Gladys Savary

(June 2, 1893 — September 14, 1985), restauranteur. Because of her being married to a French national, she was not interned by the Japanese with Allied civilians in Manila.

August, 1943*

August 1, 1943

(*Undated but in portion near the end of 1943) I wonder what this war will do, translated into the world scheme. Will we ever go

November, 1943*

November 1, 1943

(*Undated but after portion that mentions Second Republic in October, 1943) This is plain unvarnished inferno, being completely cut off from the world. These Tokyo

December 8, 1943*

December 8, 1943

(*Undated but entry itself dates it to December 8, 1943) I should address this page to General MacArthur: Dear Mr. General: Please send a plane

December 10, 1943*

December 10, 1943

(*Dated only as December, but from the context of the entry, likely two days after December 8, 1943) Three December 8’s have passed. How many

June 22, 1944*

June 22, 1944

(*Undated, but in portion mentioning Summer of 1944; mention of Battle of Trasimeno dates entry to June 21-24, 1944) This time last year the African-Italian

July 4, 1944

—The Glorious Fourth—and I don’t dare hang out the American flag, but I have been admiring it all day, hung up in the bathroom. Can’t

July 27, 1944

A highly exciting week? What with His Nibs (did I mean Hitler?) reported dead, the high mortality among Jap generals, rumors flying about with the

August 4, 1944

I went to Santo Tomas yesterday with Dorothy’s pass for renewal. Saw old Mrs. G. who looks so ill. Her husband is still in Fort

September 21, 1944

This day, so long expected, Manila was bombed. From practically orchestra seats in my house between two airfields, in a street lined with gasoline dumps,

September 22, 1944

We got off to an early start—no gas, no electricity, no telephone; but we have charcoal. The air siren sounded this morning before we got

September 25, 1944

We are somewhat disappointed. No raids since the 22nd, although many alarms were sounded. Current is on again, and we hear the local radio announced

November 24, 1944

A strange world we live in! The most welcome sound is the smooth and easy drone of our own planes, the most eagerly awaited sight

January 9, 1945

The Great Day, our Great Day! The troops have landed on Luzon, at Lingayan Bay. That’s just where the Japs landed. I had my money

January 23, 1945

“. . . and Sheridan only twenty miles away.” So runs the old poem. If we had a poet in our midst, we might do

Late in January*, 1945

January 25, 1945

(Undated in book but placed after January 23, but before January 28, 1945) They are advising us to get out. Our wall is high and

January 28, 1945

Barter Clothes Shoes Hatrpins Planes Stockings Walter Robb General’s birthday Rum, Money What an assortment of memoranda! I couldn’t sleep the other night and I

January 31, 1945

I’m wrong again, as usual. I haven’t been right yet, so I should be accustomed to that state of affairs. For weeks, ever since the

February 1, 1945

Sheridan, I mean MacArthur, is getting closer. It’s fantastic, living so close to big goings-on, and to see nothing but planes overhead, intent on big

February 2, 1945

When some of our friends evacuated to the Batangas coast, Nasugbu and Calatagan, I was urgently invited to join them. There’s quite a little colony

February 3, 1945

’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house . . . No, that’s not night, I’m mixed up. All through the house everybody’s

February 4, 1945

Sunday, came the dawn. We had stayed up most of the night, but no liberation our side. The city is in flames across the river,

February 5, 1945

Monday. Last night there was terrific shelling near Fort McKinley, as well as we could judge. That is to the south of us. Nearby, on

February 6, 1945

We were up all night—we never all go to bed all at once, anyhow. The children were in the air-raid shelter but its walls are

February 8, 1945

It sounds like the real McCoy now. We’ve fed the children in the air-raid shelter, got Felie fixed for the night. She has suffered terribly

February 9, 1945

I got up very early this morning after several sorties during the night to see what was doing. We all had a little sleep. Even

February 9, 1945

Friday, 6 p.m. The bombing has been terrific all afternoon, and many more fires are burning in our neighborhood. The Japanese are loading their stores

February 10, 1945

This must be the 10th. If so, it’s Saturday. This has been a twenty-four hours without parallel. There was a real battle just beyond our

February 11, 1945

Wottaday, wottaday, last night we fought fire all night. Janson spent the night on the roof of the servants’ quarters nearest the wall by the

February 12, 1945

Monday. Weariness threw me last night and I gave up, with the story half told. We had some of the officers to dinner with us

February 13, 1945

Yesterday was wonderful, both wonderful and sad. The Americans are here, but it seems it is not yet over. The battle in the center of