"In this book, Alfred W. McCoy takes a new approach to the military and political history of the Philippines. Comparing two generations of graduates from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) - the classes of 1940 and 1971 - McCoy uncovers fundamental differences in their academic socialization and subsequent ascent to power.

Viewed through this comparative lens, the story of these two classes becomes the history of the entire Philippine army, offering important insights into the complexities of Filipino involvement in war and peace from the 1930s to the 1990s."--BOOK JACKET.