The Gallant Defenders Of Freedom

World war two was the biggest,greatest and the most disastrous war mankind had ever seen almost 50 million people lost their lives, and numerous amounts of property destroyed by war, almost every nation in the world participated, including the Philippines. at that time the Philippines was a protectorate of the mighty United States of America. some of our fellow Filipinos such as the late president Quezon made a movement for independence so the Tydings-Mcduffie act (1934) was passed granting full independence to the Philippines for the next eleven years. However during the year 1939 the world was at war thereafter on 1941 the Imperial Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Navy stationed at Pearl Harbor simultaneously the japs also attacked Philippines. Japanese Planes form Formosa (now Taiwan) took off and bombarded Clark field, Fort Stotsenberg and other military installations. the Filipinos was half prepared of war, however when the attack came they stood and was ready to defend the motherland. At that time the USAFFE (United States Armed forces in the far east) has 90,000 Filipino combat troops and 40,000 american forces stationed on the island (the army air corps was wiped out during the first week of the war), they defended the Philippines well, despite the air and naval superiority of the enemy. Almost 60 % of the Filipino forces were half  trained or never  had a training at all because they were students from various universities on the island who were called for duty through the ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) some of them never fired their rifles, others never seen an artillery piece before nevertheless they fought to the death against the cold blooded invaders for it is in the blood of the brave Filipinos to fight till the end despite the advantages of the enemy. The Japanese used massive pincer movement tactics.After weeks of fighting, General Douglas MacArthur. decided to widraw to Bataan and Corregidor and continue to defend the archipelago and wait for reinforcements.

  The Japanese high command in Tokyo gave the task of invading the Philippines to Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma, he was given fifty days to conquer the island, the arrogant Japs thought that our country can be defeated easily, they were dead wrong. Of all the asian subjects, the Filipinos gave the Japanese the longest and the toughest fight, they couldn't beat us that easily. the Fil - american forces defended the Philippines for four, long months and the Japanese was desperate. they were surprised of the steadfastness of the Filipino soldiers according to some historians Filipino soldiers did most of the fighting and most of the dying . Due to the bombing of Pearl Harbor USAFFE never received any reinforcements and supplies because the Navy was crippled and the Americans decided to help the european friends instead of us. Tthe defenders got sick with malaria, beriberi, and other tropical diseases . Eventually their resources were depleted and they were forced to surrender. (April 9,1942 in Bataan and May 6, 1942 in Corregidor) and there happens the Bataan death march, the yellow monkeys (Japs) was so angry at us that they kill a hundred people a day , this angered me too. 66,000 filipinos and 15,000 Americans was on that brutal 6 day hike form Mariveles, Bataan to Camp O'donell at Capas, Tarlac without food and little water, including Japanese Brutality Bayoneting, beheading and many many more atrocities. An estimated 15,000 died on the road or escaped. On the Battle 10,000 USAFFE forces were killed while 8,000 on the Jap side.  Many people doesn't know the significance of the Defense, Well it bought time to the Americans to rebuild their Navy, Upsets the Japanese time table of conquest because they thought they could beat us in a single day .The Japanese plan of invading Australia were ruined and it is obvious that we spared Australia and the rest of southern pacific islands from the Japs, it cost the enemy a lot of munitions and men,. Without the gallant defense, Asia might be overrun quickly. These men, From The Philippine Commonwealth Army, the Army Air corps, the ROTC, the Philippine Military Academy, the Philippine constabulary, the Philippine scouts and the American forces these are true heroes of Freedom that must not be forgotten they will never be....forgotten . Salute to the heroes of the Philippines!