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       A Novel of World War II

       Tori Warner Shepard

      No personalities or characters in this narrative, except for public figures, should be traced to any particular person or persons, living or dead. This is a work of fiction.

      © 2008 by Tori Warner Shepard. All Rights Reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means

      including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher,

      except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

      Sunstone books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use.

      For information please write: Special Markets Department, Sunstone Press,

      P.O. Box 2321, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504-2321.

      Book design | Vicki Ahl

      Body type | Adobe Jenson Pro

Display type | Odine Printed on acid free paper

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Shepard, Tori Warner, 1939-

      Now silence : a novel of World War II / by Tori Warner Shepard.

      p. cm.

      ISBN 978-0-86534-596-6 (softcover : alk. paper)

      1. World War, 1939-1945--New Mexico--Santa Fe--Fiction. 2. Santa Fe (N.M.)--Fiction.

      I. Title.

      PS3619.H4545N68 2008

      813’.6--dc22

      2008016513

       WWW.SUNSTONEPRESS.COM

      SUNSTONE PRESS / POST OFFICE BOX 2321 / SANTA FE, NM 87504-2321 /USA

      (505) 988-4418 / ORDERS ONLY (800) 243-5644 / FAX (505) 988-1025

      This novel is dedicated to David with love

      And with deep admiration to Lynn Stegner

      And humble gratitude for the strength

      of the 1,800 New Mexicans captured at Bataan

      Contents

       Foreword

       Chapter 01

       Chapter 02

       Chapter 03

       Chapter 04

       Chapter 05

       Chapter 06

       Chapter 07

       Chapter 08

       Chapter 09

       Chapter 10

       Chapter 11

       Chapter 12

       Chapter 13

       Chapter 14

       Chapter 15

       Chapter 16

       Chapter 17

       Chapter 18

       Chapter 19

       Author’s Note

       Suggested Readings

      Foreword

      During the first half of the twentieth century, Japan converted itself from a closed, self-contained agrarian group of islands to a major industrial and commercial country supported by vast shipping lines. Divinely guided by their Emperor, the Japanese people considered themselves to be naturally superior and to justify their need for more resources, they rallied behind a belief stemming from their glorious founding myth called Hakko Ichiu that meant “Universal Brotherhood” or more pointedly, “The Eight Corners of the World under One Roof.” Citing Hakko Ichiu, the Japanese initiated and justified launching what amounted to a holy war by attacking China and then joining the Triple Alliance with Italy and Germany to back their move to dominate the entire Pacific.

      They continued their bold conquest with a surprise attack at Honolulu’s Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, sending 160 fighter planes in each of two successive bombings virtually crippling the US Pacific Fleet and destroying 188 planes. Eight hours later, the Empire launched a second surprise day-long attack on the strategic US Army Air Field in the Philippines. This thorough bombing virtually devastated the Pacific-based American Air Corps at a time when the Americans were fully engaged combating the Germans in Europe.

      The Philippine Islands, ceded by Spain to the US in 1898, were key to the Imperial Army’s assault upon Australia. A week later, the Japanese launched their pounding of Luzon, the main Philippine island, by bombing the harbor to finish off the US Navy and then coming ashore with well-supplied trained troops aimed for Manila.

      Because of Pearl Harbor, America had declared War on Japan. President Roosevelt delivered the declaration in his “Day of Infamy” speech, causing such national hysteria that the impact of this second obliterating attack on the Philippines was lost. Not until Roosevelt’s Year-End Speech did the President assure the impaired Pacific forces that “the entire resources of the United States” would be committed to defending the Philippine Islands. Meanwhile, the Japanese had stealthily surrounded the islands with a full-scale blockade.

      General Douglas MacArthur, the US Commanding General had severely misjudged the intent of the Japanese to attack and now, his planes and ships crippled, he ordered his ill-prepared 320,000 combined US and Filipino troops to defend the Philippine Islands, petitioning for immediate supplies and support from Washington in order to save his islands.

      Having spent part of his youth there, General Douglas

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