Philippines

From the ruins of Manila to the rice fields and sugar plantations of the interior, this March of Time survey of the Philippines in 1945 finds a nation ready for independence but reliant on American aid. Images of gold mines near Luzon, and footage showing chromite excavation and hemp factories illustrate the richness of the country’s natural resources but the commentary emphasises the gap between rich and poor, hinting at political tensions in a country facing the task of postwar reconstruction.

The sight of worthless Japanese banknotes being shovelled into huge piles ready for destruction sums up the economic problems faced by the Philippines in 1946. This film gives weight to both America’s responsibilities as well as the hope of ordinary Filipinos that independence - scheduled for July 4th 1946 - would help reduce the inequalities that existed before the war. The narrative highlights General Douglas MacArthur’s role as liberator of the islands, but the film also emphasises the importance of the Filipino resistance and argues that wartime struggles have led to a new awareness amongst the country’s ordinary citizens of their collective power and their right to a say in the country’s future.