National Affairs: Back from the Grave

Year after year they had vanished into Japan like wanderers sucked into the mud of a fever swamp—the men of Hong Kong, of Bataan and Wake, men of the ships sunk at sea, the planes shot down in combat. Last week they were found—those who were still alive.

U.S. planes swooped over Jap prison stockades to drop food and supplies. U.S. trucks and cars wheeled into prison compounds to pick up bony, half-naked men. Aboard U.S. transports and hospital ships they were bathed, fed, clothed, given medical treatment. Then, like men awakened from nightmares,...

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