As the survivors recounted their experiences, Mr. Reimer sat quietly and impassively at the defense table.

Shown in black-and-white film as young men and again in color as they appeared more than 40 years later, the survivors recount their training, their exploits and their reflections.

Most notably in the city of Mapanique, survivors recount the Japanese occupation with Filipino men being massacred and dozens of women being herded to be used as comfort women.

The stories the survivors recounted in the Florida press after their rescue, and expanded on in phone calls to their families in Cardenas, revealed terrifying details.

A survivor recounted his escape: "I was driving home when suddenly all this stuff came down on top of me and hit me full on.

But after the survivors recounted their story, the spokesman, who declined to be identified, said the peasants had been massacred by guerrillas in an attempt to create an incident that would embarrass the army.

A survivor recounted "All I could see was parts of bodies, arms and legs protruding from the windows".

It was the first time the survivor had recounted her story in full for anyone.

The man was immediately shot dead, the survivor recounted.

Another German survivor, Ruth Foster, recounted what she had heard about the massacre: