The Crucible: an Autobiography by Colonel Yay, Filipina American Guerrilla

"The Crucible is a fascinating and unique autobiography that presents readers with a point of view that is rarely seen and heard, but deserves notice." -Catherine Ceniza Choy, author of Empire of Care: Nursing and Migration in Filipino American History On December 8, 1941, as the Pacific War reached the Philippines, Yay Panlilio, a Filipina-Irish American, faced a question with no easy answer: How could she contribute to the war? In this 1950 memoir, The Crucible: An Autobiography by Colonel Yay, Filipina American Guerrilla, Panlilio narrates her experience as a journalist, triple agent, leader in the Philippine resistance against the Japanese, and lover of the guerrilla general Marcos V. Augustín. From the war-torn streets of Japanese-occupied Manila, to battlegrounds in the countryside, and the rural farmlands of central California, Panlilio blends wry commentary, rigorous journalistic detail, and popular romance. Drawing attention to the important participation of women and guerrillas in the resistance, this work provides an insightful perspective on World War II. The Crucible invites readers to see new intersections in Filipina/o, Asian American, and American literary studies. The critical introduction by Denise Cruz imparts key biographical, historical, and cultural contexts to that purpose. Denise Cruz is an assistant professor of English and American studies at Indiana University.