Tribune: "Enemy Units Face Annihilation on Burma Front.... Britain admits Nippon advance on Arakan front." The Japanese start the "second phase of counter-offensive" — the first phase failed.

"President Signs Tax Bill.... New law to affect Buy and Sell" — tax it now that it's over.

La Vanguardia: "Enemy's plan to invade Burma fails." I take it to mean the Japanese plan to invade India and destroy the British Empire failed.

About three weeks ago, the Japanese summoned Joe Bessmer and told the Philippine IRC representative that he was to have nothing to do with Santo Tomas, Cabanatuan and other camps. The U.S. sent a strongly worded protest to Japan over the treatment of Filipino and U.S. POWs, including the refusal to allow neutrals to visit the camps.

The U.S. protest also mentioned 22,000 deaths in captivity soon after the surrender. Our estimate now is that some 35,000 Filipino and American POWs died in captivity since April 1942, and many others are permanently wasted. I'm reminded of a July 1942 or so poster of prisoners leaving camp with this caption:

Bringing thoughts of O'Donnell that will linger pleasantly in years to come, these lads turn bright, happy faces homeward as they march briskly along.