Soldier Slaves: Abandoned by the White House, Courts, and Congress

by Lee Benson and James W. Parkinson

Book Overview

"The stories told in this book - stories from the war, stories from the courtrooms of America, and stories from the State Department and the halls of Congress--are stories that need to be heard. They... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591142040
• ISBN13: 9781591142041
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.7" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Abandoned and it's Our Shame Too

I was flying across the country on a business trip and started reading this book as a short break. It was a big mistake, I couldn't put it down. My father flew a F4U Corsair for the Marines in WWII, so I was familiar with the war in the Pacific and the reports of enemy cruelty. I had heard about the Bataan Death March but did not fully understand the depths of the depravity or how our government abandoned our soldiers to the Japanese for the benefit of the larger war effort. Soldier Slaves follows the survivors as they battle in contemporary court for recognition of their experience and to expose their exploitation by modern Japanese corporations. Alternating between present day court hearings and the WWII experiences, Soldier Slaves brings their stories alive through the personal histories of these brave men. The frustration these soldiers feel is palpable and it's certainly understandable. Our government negotiated a deal with Japan to end the dispute. That's commendable. But if we're going to pay for our share by sacrificing certain citizen's rights, our government should reimburse them. It looks like that will never happen, and that's our shame too. One of the interesting revelations in the book is the role of General MacArthur in this wartime fight. Soldier Slaves disassembles the heroic myth that has surrounded him. The book is well worth the read. Prepare to feel some outrage.

Proud and Angry

An incredible story from both sides; Poole fighting to stay alive and get back home, Jim Parkinson, working toward a settlement. The paper trail interspersed in the tragedies of Poole's incarceration made the reading of his constant pain and suffering palatable. Tell your Congressman to read this book! Amends need to be made to our JPOWs.

Soldier Slaves

This book is "true enlightenment" and a great read for all ages. In his book Parkinson brings history and humanity together in a way that makes you realize how lucky we are to have men that fought for our freedom and continue to fight for our freedom, unconditionally. Parkinson links the history lesson with the humanity lesson with great ease...to the point that you can't believe the ending!!! (I am still amazed at the ending, unfortunately.) This is a well written book that should be mandatory reading for all citizens of the USA...especially those of us who may forget sometimes that "freedom" isn't something that should be taken for granted...our soldiers personally pay a high price for our freedom. This country wouldn't be the way it is if we didn't have people like Harold Poole...Thank you Harold, Jim, et al.

Great Read!

This book should be mandatory reading for every high school student. We take so much for granted in this country. Even we "baby boomers," who were born during and after the war, need a reminder of the tremendous sacrifices endured by these men and their families. This book is a wonderful, and touching tribute and highly recommended for every reader - young or old.

LOVE IT!

To understand what is happening to our soldiers who are coming home from the Middle East today, we need to understand what happened decades before to our WWII vets. This book gives insight to their struggle. It is shocking to read that our own US Congress (and even President Bush) turned their backs on these men. It makes you wonder how they will treat the honorable men and women who return from the Middle East today. Tom Brokaw is right, everyone in Congress should read this book. I would make it required reading for all history, political science and law classes too This is basically "The Insider" meets "Saving Private Ryan" meets "Erin Brockovich." I loved it and it is a MUST READ!