Silliman University, established in 1901 by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions in America, was considered one of the five greatest mission schools in the world and served as a strong Christian center of learning located in Dumaguete, Negros Island, Philippines. The university community was dramatically impacted by the outbreak of World War II. Following the initial attacks and the eventual Japanese occupation, American and British residents, including missionaries and university staff, were rounded up and interned, with many being held at camps like Santo Tomas and later Bilibid Prison. During the occupation, the Silliman campus was requisitioned by the military. While some missionary work continued discreetly, key staff members joined the resistance movement, with one faculty member rising to the rank of Major in the guerrilla organization and serving as the Civil Affairs Director in the region, providing a guiding strength for the resistance effort. This led to the Japanese deliberately burning certain university buildings for military reasons, including the Home Economics Building. Other structures, such as the President's Home, were also destroyed. The historic Silliman Hall, the oldest building on campus, was used as a barracks, prison, and garage, with the surrounding lawn serving as a cemetery. The destruction was so pervasive that following the liberation, the university faced a total loss of essential infrastructure and equipment, necessitating a major appeal for funds to replace dozens of destroyed or dilapidated buildings and procure all new equipment for every college department and dormitory. This compilation of documents provides a direct record of this tumultuous period, detailing the experiences of the university's personnel and the enormous challenge of immediate post-war reconstruction.
Documents of the war story of Silliman University for the University Library