Mrs. Gunn's Diary: Jan. 2, 1942

Manila falls and MacArthur departs; rationing begins on the home front

“Manila has fallen,” Mrs. Gunn writes of the capitulation of the capital of the Philippines. “Gen. [Douglas] MacArthur has made a wonderful stand considering we could not send him any help at such a distance.”

She then turned to news of shortages and rationing that was affecting folks in America. The rubber shortage meant trouble for car owners, “making people wonder if they hadn’t better buy Old Dobbin back instead of a new car (can’t get a car either.)” Tires were being rationed, of course, and there was a new one-cent tax on gasoline in the District of Columbia.

However, she considered herself lucky for anticipating what might be hard to get in war time and counted among her household blessings a General Electric dishwasher, a Bendix washing machine, a General Electric radio and “A new beaver coat!” Must have been a Christmas gift…

The situation in the Philippines was dire, and was only getting worse. Paid subscribers can read on about the conditions there as MacArthur’s troops faced overwhelming Japanese forces. Click below to upgrade.

MacArthur’s image is often associated with his corncob pipe and dark aviator-style sunglasses. This profile shot, accessed via Wikimedia Commons, was taken in 1944 as he returned to the Philippines.