Survive as a World War II Soldier - Chapter 45



Only Noblemtl

#045

There was one thing that the Korean people were serious about besides rice farming and food, and that was land.

Moreover, among the Koreans who came all the way to the Philippines, they were especially passionate about ‘living well’.

Is it normal to leave the land where your ancestors lived for generations and move to a foreign country where you don’t even speak the language?

The Koreans who came to the Philippines in this way spared no effort to ‘live well’ more passionately than anyone else.

The efforts of Koreans to clear the jungle and turn it into farmland, something that Filipinos would never have dreamed of, ignited the hearts of young intellectuals, including Manuel Quezon.

“If the Philippines is to develop properly, doesn’t it need land reform?”

Currently, a small number of landowners hold sway in Philippine politics and business.

In fact, it was also because of the United States.

Immediately after taking the Philippines from Spain, the United States received help from landowners to ensure smooth rule of the Philippines. Naturally, the power of the landowners became stronger than before.

In the early 20th century, the Philippines was an agricultural country.

In other words, a small number of landowners who monopolize the land are controlling not only the economy but also politics.

In such a situation, young intellectuals including Manuel Quezon believed that the Philippines, which was currently centered on landlords, needed to be reformed.

“If we continue like this, even if we become independent, the Philippines has no future.”

Governor Wood also had similar thoughts.

The problem was that it was not easy to change a system that had been solidly built up over centuries.

Meanwhile, the United States has spared no effort in establishing schools throughout the Philippines and sending missionaries on a large scale to so-called civilize the Filipino people.

The most representative success story was Manuel Quezon.

Manuel’s parents are Chinese mestizo and Spanish mestizo respectively.

As an elementary school teacher, he was not a poor slum, but he was not from a wealthy landowner family either.

The problem is that success stories like Manuel’s are very few and far between.

Most Filipinos,

“I’m so busy just trying to make a living, what’s the point of studying?”

“There is no problem in farming even if you don’t know how to read.”

The arrival of Korean immigrants in this situation was a boon to those who thought like Manuel.

“If you work hard like those Koreans, you can escape being a tenant farmer and become an independent farmer.”

So, the Joseon people who worked hard and tenaciously were like catfish thrown into a calm lake.

Filipinos began to appear, inspired by the efforts and success of Koreans.

“Yeah. If they can do it, what can’t we do?”

“We cannot pass down poverty from generation to generation.”

Wasn’t the education of children by Joseon people originally different?

Joseon people worked hard to eat well and live well, and made sure their children studied at all costs.

“We lost our country and came this far, but that is why we must learn more and work harder.”

“That’s right. It’s come to this for us, but we have to make sure that our children live better.”

“You have to learn and master everything.”

What particularly fueled this atmosphere was the stabilization of food prices.

Farmland increased through active reclamation, and food resources increased through the spread of diverse eating cultures.

With the problem of making a living somewhat resolved, the poor farmers of the Philippines finally had the luxury of dreaming of tomorrow rather than today.

It was truly the age of enlightenment.

The ultimate goal of these young Filipino intellectuals who fervently promoted rural enlightenment movements, putting Koreans first, was industrial development.

“If we, the Philippines, want to develop, if we want to move forward like Japan, we have to develop industry.”

“We can’t just farm forever, right?”

And to achieve this, reforms were needed to break down the system centered on a small number of landowners.

“If we want to develop industry, land reform must come first.”

“That’s right. We need to make the landlords invest in industry, not land.”

There are many reasons why the Philippine economy is increasingly falling behind Japan, but it is not wrong to say that it is because proper industrial development is not taking place.

Until the outbreak of World War II, the Philippines was one of the wealthiest countries in history.

However, it is clear that structural problems were the cause of the situation becoming similar to that of other Southeast Asian countries in the mid-to-late 20th century.

Although the economic system was centered on agriculture, there was nothing particularly special about Philippine agriculture.

Agriculture focused on export crops was profitable for the landowners.

But not when looking at the Philippines as a whole.

“Sugar exports? That’s good. But you can’t live off of that.”

Because they had to import rice and other small crops essential for survival, prices were much higher than in other countries with similar economic levels.

Poor farmers had a hard time making a living even though they worked hard.

Add to this the rampant corruption, and the Philippines has become a poor country barely surviving on money sent back by workers going abroad and the tourism industry supported by its natural environment.

“What Manuel and others said is not wrong.”

“But why are you so worried?”

“I know it’s the right path, but it’s not an easy path.”

Reforms have always been met with resistance, wherever and whenever.

Especially in the Philippines, where the power and influence of landowners is solid.

“Tsk. Didn’t I say that when we first met? My goal in life is to make this Philippines a proper country.”

“Oh, yes.”

For that reason, Wood, who would take the blame, made a kind request to me to gather together the Filipinos, including Manuel, and act as a good person.

“If you remember that, why are you hesitating so much? I’ve decided to take on the role of the one who gets cursed at anyway. Let me properly dance the sword dance once.”

