Return to Victory

It had been two and a half difficult years since General Douglas MacArthur had reluctantly obeyed a presidential order to abandon his American and Filipino forces on the Bataan Peninsula and slip away to Australia to organize the Allied resistance. From Australia, he had famously vowed to return to liberate the Philippines. And the people had believed his vow, their faith in him almost spiritual. Believers snuck out at night to paint his words on city walls; resisters secretly printed them on matchbook covers and gum wrappers and carried the oath in their pockets.

The Philippine Islands were among the most important strongholds for the preservation of the Japanese Empire. As consequential as New Guinea had been, the Empire faced inevitable defeat if the Philippines were lost. The more than 7,000 islands of the archipelago dominated the shipping lanes that brought much needed oil to the home islands from the resource rich East Indies. The Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet said he was willing to sacrifice every ship in his fleet to prevent MacArthur from regaining control of the Philippines. The fleet would be useless, he said, without the East Indies fuel.

Return to Victory is the story of MacArthur's liberation of the Philippines as told from the perspectives of the three major combatants: the Americans, the Japanese, and the Filipinos themselves. It will examine the strategic and tactical aspects of the campaign through the participation of the soldiers, sailors, and airmen, as well as the experiences of leaders such as General MacArthur, Admiral Halsey, General Walter Krueger, General George Kenney, Admiral Kinkaid, Colonel Ruberto Kangleon, and General Yamashita.

“"With clarity and intelligence, James Duffy blends detail and a sweeping narrative to lead the reader from the invasion of Leyte and its harrowing naval battle to the Luzon landings and the battle for Manila; from describing the importance of logistics and air support to chronicling the dirty business of fighting diehards in the steamy mountain jungles. Meticulously researched, Return to Victory paints a panoramic picture of MacArthur's dramatic return as conqueror."-- Joseph Wheelan, author of Midnight in the Pacific and Bloody Okinawa”

"Duffy goes into immense and wonderful detail covering the commanders, sailors, and airmen, as well as the regular soldiers; covering the entirety of the campaign from both a tactical and strategic perspective. No matter where you are, Return to Victory will have you gripped to the page, even when you already know the outcome."

--Manhattan Book Review
"An excellent narrative of a complex, 3D campaign spanning years."--Army Magazine

"Return to Victory offers a detailed, well documented study of General Douglas MacArthur's triumphant conquest of the Philippines in 1944-45, nearly three years after losing the vital islands to Japan. James P. Duffy, a versatile military historian, also pays tribute to MacArthur's Filipino allies who often are overlooked in accounts of the five-star general's latter career."

--Barrett Tillman, award-winning author of Whirlwind
"General Douglas MacArthur's return to the Philippines fulfilled the most prophetic promise of World War II and became an incomparable example of determined personal will backed by the unbounded power of America. Jim Duffy is an insightful historian and engaging writer who ably recounts this gargantuan effort, giving attention to overarching Pacific strategy as well as the harrowing exploits of those in the front ranks."--Walter R. Borneman, author of The Admirals and MacArthur at War
"In Return to Victory James Duffy has brought the flamboyant Douglas MacArthur to life. Duffy capably develops MacArthur as a master strategist and courageous commander in liberating the Philippines during World War II."--Burton W. Folsom, Distinguished Fellow, Hillsdale College and coauthor of FDR Goes to War
"James Duffy presents an authoritative, engaging panorama of the vicious air, land, and sea battles that defined General Douglas MacArthur's hard-won effort to liberate the Philippines. A fine companion to the author's War at the End of the World."--Bruce Gamble, author of the Rabaul Trilogy
"The suspenseful story in Return to Victory really is an epic tale. James Duffy brings us a remarkably clear account of one of the most complex military operations of all time, which included an amphibious landing that rivaled D-Day and the largest naval battle of the war. He adroitly combines fascinating details and a vivid depiction of the grand scope of the operation. This is a book that will appeal to World War II buffs and general readers alike."--Jack Kelly, award-winning author of Valcour: The 1776 Campaign That Saved the Cause of Liberty
"With a narrative as driving as General MacArthur's Pacific campaign, James Duffy provides an authoritative account of the bloody contest for the Philippines that led to the final defeat of the Japanese. Filled with crisp prose and infused with page-turning tension, Return to Victory is sure to thrill aficionados of World War II history."--Theresa Kaminski, author of Angels of the Underground: The American Women Who Resisted the Japanese in the Philippines in World War II
"With clarity and intelligence, James Duffy blends detail and a sweeping narrative to lead the reader from the invasion of Leyte and its harrowing naval battle to the Luzon landings and the battle for Manila; from describing the importance of logistics and air support to chronicling the dirty business of fighting diehards in the steamy mountain jungles. Meticulously researched, Return to Victory paints a panoramic picture of MacArthur's dramatic return as conqueror."--Joseph Wheelan, author of Midnight in the Pacific and Bloody Okinawa

James P. Duffy is the author of over a dozen previous books, most on military history. His World War II titles include The Sinking of the Laconia and the U-Boat War, Target America, Hitler's Secret Pirate Fleet, and War at the End of the World. He has also written on the American Civil War and the rulers of Imperial Russia. He resides with his family in New Jersey.

It had been two and a half difficult years since General Douglas MacArthur had reluctantly obeyed a presidential order to abandon his American and Filipino forces on the Bataan Peninsula and slip away to Australia to organize the Allied resistance. From Australia, he had famously vowed to return to liberate the Philippines. And the people had believed his vow, their faith in him almost spiritual. Believers snuck out at night to paint his words on city walls; resisters secretly printed them on matchbook covers and gum wrappers and carried the oath in their pockets.The Philippine Islands were among the most important strongholds for the preservation of the Japanese Empire. As consequential as New Guinea had been, the Empire faced inevitable defeat if the Philippines were lost. The more than 7,000 islands of the archipelago dominated the shipping lanes that brought much needed oil to the home islands from the resource rich East Indies. The Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet said he was willing to sacrifice every ship in his fleet to prevent MacArthur from regaining control of the Philippines. The fleet would be useless, he said, without the East Indies fuel. Return to Victory is the story of MacArthur's liberation of the Philippines as told from the perspectives of the three major combatants: the Americans, the Japanese, and the Filipinos themselves. It will examine the strategic and tactical aspects of the campaign through the participation of the soldiers, sailors, and airmen, as well as the experiences of leaders such as General MacArthur, Admiral Halsey, General Walter Krueger, General George Kenney, Admiral Kinkaid, Colonel Ruberto Kangleon, and General Yamashita.

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