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MIS Capitol Bataan
The Road to War
World War II actually began in Europe on September 1, 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland. Great Britain and later, France, which had promised to defend Poland in case of attack, declared war on Germany.[i]
In Asia, the Japanese attack and invasion of China caused some tension between Japan and the United States. The U.S. was sharply critical of Japan's aggression in China. In 1939, the U.S. terminated its trade agreement with Japan. As a result, Japan could no longer buy most of the metals, machinery and other materials she needed for her war efforts.[ii]
When Japanese forces occupied French-Indo_china in July 1941, the Americans reacted by imposing an oil embargo on Japan and freezing all Japanese assets in the United States. In addition, the U.S. demanded that Japan withdraw her forces from China and Indo-China. In the face of these developments, Japan decided to go to war against the United States and Great Britain.[iii]
The Outbreak of War
Without any formal declaration of war, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack at the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in the morning of December 7, 1941. Pear Harbor was the head-quarters and main base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Caught unprepared, the U.S. suffered heavy losses.[iv]
The next day, December 8, President Roosevelt appeared before the U.S. Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Japan, describing as December 7 as "a date which will live in infamy." On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The U.S. Congress immediately responded by declaring war on the two European allies of Japan.[v]
The War in the Philippines
On December 8, 1941, Japanese planes bombed Davao, Tuguegarao, Iba, Tarlac, and Pampanga where the U.S. had military bases. The air raids caught the Americans by surprise. On the following day Manila was bombed. Thereafter there were almost daily air raids in Manila and other places in the country.[vi]
As the year 1941 came to an end, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was directing the American forces in the Far East from his base in Manila, moved into the Bataan Peninsula to set up the defense of the Philippines. All the men who could fight and all the youths who were willing to, withdrew from the city to Bataan, determined to hold on to this last ground where the flags of the Philippines and the United States could still fly free.[vii]
Bataan was ideal for defense. The province had a number of steep mountains and hills, thriving rivers, and was covered with thick jungle. The defenders - with a strength of about 83,000 men, chose an area between Mauban and Mabatang as their main line of resistance, and the second line, the rear battle position, lay across the road from Bagac and Orion.[viii]
Without aerial support and inadequately equipped, the Fil-American Forces retreated to the Bataan peninsula, there to make their last stand while waiting for promised reinforcement from America that never arrived.[ix]
Eventually, on January 11, 1942 at 11:30 pm at the Abucay line, the joint American and Filipino army were besieged by the ferocious Japanese invaders.
[i] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117
[ii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117
[iii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117
[iv] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117
[v] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118
[vi] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118
[vii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.104-105
[viii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.104-105
[ix] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118-119
World War II actually began in Europe on September 1, 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland. Great Britain and later, France, which had promised to defend Poland in case of attack, declared war on Germany.[i]
In Asia, the Japanese attack and invasion of China caused some tension between Japan and the United States. The U.S. was sharply critical of Japan's aggression in China. In 1939, the U.S. terminated its trade agreement with Japan. As a result, Japan could no longer buy most of the metals, machinery and other materials she needed for her war efforts.[ii]
When Japanese forces occupied French-Indo_china in July 1941, the Americans reacted by imposing an oil embargo on Japan and freezing all Japanese assets in the United States. In addition, the U.S. demanded that Japan withdraw her forces from China and Indo-China. In the face of these developments, Japan decided to go to war against the United States and Great Britain.[iii]
The Outbreak of War
Without any formal declaration of war, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack at the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in the morning of December 7, 1941. Pear Harbor was the head-quarters and main base of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Caught unprepared, the U.S. suffered heavy losses.[iv]
The next day, December 8, President Roosevelt appeared before the U.S. Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Japan, describing as December 7 as "a date which will live in infamy." On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. The U.S. Congress immediately responded by declaring war on the two European allies of Japan.[v]
The War in the Philippines
On December 8, 1941, Japanese planes bombed Davao, Tuguegarao, Iba, Tarlac, and Pampanga where the U.S. had military bases. The air raids caught the Americans by surprise. On the following day Manila was bombed. Thereafter there were almost daily air raids in Manila and other places in the country.[vi]
As the year 1941 came to an end, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was directing the American forces in the Far East from his base in Manila, moved into the Bataan Peninsula to set up the defense of the Philippines. All the men who could fight and all the youths who were willing to, withdrew from the city to Bataan, determined to hold on to this last ground where the flags of the Philippines and the United States could still fly free.[vii]
Bataan was ideal for defense. The province had a number of steep mountains and hills, thriving rivers, and was covered with thick jungle. The defenders - with a strength of about 83,000 men, chose an area between Mauban and Mabatang as their main line of resistance, and the second line, the rear battle position, lay across the road from Bagac and Orion.[viii]
Without aerial support and inadequately equipped, the Fil-American Forces retreated to the Bataan peninsula, there to make their last stand while waiting for promised reinforcement from America that never arrived.[ix]
Eventually, on January 11, 1942 at 11:30 pm at the Abucay line, the joint American and Filipino army were besieged by the ferocious Japanese invaders.
[i] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117
[ii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117
[iii] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117
[iv] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 117
[v] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118
[vi] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118
[vii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.104-105
[viii] Fr. Wilfredo C. Paguio, Bataan Land of Valor, People of Peace, Jardi Press, 1997, pp.104-105
[ix] Alberto S. Abeleda Jr., The Nation in Focus, St. Bernadette Publishing House Corporation, 2007, p. 118-119
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