1945

Last night's New Year celebrations were part somber and part wild. Main topic: This is the year of revenge. I've been hearing about nothing but Father Gil's Sunday sermon. One girl said it left her breathless while another became scared and started to pray. "1944 had been ... a year of hunger, fear, imprisonment for many, suffering of the body and spirit, and general unrest," he said, "but 1945 promised VICTORY." God would provide for it, he inferred, but everyone knew he meant the Americans. A couple of old ladies appeared to swoon, and everyone held their breath. Someone nudged Freddie unnecessarily as he was already holding on to the pew for all he was worth. Manny, whose mind generally wanders to things light and fantastic, felt his hair stand on end twice. Georgie said he could feel the heat around his earlobes.

"It might be a year of defeat too", said the padre, choosing his words wisely. But it would provide a DECISION, and he, for one, wished everyone his best. May there be new business, said he, may it bring real peace, order, food for the hungry and clothes for the needy. In the back of the church the bigshots were grinning from ear to ear, but the atmosphere was a little too hot for comfort.

The sermon was electrifying, notwithstanding the presence of two Japanese who kept their eyes glued to their prayer books. You could almost see the tension, as if something was about to burst. But at the height of his harangue, he broke off and once again became the representative of God in His Sanctuary. The worshippers were saved in the nick of time, and the two Japanese continued to pray, apparently unaware of what had happened, Japanese inscrutability notwithstanding.

Passed the day at the Sotelos. We brought ice cream and whiskey but neither was necessary; the Sotelos served us a lunch fit for a Rajah, and an equally splendid merienda. Pre-lunch cocktails were excellent. I had five, about average for the three or four times a year that I loosen up. Light rain provided a welcome respite to the hot afternoon. You should've heard the conversations we had on the war, the invasion date, the Japs, MacArthur....

. . .

The Air Raid siren sounded at 1100, and though some smoke was over the city, it went almost unnoticed in this district. The Japanese airforce was conspicuous by its absence, and interestingly, their army and navy skipped this year's season's greetings.

Tribune: EVACUATION OF CITY IN FULL SWING — "to the fullest extent until about one-third of the people remain in the city," according to the City Hall. Mayor Guinto asked us to consider our personal safety if nothing else. I don't get it.

"Japanese forces in P.I. ready for any event as year ends" — by a "staff member." From the Leyte landing to December 29, the Americans lost "473 vessels sunk, damaged or set ablaze, including 59 aircraft carriers, 33 battleships, 47 cruisers, 26 destroyers and 206 transports." As usual, the hysterics tried to mask the bad news: "The recent appearance of land-based enemy planes over the Luzon campaign area may be interpreted as the prelude to an enemy invasion of Luzon."

...ooOoo...