‘Had Quezon read the Order of the Day No. 195 of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Red Army, would it have been morale boosting?’
THIS holiday is yours, but we all share with you the hope that this day brings us closer to freedom, and to harmony, and to peace. No matter how different we appear, we’re all the same in our struggle against the powers of evil and darkness.” — Princess Leia Organa
Darth Vader’s daughter was referring to Life Day, but her quote might as well apply to both the International Workers’ Day and Star Wars Day: “As any philosopher will tell you, there is a lot more to ‘Star Wars’ than a bunch of spaceships, lightsabers and princesses…raising issues such as the nature of good and evil, free will and determinism, the prophecy of the chosen one, and the true nature of The Force.” [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-film-starwars-philosophy-idUSKBN0TN1EE20151204]
In addition, there is historical allusion in Star Wars: “After all, the elite assault forces fanatically devoted to the Galactic Empire share a common name with the paramilitary fighters who defended the Nazi Party–stormtroopers. The Imperial officers’ uniforms and even Darth Vader’s helmet resemble those worn by German Army members in World War II, and the gradual rise of Palpatine from chancellor to emperor mirrored Adolf Hitler’s similar political ascent from chancellor to dictator.” [https://www.history.com/news/the-real-history-that-inspired-star-wars]
In which case, let us take a glimpse at some of the events 80 years ago when the Earthlings were in the midst of the Anti-Fascist War: “Dearest Kitty…All of Holland is being punished for the workers’ strikes. Martial law has been declared, and everyone is going to get one less butter coupon.” In her 01 May 1943 diary entry, the teenaged German Jewess Anne Frank was writing about the strike of the employees of the Stork machine factory in Hengelo: “The strike quickly spread to other parts of the Twente region and one day later to other parts of the Netherlands…a reaction to the Nazis’ decision to take the Dutch soldiers prisoner again. One month after the German invasion in May 1940, the captured Dutch soldiers had been released, on the condition that they would not resist the occupying forces. However, the Nazis discovered that many soldiers had become members of the Ordedienst, a resistance group, and decided to summon the soldiers for forced labor (Arbeitseinsatz).” [https://www.annefrank.org/en/timeline/156/april-may-strikes/]
“In the province of Limburg, over 10,000 miners went on strike, followed by 40,000 total miners striking the next day. Rural Dutch farmers supported the strike by refusing to deliver milk to dairy factories. To combat these strikes, Nazi troops began shooting at the strikers throughout the country, and those strikers who were arrested were sentenced to death…After days of carnage, the strikes had resulted in over 180 deaths, 400 casualties, and 900 prisoners of war being sent to concentration camps.” [https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/dutch-citizens-resist-nazi-occupation-1940-1945]
“The strikes marked a turning point. After Amsterdam in 1941, the rest of the Netherlands had now experienced the Germany terror. Support for the resistance increased sharply.” [https://www.verzetsmuseum.org/en/kennisbank/strike-1]
At the same time in the Philippines, a dark lord of the Sith appeared: “Tokyo radio announced that General Tojo has arrived in Manila on a military inspection trip during which he plans a frank exchange of views with Jorge Vargas, chairman of the Philippines Executive Commission. The United Press says the announcement follows the Japanese admission that guerrillas are still active in the Philippines.” [Warwick Daily News, Friday, 07 May 1943, page 1] The Manilenos were not amused: “Speculations ran high on what the purpose of the sudden visit could be. The people, however, due to the sacrifice they had to undergo standing in the heat of the sun, felt contempt rather than enthusiasm.” [Diary of Juan Labrador, O.P., May 4, 1943]
“President Vargas delivered a short but substantial speech, condemning and denouncing the ominous American tyranny and extolling Japanese benevolence to high heavens. The speech reached the peak of its fervor with the promise and offer of all the material and moral support of the Philippines so that Japan might completely crush the remaining Anglo-American forces. Did the illustrious visitor take the speech seriously, or considered it as a mere manner of speaking?” [Diary of Juan Labrador, O.P., May 5, 1943]
On the side of the Resistance, the legitimate leader of the Philippine Commonwealth bared his sentiments: “The Battle of the Bismark Sea has shown beyond question to the American people what you could do if you had the means… On my part, I am doing all I can. But to be absolutely honest and frank with you, I am not hopeful. In fact, I am desperate. I believe that the plan for defeating Hitler first will not be changed, and knowing nothing about the so-called ‘global strategy’ (a phrase coined by Churchill), my lay opinion is that this means, in plain language, that the war in the Pacific will last so long that I will not live long enough to see my country again.”
“Time is getting short. I want to know what is going on in my country before I retire to private life. And I want them to know what is going on here — that they have not been forgotten and that victory is certain to come. I want them to have patience and forbearance and faith.” [https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1943/05/02/letter-of-president-quezon-to-general-douglas-macarthur-on-his-affirmation-of-continuous-support-may-2-1943/]
Had Quezon read the Order of the Day No. 195 of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Red Army, would it have been morale-boosting? “I order: that men and women guerillas strike powerful blows at enemy rear establishments, communications, military stores, headquarters and factories, destroy the enemy’s lines of communication; that they draw wide strata of the Soviet population in the areas occupied by the enemy into active struggle for liberation, and thus save Soviet citizens from being driven away to German slavery and from extermination by the Hitlerite beasts; that they take merciless revenge on the German invaders for the blood and tears of our wives and children, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters; that they assist the Red Army heart and soul in its struggle with the base Hitlerite enslavers.” [J.V. Stalin, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Moscow, 01 May 1943]
May the 4th (and the Force) be with you!
