Podcast Summary: "Words at War – They Call It Pacific"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Words at War 430710 0003 They Call It Pacific
Air Date (Original): July 10, 1943
Summary Compiled On: February 20, 2026

Overview

This dramatized radio adaptation of Clark Lee’s book "They Call It Pacific" plunges the listener into the tense and rapidly shifting landscape of the early Pacific theater in World War II. Narrated from the perspective of war correspondent Clark Lee, the story captures the hope, fear, and eventual disillusionment of Americans and their allies as Japan strikes across the Pacific, from Shanghai and Manila to Bataan and Corregidor. The episode powerfully illustrates the psychological and physical toll of war, the resilience and camaraderie of its characters, and the enduring belief in eventual victory.

Key Discussion Points & Narrative Structure

1. The Pre-War Pacific and Ominous Tensions

• Setting: Late 1941, Shanghai, under Japanese occupation.
• Key Characters Introduced:
  • Clark Lee: American foreign correspondent.
  • Sergeant Hajime Matsui ("Jimmy"): American-born Japanese officer.
• Tension & Foreboding:
  Jimmy warns Lee of the imminent explosion of hostilities, capturing a sense of inevitable conflict.
  • Quote (Sergeant Matsui):
    “The powder keg is just about. It is almost certain to explode shortly and blow up the orient with it.” (07:20)
• Atmosphere: The streets of Shanghai resonant with Japanese soldiers, the sense of an oppressive “new order."

2. Life in Pre-Invasion Manila (Philippines)

• Conversations Among Expatriates & Diplomats:
  Lee joins fellow journalists and Roberto Lanez (Argentine Embassy) as they discuss military preparedness and U.S. defenses.
  • Optimism about swift American retaliation and belief in Allied superiority (“We'll show the Japs what it means to play in the big league.” (12:09)).
• Underlying Anxiety:
  Despite bravado, there’s a palpable undercurrent of dread and helplessness.

3. The Attack and American Disillusionment

• Pearl Harbor & the Philippines Attacked:
  The narrative shifts with the attacks on Pearl Harbor and subsequent strikes on Manila and Cavite.
  • Quote (Narration):
    “From alarm through fear to hatred requires no great mental effort for Americans. But angry men shaking their fists at the sky cannot pour the splattered blood back into torn bodies... You cannot damn the torrent of little men with big machines sweeping southward through Indochina…” (34:10)
• Despair at Unfolding Events:
  The confident talk of “hitting [Japan] hard” gives way to the brutal reality:
  • Airfields are bombed, Manila is declared an “open city,” and the U.S. and Philippine forces are pushed into retreat.
  • Quote (Annalee Jacoby): "Our airfields have been bombed and our planes wrecked. Manila's been bombed twice. Japanese transports have landed soldiers on Luzon. Clark saw some of them in action himself. And the naval base at Cavite has been bombed and badly damaged." (41:16)

4. The Siege of Bataan and Human Stories of War

• First-Hand War Reporting:
  Lee visits the front lines at Bataan, watches the U.S. Navy forced to fight as infantry, and describes the desperate and chaotic defense.
  • Commander Frank Bridgerton improvises artillery fire over multiple field phones, indicative of the improvisation and confusion at the front.
• Tragic Familiarities:
  Lee recognizes Sergeant Hilario Francisco, formerly a guard at his hotel, now among the dead—a poignant symbol of the personal losses accumulating daily.
  • Quote (Clark Lee):
    “That Sergeant Hilario Francisco of the Philippine Constabulary. He used to be on duty at the Manila Hotel.” (01:00:40)
• Orders for Escape:
  Lee receives instructions to hide his identity, echoing the constant peril facing correspondents and officers alike.

5. The Aftermath and Enduring Hopes

• Escape and Bittersweet Survivals:
  Lee, Mel Jacoby, and Annalee Jacoby escape to Australia, only to receive the devastating news of Mel's death in a tragic airfield accident.
  • Quote (Annalee Jacoby, tearfully):
    "It's Mel. Mel was killed yesterday. How? They were at an airfield. A P40 got out of control on the ground. It killed them both..." (01:11:10)
• Return to San Francisco, Reflections on War’s Cost:
  Lee expresses his desire to witness the defeat of Japan and the liberation of the Philippines and China.
  • Quote (Clark Lee):
    “There are three other scenes which I hope to live long enough to witness... when General Douglas MacArthur raises the American flag over Corregidor again and then hauls it down... raises the flag of the Republic of the Philippines... when Generalissimo Chiang Kai Shek marches once again into Nanking... and when... American airplanes fly overhead in clouds so thick that they blot out the rising sun.” (01:13:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the dread and anticipation before war breaks out:

  • “The Colonel takes the liberty of reminding you that there have been no regular Trans Pacific ship schedules from Shanghai for some months. There is a possibility that after the next 10 days there may not be any way to get out.” (06:50)

• On American confidence and its unraveling:

  • “The United States will never let the Philippines come. We'll show those Japs what it means to play in the big league. We'll have reinforcements any day now.” (02:20)
  • “But it doesn't happen that way. We can't do that. You see, there has been a Pearl Harbor.” (39:10)

• On the unity and suffering of the defenders of Bataan:

  • “They're fighting here on Bataan, side by side. The American army and the Philippine army. The aviators without planes now man rifles and machine guns. And the sailors from Cavite without ships or a naval base now man rifles and machine guns.” (46:45)

• On enduring belief in reinforcements:

  • “They believed. Oh, how they believed. They knew that the big brothers would come. They knew that the United States fleet would come plunging proudly up through the islands.” (48:00)

• On racial tensions and colonial attitudes:

  • “We Americans are the ruling race here. You're nothing but dirt. Do you understand me? Dirt?” (22:50)
  • “I, too, am an American, Mr. Lee.” (24:10) — Sergeant Francisco, quietly countering the insult.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• (02:20): Americans and Filipinos discuss the outbreak of war and their hopes/expectations.
• (07:20): Warning from Japanese officer about the imminent conflict.
• (12:09): Social scene in Manila; optimism and toasts to American victory.
• (22:50): Racial confrontation in Manila hotel lounge.
• (34:10): Narration on the emotional transformation of Americans post-Pearl Harbor.
• (41:16): Aftermath of the Manila bombings and Cavite naval base destroyed.
• (46:45): Defenders united in Bataan, Americans and Filipinos fighting side by side.
• (48:00): Hope for Allied reinforcements; myth vs. reality.
• (01:00:40): Lee recognizes Sergeant Francisco among the fallen.
• (01:11:10): News of Mel Jacoby’s death in Australia.
• (01:13:25): Lee’s closing reflection on the war and postwar hopes.

Tone and Style

The adaptation is grave, evocative, and earnest, employing first-person narration with interspersed dialogue to convey tension, pride, despair, and the relentless churn of war. Realistic, at times sentimental, the radio production does not shy away from the trauma or irony of war, maintaining respect for both its American and Filipino subjects.

Final Reflection

This episode serves as a powerful period piece, illustrating the emotional journey from bravado to bitter reality among those who witnessed the early reversals of World War II in the Pacific. Through Clark Lee’s eyes, we see not only the cost of unpreparedness and overconfidence but also the resilience of individuals and the forging of international bonds under fire.

Recommended For:
Listeners interested in WWII history, wartime journalism, the history of old-time radio drama, and stories of courage and survival in the Pacific theater.