“Your Majesty the Governor.”

“Honestly, all the corruption in the Philippines is caused by them.”

Wood promised to pressure landowners by rooting out corruption and to push for land reform.

“To be honest, I do have some selfish motives in me.”

Wood’s chuckling face reminded me of the fact that when I first arrived in the Philippines, most of the Filipino officials who had been at odds with Wood were either landowners or, if not, were in league with them.

It seemed that Wood had not forgotten the grudge from that time.

“First of all, the cause is plausible. Eradicating corruption. How good is that?”

As Wood began to dance with his sword, the Philippines began to shake violently.

“This is political oppression.”

“Wood is the devil who came to ruin the Philippines.”

“America has no intention of making the Philippines independent.”

The attacked landowners somehow managed to hang on to the wood.

The American rule in the Philippines, shortly after it was taken over by Spain, was quite harsh.

In the process of suppressing those who rose up shouting for independence, the United States did not hesitate to commit crimes such as massacre, and the representative figure of this was none other than Wood.

“America has finally revealed its evil hand.”

“It revealed the face that oppressed and massacred us long ago.”

“Let us unite for independence.”

But the atmosphere was different from right when I arrived.

“America has neither massacred nor oppressed anyone.”

“Who are those who truly care about the Philippines?”

“Let’s defeat these cancerous beings that are eating away at the Philippines.”

“Those who sold our country to Spain and America, shut up.”

As Wood said, rooting out corruption provided a plausible cause, and young politicians, including Manuel, supported him.

“Let’s eradicate corruption and create a new Philippines.”

“Let’s drive out the fake patriots who only think of their own interests.”

The Philippines is finally starting to wake up.

So the Philippines began to move in a direction completely different from what I remembered.

Terrified by such a run in the Philippines, I grabbed Wood and Manuel and gave them some urgent advice.

“Industry is good, but it would be better to first focus on self-sufficiency in food.”

“Why? This time, the factory too···.”

“If the food self-sufficiency rate is like this···.”

The current Philippine economy is structured around selling specialty crops such as sugar and importing food grains such as rice.

The food self-sufficiency rate is gradually improving with the arrival of Koreans, but is that something that will end in one year?

Just as a student who used to get 10 points would see his or her score triple if he or she only got 30 points, it was just an optical illusion that made it seem like the self-sufficiency rate had increased dramatically recently because it was so low.

However, young Filipinos, including Manuel, were so intoxicated by the changes in the Philippines and their own success that they were unable to make sound judgments.

There was a reason why I tore them apart and shouted for speed control.

‘The Great Depression.’

The Philippine economy has, of course, been more closely tied to the United States than any other economy in the world.

Therefore, the current reform to overhaul the agricultural export-oriented economic system was a necessary measure.

It was clear that when panic struck, the first things people would cut back on were luxury foods like cigarettes and sugar.

You don’t have to do that, and you can live without eating it.

But at the same time, reforms that were too rapid were dangerous.

“Don’t you think the current boom is too excessive?”

Manuel tilted his head in puzzlement at my words.

“The boom is excessive? What do you mean?”

Manuel, still young, did not understand my concerns.

“Industrialization is good. I like it. I’m not against it, I’m just saying that it needs to be moderated.”

Even as the country transformed into an industrial nation, Manuel placed emphasis on exports.

The goal was to build a factory that would make goods that would be more profitable when sold in the United States than those that would work within the Philippines.

“What you’re saying is that we need to restructure our economy in a way that weakens our ties to the United States rather than industrializing it.”

“Yeah. That’s right···.”

Even if the Great Depression came to the United States, the impact could be minimized.

But Manuel shook his head.

“We have crossed the river of no return with Japan.”

It’s not that there weren’t many Japanese people investing in the Philippines even before the Great Kanto Earthquake.

Rather, indigenous Filipino forces and the Wood expressed concern about the growing Japanese influence.

But things changed completely after the Philippines exposed Japan’s duplicity.

“In this situation, are you saying we should distance ourselves from the United States? Isn’t that too dangerous?”

There was some truth to what Manuel said.

“No, what I mean by keeping a distance is to think about what might happen. If we continue in the current direction, if something happens to the United States, the Philippines will collapse even faster. I’m not saying exports are bad, but I’m saying we should take care of diversity.”

When I told him that not putting all your eggs in one basket is a fundamental principle of investing, Manuel reluctantly nodded, but he didn’t look completely convinced.

Fortunately, Governor Wood was different from Manuel.

“Your worries are valid.”

“Manuel and the others···.”

Wood chuckled at my comment that he didn’t seem to understand properly.

“You’re still young. That’s why old people like me are still useful.”

That was fortunate.

“What a pity, by the way.”

“Me too. I need to stay here a little longer.”

“Don’t say that. You’re going back after getting promoted, so isn’t it a promotion? I’m here, and there are many others.”

So I got promoted to major general, and that got me back to the States.

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