In late 1943, over seven thousand American soldiers were held as prisoners of war in the Japanese-occupied Philippines. The majority had survived the infamous Bataan Death March only to face starvation and torture in internment camps operated by the kempei, the Japanese military police.

Written in 1944, Until They Eat Stones is the definitive account of the POW camps in the occupied Philippines as the situation unfolded. The camps held thousands of Filipino civilians (mostly from Manila) in addition to US and Allied soldiers. As a backdrop (and break) from the prison brutality, author Russell Brine provides detailed reports on mid-war Japanese strategy and tactics in Southeast Asia.