Abandoned on Bataan: One Man's Story of Survival

So many people today do not fully understad the sacrafice and the struggle our parents and grandparents endured for the sake of freedom. We take it all for granted. Abandoned on Bataan tells of a small town Texas boys view of a horrible war. The will to survive and their struggles are an inspiration. The horrible acts of their captors should never be forgotten. Our unwillingness to get involved in the beginning, our thoughts that it's not our problem, should be a reminder. We must never forget the past, or those brave men and women who sacraficed all.

In today's world, war is something of a video game. We watch it on the television, in the movies, and even pretend to stage our own battles over the internet. Modern day combat as seen in the Middle East proves this even more. With high tech equipment and more resources, we have left ourselves at somewhat of a disadvantage psychologically from past wars. As Americans, many of us have become weak to the thought of paying the ultimate price for freedom. In Oliver `Red' Allen's book, Abandoned on Bataan, we read his memoirs of survival as a prisoner-of-war under Japanese control. Allen tells the story of his own personal tragedy along with the stories of other Americans stuck in "hell." The battle cry of the Bataan prisoners-of-war says it all: "We're the battling bastards of Bataan, No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam, No aunts, no uncles, no nephews, no nieces, No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces. ...And nobody gives a damn!" Allen does not attempt to put together a bashing attack towards the Japanese, nor does he give the history of Bataan or World War II. He simply gives the reader a summary of one man's experience as a prisoner-of-war during the Bataan Death March and subsequent captivity. His vivid descriptions of the march along with daily accounts allow the harsh realities of war to be felt by anyone who reads his words. Allen gives an extensively detailed account of life as a POW under Japanese control. His depictions of daily life spent in Japanese custody are absolutely bone chilling. Some passages left me almost weeping with emotions that I thought were reserved for personal tragedies. One particular incident in the book concerned Allen's appearance before a senior Japanese officer. He was in trouble and had to stand at attention until he was excused; this treatment went on for hours. Already undernourished and overworked, Allen's body was on the verge of shutting down. After several hours, he was told to leave and go back to work. The Japanese officer left but later sent an interpreter back to find Allen still standing at attention. The young American prisoner was so numb with pain he could not move and had to remain in that position until pushed over by the guard. Even though atrocities like this occurred to the author, he still seemed to stay level-headed. Never during my reading did he seem to show hatred towards his captors, which is incredible given the conditions he had to endure. I consider Abandoned on Bataan one of the best books I have ever read about this era. After reading the book, persons come away with a greater appreciation of our life today and the freedoms we enjoy. Allen's positive attitude, even in the worst of situations, stands as a shining example for all. I would recommend this book without any reservation for those who want to know more about this painful episode from America's past.

"Abandoned on Bataan" is the detailed memoirs of Oliver Allen, one of may American soldiers left behind on the Bataan peninsula during World War II. Most people with even a basic knowledge of the history of the war in the Pacific know of the Bataan death march and the condition of the people when they were rescued from camps in China and Japan. What we generally don't know much about is what happened between those events. Oliver Allen's story fills in that detail with his personal experiences. He details the treatment received (including the rare instances of kindness shown by individual soldiers), the daily life in the camp, the work details, the health conditions, and the eventual liberation. It is a story of strength in the darkest hours of human travesty, it is a story of surviving, and it is a story of winning against all odds. For those with an interest in history and in particular an interest in Bataan or the war in the Pacific in general it is a highly recommended read.

One man's story of survival, as told to Mildred Allen. A teenage American GI recounts his years (1941-1945) of starvation, torture & germ warfare as a prisoner of war of the Japanese Empire in the Philippines & Manchuria.ABANDONED ON BATAAN isn't about great generals or mighty battles, it is much, much more important, for it is about the survival of human dignity, compassion & hope against all odds. Yes, Red Allen ponders on the differences between cultures. Yes, his perspective of his captors is all-American, his point-of-view, however, is both prosaic & honest.Yearning to become a pilot, teenager Oliver Allen answers the call to duty as the storms of war rumble over Europe & China. Unable to attain his dream of flying planes, he enlists anyway & is immediately shipped to the West Coast, on to Hawaii & then across the Pacific to the Philippine Islands into the maw of the Japanese advance.That Red Allen survives is due as much to the simplicity & hardscrabble of his Texas childhood during the Great Depression as to the ebullience of his youth, not to mention pure damn luck!Embedded in this memoir is history as well as a mystery. What were the reasons the world went to war in Europe & in Asia, & what were the feathers the POWs found in their Red Cross packages & parcels from home?ABANDONED ON BATAAN is an astonishing read. Profoundly modest, detailed & authentic. Time & time again, this prototypical survivor has the opportunity to dwell on self-pity & whine about horrific injustices visited upon him & his fellow POWs, however, he rarely does so, to his credit. It's the story that counts & the Allens have written a riveting memoir.

A must read for everyone, especially our younger generations.This real life story will captivate you, once you start reading it you can't stop until you are finished. If you are looking for heros, this book is about one....Oliver Allen, a surviour of The Bataan Death March.A real life story of a small town boy sent to war. This needs to be put back in our history books for all future generations .