On January 4, 1942, Japanese occupying forces began imprisoning over three thousand American and Allied civilians who were living in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, when it fell into the hands of the Empire of Japan. Though the civilians they held within the walls of Santo Tomas University were under their direct control, the Japanese took advantage of the unprecedented situation to declare that they were not responsible for supplying food, medicine, or other essential items to the internees. Born from a combination of necessity and American values of self-government, the internees began designing and implementing organizational structures to address everything from their most basic survival needs to the stability of their morale. Since the Japanese conducted a blanket roundup of civilians in Manila, Santo Tomas became home to men and women from dozens of professions, each able to use his or her knowledge or physical skills to assist in the formation of their internal government. Among the first civilians to enter the camp were several news reporters and press members, including Russel Brines of the Associated Press. Over the next several months, Brines and his fellow press members published the bi-weekly newspaper, INTERNEWS, to spread critical information throughout the internment camp. Using three major categories – announcements and government, humor and recreation, and health and wellness – members of the press used their skills to protect the physical and mental health of their fellow internees and contribute to the overall success of the internee government that kept them alive until the Japanese took over the responsibility of feeding the camp on July 1, 1942. Eight decades later, INTERNEWS provides an on-the-ground look at what was most important in the day-to-day lives of the internees, offers a window into the emotions and realities inside the walls of the Santo Tomas Internment Camp, and stands as a testament to the strength and ingenuity of Americans in the face of overwhelming odds in the middle of a world at war.