where he
stayed for 2 months. There were two possible reasons on why they shot him first is
many said that he was Pro- Japanese and second is because of the St. Lazaro Incident.
But whatever the reason of the shooting he grabbed the attention of many people
including the Japanese Administration. He was at the Top of the list of the Filipinos who
were to integrate th preparatory Commission for Philippine Independence. He became
Chairman of the Preparatory Commission. Then after the approval of the Constitution of
the Republic of the Philippines Jose P. Laurel became the President of the newly
established Republic of the Philippines. Then they were asked to go to Tokyo to pay
respect to his Majesty, the Emperor. Then they were asked to declare war against United
States and Great Britain. In the end he could not do anything but just to agree with the
Japanese.
He announced his national policy , political ideology and moral philosophy in
public saying we must survive as a people, we must tide over our people to better
times and for this purpose we must unite, love one another, stop killing one another
because the Filipinos can love the Filipinos, no foreigner can pretend to love the
Filipinos more than the Filipinos themselves (Laurel,1943). The most learned,
competent and experienced Filipinos formed his cabinet, which are there to help him in
saving the poor, and suffering.
Then the Japanese reminded him about the Declaration of war against the
USA and Great Britain. At first President Jose P. Laurel was confused on what to do but
at last he and his cabinet have decided that a formal declaration of a state of war was a
good move. They were forced to attend meetings of probably less than one hundred
people. Then manila was bombed by American air force followed by landings in Leyte
then Mindoro. President Jose P. Laurel was instructed to leave to Baguio because
General Yamashita has no plan on defending Manila. He was happy to leave manila
because he thought that Manila would become an Open city. Then on December 20,
1944 they left for Baguio. The place there was barely equipped. Life there was so hard
continuous bombing happened in where Jose P. Laurel was living and he had no news
of what happened on Manila. There was no means of communication, no gasoline or
alcohol and nothing worth to do at Baguio. Food became scarce at Baguio and many

were getting sick due to epidemic broke out. Many ministers had left the destroyed city
for safety but the Japanese army arer on guard. Then the Japanese ambassador
requested Pres. Jose P. Laurel to go to the Benguet Mountains and then to Japan alone
to escape the coming American troops. He then agreed to this with a condition for the
remaining people not to be harmed. Then on March 25, 1945 they departed to Formosa
(Taiwan). As Jose P. Laurel narrated on his book our life in Formosa wa trying and
miserable. The food scanty and insufficient and we were all weakened on account of
lack of essential. (Laurel, 1945). But they stayed there for just a few days only. They
then continued to Japan They stayed at Nara Hotel where they had better food and
accommodation. There he met with the new Minister Ko Ishii. They talked about the
conversion of Yen of the Japanese military notes for their personal fund and salary of the
members of party left at Baguio. It was approved and then the remaining was deposited
at Yokohama Specie Bank at Osaka. But when the Japanese surrendered the Republic
of the Philippines ceased to exist on August 17, 1945. The dissolution of the Republic of
the Philippines, the devolution of three million yen were the matters decided at a
conference at Nara between Ambassador Vargas, Speaker Aquino and Minister Osias.
Then they were arrested on imprisoned at Yokohama prison on September 14, 1945.
They were charged with treasonable collaboration. Then he discussed that they did not
freely and voluntarily collaborated with the Japanese saying that the Philippines and the
Filipinos have nothing to do with it. Military occupation gave rise to a temporary
allegiance of the inhabitants of the occupied territory for temporary protection. He then
said that it was the United States fault because of lack of force to repel the Japanese
force who invaded our country. Then he explained that he was ordered by Pres. Quezon
to remain in position and not guilty when culpable collaboration with the enemy unless
went in unreasonable beyond his task. After that he differentiated Heroism and
Collaboration saying that due to what happened, the person who stayed in the
Philippines was accused of collaboration while the people who went abroad were the
heroes. Then lastly he talked about forced collaboration is not collaboration. They did it
for national survival and for the betterment of the people. And ended the book with
Gloria in execelsis Deo et in Terra pax (Laurel 1945)

Reference:
Jose P., L. (1962). War Memoirs. manila : Jose P. Laurel Memorial Foundation INC..
Jose P. Laurel Biography, Pictures, Images, Movies, Videos, Relationships FamousWhy. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from
http://people.famouswhy.com/jose_p__laurel/