It was hot and sticky in Manila, but by 1 :30 in the afternoon crowds had completely jammed the big ballroom of the High Commissioner's residence. Outside, the MPs fingered their Tommy guns. Inside, the spectators coughed, shuffled their feet.
After a long time there was a stir. Japan's General Tomoyuki Yamashita entered, walked to the desk at which he had sat all during his 32-day war-crimes trial. He stole glances at the crowd. A resplendent colonel of MPs roared: "Attention!"
The five U.S. generals of the trial commission filed to their places. Major General R. B. Reynolds immediately began to read...