MacArthur's Undercover War: Spies, Saboteurs, Guerrillas, and Secret Missions

by William B. Breuer

Guadalcanal . . . Midway . . . the battle for the Philippines. In each of these critical conflicts, intelligence played a crucial role in bringing about an Allied victory. General MacArthur's brilliant Pacific campaign was designed around espionage and guerrilla warfare. This is the story of his undercover war. Praise for William B. Breuer's Previous Works... "An exciting narrative presented by a first-rate story teller." —Publishers Weekly on The Great Raid on Cabanatuan "A first-class historian." —The Wall Street Journal "Another smasher by Breuer, who specializes in thrilling reports of WWII spycraft and warfare." —Kirkus Reviews on Race to the Moon "Fast-paced, detailed, and satisfyingly dramatic." —World War II magazine on Devil Boats "Vivid . . . skillfully written." —Los Angeles Times on Retaking the Philippines "Brings to life how airborne soldiers survived, how the human will prevails . . . against overwhelming enemies, tactical failures, and even death." —The New York Times on American Paratroopers in World War II MACARTHUR'S UNDERCOVER WAR The covert war General Douglas MacArthur waged against Japanese forces in the Pacific arena was the largest undercover operation ever undertaken. Here, for the first time, is the complete story of the legendary exploits and heroism of the thousands of courageous individuals who fought as spies, guerrillas, propagandists, and saboteurs behind enemy lines. When the Japanese war juggernaut overran the Philippines, it took a near miraculous PT-boat escape for MacArthur to make his way to safety in Australia. He left behind a force of seventy thousand American and Philippine troops marooned on the Bataan Peninsula. To these brave men the general vowed, "I shall return." Against overwhelming odds, MacArthur succeeded. Crucial to his success was his massive covert war effort. MacArthur created his own undercover warfare agency, the super-secret Allied Intelligence Bureau (AIB), to organize the many far-flung resistance groups. They were the coast watchers—jungle-wise miners, traders and planters, missionaries, and telegraph operators who occupied remote Pacific islands, living in the most primitive conditions while keeping a constant vigil for Japanese movement. They were American soldiers who escaped the Bataan Peninsula and were commanding guerrilla armies in the interior mountain and jungle locations of the Philippines. And they were double agents operating right under the noses of the Japanese in Manila, occupying positions close to the Imperial Army and in the collaborationist Philippine government. The phenomenal success of MacArthur's island-hopping "hit-'em-where-they-ain't" campaign was built on the accuracy of the intelligence gathered by the AIB. Early in the conflict, the Americans cracked the secret Japanese naval code and established a chain of intelligence radio-monitoring posts circling the Japanese empire from Alaska to Australia. The information garnered from their interceptions of Japanese transmissions and from operatives on the ground allowed MacArthur to pick soft targets—islands the Japanese had left relatively unguarded—for invasion. It was the steel nerves and unbounded resourcefulness of those who fought the secret war that paved the way for MacArthur's "Great Return" to the Philippines and saved the lives of countless American soldiers. In an action-packed narrative, MacArthur's Undercover War tells of thrilling feats of valor and derring-do—impossible missions to blow up harbors, kidnap heads of state, undermine currency, and arrange prison escapes, all deep within enemy territory. Firsthand interviews with veterans and information from previously unpublished documents reveal a riveting tale of World War II that has never been fully told.

Genres: History, Military History, World War II, War, Nonfiction, Military Fiction

257 pages, Hardcover

First published April 17, 1995

About the author

William B. Breuer landed with the first assault waves in Normandy on D-Day (June 6, 1944), then fought across Europe. Later, he founded a daily newspaper on a string in Rolla, Missouri, and after that, a highly successful public relations firm in St. Louis, Missouri. He had been writing books full time since 1982

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, they appeared to be unstoppable and there was concern that all of Asia would be added to their domain. Yet, in the darkest of times immediately after the American forces in Bataan and Corregidor surrendered, there were those that remained in the Philippines and continued the fight. Some were given orders to become part of the Japanese designated native officials while engaged in espionage while others took to the jungles and engaged in guerrilla warfare against the superior Japanese forces.
The Japanese were ruthless in their treatment of enemy POWs and the native populations. Therefore, to resist the Japanese in any way and to be discovered meant torture and death. Sometimes, even the mere suspicion was enough to be killed. Therefore, the people that fought back were very courageous. Some of the bravest were the men that volunteered to be transported into enemy territory in order to gather intelligence. Although most survived, as they were being planned, they were openly considered suicide missions.
This is a fascinating book in that it describes a side of the Pacific war rarely mentioned. Specifically, the ways that the native people resisted the Japanese rule and how they suffered for it. Most of the historical coverage is about the major battles, this book describes the background intelligence gathering that reduced Allied casualties. They had the right stuff needed to win wars.
MacArthur is described as incredibly brave, going into and remaining upright in combat zones as the bombs and bullets were flying. There is little to no criticism of his tactics, as he moved his forces from island to island destroying the enemy or bypassing them and letting them rot away.

[Simeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

MacArthur's Undercover War - W.B. Breuer -A/UN - Lot's of facts, rather breathless and formulaic but some interesting information.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely interesting and lots of information about WW2 that I never heard before. Highly recommended.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good background history on MacArthur's Allied Intelligence Bureau that supported his command's need for intelligence during WW2. Mac Arthur declined the services of the OSS and in typical MacArthur fashion, did his own thing.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was kind of a scattershot gathering of anything 'secret' that happened in the south and southwest Pacific theaters, without much of a theme.

[Jennifer Bergman · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the atrocities the Japanese committed during WWII, particularly in the Phillipines and against the Filipino people, I question why we didn't drop the bomb sooner?

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book covering nearly the war beginning with MacArthur’s evacuation from the Philippines and concluding with the signing of the treaty.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent overview of this theater of war where my father served from 1942 - 1945. Endnotes provide sources for more detailed info which I plan to add to my to read list.

[Paul A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry, if informative. The stories detailed in this book could have done with a more narrative writing style.