Fall of Bataan

Nazaraine P. Landicho BSA – 5A

Timeline of Japanese Invasion

• July 22,1941 – Japanese troops attacked Indochina

• September 6,1941 – Japanese troops attacked Indonesia for oil
• November 20, 1941 – discussed trading with the United States
• December 8, 1941 – bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii
• December 11, 1941 – disembarked in Aparri, Cagayan
• December 12, 1941 – bombed Nichols Air Field and Cavite Navy Yard
• December 13, 1941 – Invaded Legazpi, Albay
• December 14, 1941 – disembarked in Damortis, La Union
• December 20, 1941 – fall of Davao
• December 22, 1941 – disembarked in Lingayen, Pangasinan and Atimonan & Mauban,
Tayabas
• December 24, 1941 – General MacArthur advised the leaders of the Commonwealth and
their family to go to Corregidor
• December 26, 1941 – Manila was made an Open City
• December 30, 1941 – 2nd inauguration of Manuel L. Quezon
• December 31, 1941 – American and Filipino Troops were gathered in Bataan while waiting
for the assistance of the United States
• January 2, 1942 – Occupation of Manila
• January 3, 1942 – General Masaharu Homma declared the end of the rule of the United
States in the Philippines

Battle of Bataan (January 7 – April 9, 1942) - Most intense phase of Imperial Japan’s invasion
of the Philippines during World War II
Layac Line – 1st strong line of defense

Abucay-Mauban Line (January 9-23, 1942) – 2 defensive lines across Bataan

 Mauban (west) – 22,500 troops

 Abucay (east) – 25,000 troops
 Mount Natib – boundary between 2 corps
 January 9, 1942 – Lieutenant General Susumu Morioka assaulted Abucay and were
repulsed by General Luther Stevens & Colonel George Clark
 January 12, 1942 – 2nd Lieutenant Alexander R. Nininger – Medal of Honor; Narcisco
Ortilano – Distinguished Service Cross
 January 14, 1992 – Japanese troops advanced to Salian River Valley
 January 15, 1942 – Brigadier General Fidel Segundo defended Morong Sector (heavy
bombardment)
 January 22, 1942 – Abucay-Mauban Line was abandoned

Battle of Pockets

• The remaining Japanese troops managed to get through at some rear sectors of Orion-Bagac
Line – Tuol River Valley & Gogo-Cotar River
• Captain Alfredo Santos – Hero of the Pockets

Battle of the Points

• Out of 2,000 Japanese troops, only 43 wounded soldiers returned to their lines
• “Suicide squad” – Diary of a dead Japanese soldier

Fall of Bataan

• March 12, 1942 – MacArthur, his family, and USAFFE left Corregidor for Mindanao
• MacArchur flown to Australia – end of USAFFE
• “I shall return.”
 • March 22, 1942 – United States Forces in the Philippines
• Lieutenant Commander John Buckeley – Medal of Honor, Navy Cross,
Distinguished Service Cross, etc.
• End of March – Japanese forces prepared for their final attack
• Japanese General Headquarters sent strong weaponry forces
• April 3, 1942 – the entire Orion-Bagac was subject to nonstop bombings by 100 aircraft &
bombardment by 300 weaponry pieces from 9:00am to 3:00pm which turned Mount Samat
to inferno
• April 4-6, 1942 – American and Filipino defenders were driven back by Japanese troops
• April 8, 1942 – Major General Edward P. King put out proposals for surrender
• April 9, 1942 – General King met with Major General Kameichiro Nagano
• Bataan Peninsula Surrendered
• Approximately 80,000 defenders

The Voice of Freedom

 Radio broadcast in Malinta Tunnel, Corregidor

 3rd Lieutenant Normando Ildefonso Reyes
 Prepared by Captain Salvador Lopez
Bataan Death March

 All prisoners of war were ordered to march on foot from both Mariveles and Bagac, to
Balanga, and from there proceed towards San Fernando (100km from Mariveles to San
Fernando)
 Japanese soldiers slaughtered anyone who were either too slow, or tried to drink or obtain
food
 Survivors that reached San Fernando boarded trains to Camp O’ Donnell in Capas, Tarlac
 More than 100 sick and weary prisoners were packed in railway cars for 40-50 men – many
perished as a result
 Approximately 54,000 out of 80,000 made it to Camp O’Donnell
 Death of 10,000 Filipinos and 2,330 Americans