Invasion of the Philippines By Brady Grainda Invasion

Invasion of the Philippines By Brady Grainda

Invasion of the Philippines Date: December 7, 1941 – May 5, 1942 Involved Countries: • The Philippines, United States and Japan Historical Figures of the Invasion: • United States: General Mac. Arthur, General Edward King, Admiral Thomas Hart, Major General Jonathan Wainwright • Philippines: President Manuel L. Quezon • Japan: General Masaharu Homma

General Douglas Mac. Arthur (1880 -1964) Field Marshall of U. S. Philippine Army

Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma

Invasion Key Events • During the invasion, the Philippine and U. S. Armed forces were unprepared for the surprise invasion. • Many U. S. troops fled and didn't fight, which left other U. S. troops dying or dead. • Japan brought 50, 000 men to attack the Philippines. • Many U. S. troops died from sickness or brutality from Japanese soldiers and were put into “POW” camps. • U. S. and Filipino troops were forced to march 60 miles without food, water or medical supplies. The journey they took was called the “Bataan Death March. ” • During the march up the peninsula, approximately 2, 330 Americans and somewhere between 7, 000 and 10, 000 Filipinos died.

The battle started on December 7, 1941 and lasted until May 5, 1942

Location of the Invasion • The location of the invasion initially started on the island of Luzon, moving to Leyte and Mindanao. • At the airfield at Iba, on the western coast of Luzon, American P-40 fighters were destroyed by the Japanese as they tried to land. • Del Carmen airfield to the southwest was also destroyed along with many P-35 fighters. • On December 20 th, the Japanese invaded Mindanao and Luzon.

Importance of the Philippine Invasion during WWII • President Franklin D. Roosevelt had previously frozen Japan’s assets in America, cutting off their credit and imports, due to their joining of the Axis powers. This angered Japan greatly and they threatened with America with war. • American aircraft and military defense within the Philippines was the largest outside of the United States. • This was an important for Japan to destroy the U. S. Air Force and military, making them defenseless and incapable of holding power in the East. • The Invasion of the Philippines was an important battle because America had lost and surrendered in U. S. territory under the leadership of General Mac. Arthur. Battle Outcome: • April 9, 1942, U. S. General Edward P. King surrendered to the Japanese on Bataan Peninsula.

Invasion Fast Facts • The invasion started only 10 hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. • General Mac. Arthur was given $10 million to gather troops and other forces. • The invasion started once the U. S. troops saw Japanese fighters 20 miles away. • 1, 200 men were killed in the first wave of battle. • 12, 000 Japanese fighters supported the invasion with 6, 500 in Cebu.

General Mac. Arthur wades ashore onto the Philippine Island of Leyte in 1944, fulfilling his promise to return.

Japanese Surrender • In 1944, General Mac. Arthur returned to the islands to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese army. • General Mac. Arthur was promoted to rank of General of the Army. • Japanese army surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945 on board the U. S. S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay