1941: The Zero Hour

Sunday Tribune
-

War in Europe was the regular headline

on the local newspaper until Sunday
Tribune unusually covered Japanese
military action in Asia

Round-up Japs
-

On December 26, 1941, Quezons govt

and all military defenses moved out;
Japanese entered Manila on January 2,
1942

Pontoon bridge
-

It was built for pre-war exercises; it

became useful for soldiers and civilians
during actual war

Japanese ground, air, and naval forces

invaded various strategic places in the
Philippines (Leyte was not part of their
plan)
December 1491 May 1942

Christmas Catalogue
-

As a way of getting ready for the

traditional Christmas shopping, known
Aguinaldos Department Store in Manila
released its Christmas catalogue on
December 7, 1941, a day before the war
broke out

Crowded Tutuban train station before

and after the Japanese invasion
indicates the fear felt by the people
despite of the assurances from the
Americans that war wont last long

Folk Ballad
-

Gone are the high hopes and trust of

the Filipinos toward the strength of the
USAFFE on December 1941 as shown in
this descriptive and emotional folk
ballad

Bataan Radio
-

Japanese Order of Battle

-

In the full page, Philippine Herald

featured a Christmas advertisement
indicative of the coming threat and that
1941 Christmas was not a happy one

Tutuban Waiting

The Japanese in Manila were arrested

by American and Filipino soldiers as a
way of protecting the nation from
enemy invasion

Open City
-

War in the Christmas Ad

Communication from Bataan to various

fighting units inside and outside Bataan
peninsula sustained the spirit of all the
besieged to continue resisting the
besiegers

Sandbags
-

Sandbags were hurriedly filed up in

Manila to protect people from Japanese
air raids

Statue of Jesus
-

Reverence to the statue of Jesus is

shown in this photo by this man who
saved it from a burning church

Raid of Cavite

Bombing of Cavite was rendered to

sketch and color by an identified
Japanese artist; US navy base in Cavite
was destroyed completely on December
10, 1941

Rushing Vehicles
-

Civilian Emergency Assistance (CEA)

army vehicles and ambulances are
usually seen rushing through streets of
Manila during the numerous air raids
made by the Japanese

Sleep My Sons
-

Through the help of women volunteers,

it was one of the first actions made by
the Philippine govt in Manila on
December 1941

Oil Storage Explosion

-

Oil depot in Pandacan was blasted by

the USAFFE as part of the scorched
earth policy to prevent the Japanese in
getting the strategic resources of the
Phils.

Vendors
-

Selling on the street of various food and

drinks was a common source of
livelihood for the Filipinos even during
the pre-war year

Mabuhay
-

The incessant attacks made by the

Japanese in the Philippines was the
main topic of Mabuhay newspaper for
its 1942 New Year Edition

Japanese Propaganda

Lines like these will always remind

every Filipino and American of the
sacrifices made by the prisoners of war
(POWs) in defending freedom

Flying Infantry
-

Rice Distribution
-

Japanese Propaganda corps posted on

the Filipino houses their campaign
materials to invite Filipino cooperation

Due to the limited number of planes

during the war years, American pilots
without planes became a plain walking
air force; they were called the Flying
Infantry

Malinta Tunnel
-

Impenetrable and ever strong war

shelter, Malinta Tunnel housed USAFFE
headquarters, including command and
communication centers, and a fully
equipped hospital

Captured USAFFE Soldiers

-

Denial of food and water, clubbing,

beatings are the horrors of war;
exposure of the POWs to the blazing
and scorching heat of the sun
aggravated it all

Capt. Jesus A. Villamor

-

Capt. Villamor was the Distiguished

Service Cross awardee; he was the fist
Filipino to shoot down a Japanese sero
plane; he was honored in this tencentavo commemorative stamp

Death March

POWs experiences range from humane

and kind treatment from sympathetic
Japanese to brutal and barbaric
treatment from atrocious Japanese
Colonel Masanobu Tsuji was the one
who ordered the atrocities

Japanese Prison Guards

-

Leaders of the Kapisanan sa

Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas
(Kalibapi) take their oath at Luneta on
December 30, 1942

Greater East Asia

-

The mere mention of the word could

make the Filipinos tremble; brutalities
inflicted by them are unforgettable for
the nation

Rare photo of Greater East Asia CoProsperity Spheres sign posted on the
fence of Sto. Tomas Camp in 1942; note
that the English language is the one
used to instruct the Filipinos; the sign
was intended not for internees but for
Filipino passersby

Japanese Victory Parade

1942: Gasp of a Nation
Victorious Japs at Mt. Limay
-

Triumphant grin of the Japanese

soldiers at Mt. Limay, Bataan meant
banzai to the Japanese Imperial Army;
for the Filipinos, it meant defeat and
loss

Jugun Ianfu
-

The Leaders Homma and Vargas

-

Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma, over-all

commander of the Japanese military
units in the Philippines with Jorge
Vargas, the acting mayor of Greater
Manila; Homma failed to conquer the
Philippines on schedule because of the
Bataan resistance

Stealing and Punishment

-

Rampant lootings were the offshoot of

widespread poverty caused by war and
punishment like this was inflicted even
to suspected young ones

Kalibapi Oath

Various rallies were held in Luneta,

specifically in front of the bandstand;
mandatory checking of attendance was
done to ensure the presence of more
people

Comfort women suffered from the

unthinkable brutality of the Japanese
military; the photo shows one of the
houses made as sex posts in Tarlac

Released USAFFE
-

By July 1942, the Japanese released

USAFFE prisoners after thousands had
already died from sickness and hunger

Japanese Lantern Parade

-

The Japanese introduced to the

Filipinos a lot of ceremonials, such as
this Night Lantern Parade to celebrate
their victory

Sweepstakes

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes

continued to operate even during the
Japanese occupation; note the draw
date (December 19, 1942)

Stamps
-

Stamps during the Japanese Occupation

were issued to honor Jose P. Laurel as
president of the Japanese sponsored
Republic, to show food production, to
feature kalayaan, and to celebrate
the Fall of Bataan

Match-box
-

Burning of Intramuros
-

Japanese
bombs
and
USAFFE
demolition caused thick black clouds of
smoke to billow over Intramuros and
Colegio de San Juan de Letran

Japanese soldiers getting a taste of

Filipino ice cream

Kempetai savage way of torturing

prisoners in Fort Santiago as sketched
by Conrado Gar Agustin, military
prisoner no. 258

T. Velasquezs Cartoons
-

Tony
Velasquez
created
and
popularized the kenkoy strip before
the war and also kalibapi family
during the Japanese occupation; these
cartoon strips talk about profiteering
commonly practiced by the Filipinos
during those trying times

Language Lesson

This industry was controlled by the

Americans before the war and by the
Japanese during their regime here in
the Philippines

Guerilla money
-

C. Agustins drawing
-

Japanese Co-Prosperity Propaganda

used these match-box labels to turn the
people of conquered territories against
the Allies; US President F. Roosevelt and
Great Britain PM W. Churchill were the
usual subjects of the ridicule

Abaca Industry

Japs and ice cream

-

The Japanese propaganda corps put up

lessons on the walls using Nihonggo and
English; Nihonggo and Tagalog are
official languages recognized by the
Japanese during the time

Guerilla bills in Cebu, Apayao, and

Lanao circulated from 1942 to 1945;
take note that these bills do not have
serial numbers; the bills were estimated
from 6 to 11 trillion pesos and were
never redeemed even after the war

Coconut Barge
-

Coconuts potential for fuel, food, and

other basic needs led the Japanese to
closely supervise barges loaded with
coconuts from Laguna down to Pasig
River

Rehabilitated Train
-

The Japanese immediately put back to

operation the train system disabled by
the USAFFE; this action was mainly for
military purposes

Buy and Sell

-

It is one of the lucrative businesses

engaged into by the Filipinos during the
Japanese time

Rice, Guitars, and Sacks

-

Enough food supply is the utmost desire

of the Japanese propaganda; abundant
rice production would sustain the
Japanese Imperial Army; the ploy used
was farming to the tune of a guitar;
even rice sacks were being recycled due
to shortage of materials

Bakya from Paete, Laguna became the

in thing for the commuting ladies due
to the Japanese controlled means of
transportation and short supply of
gasoline

Japs poster
-

Japanese propaganda posters rivaled

pre-war American advertisements

The Liberator was secretly distributed

in Manila and other areas; anyone
caught
with
this
underground
newspaper was severely punished

Huk and Taruc March

-

Luis Taruc inspired the peasant and

labor groups called HUKBALAHAP to
fight and resist the Japanese; benefit
claims of Hukbalahap members were
later denied by the Phil. govt and the
US govt

Surrender of supplies
-

Bakya
-

The surrender of USAFFE led to the

Death March and the confiscation of
supplies and logistics

1943: Fatal Japanese Charm

Tanaka and Vargas
-

The picture was taken before Gen.

Shizuichi Tanaka secretly returned to
Japan in 1943

Aguinaldo and a Japanese soldier

Arrival of Tojo
-

Former President Emilio Aguinaldo with

a Japanese soldier

Asia for Asiatics

-

Japanese navy appeal: Asia for the

Asiatics

Wainwright during surrender

-

Negotiations for surrender held in

Cabcaben, Bataan between Gen.
Jonathan Wainwright and Gen.
Masaharu Homma (May 6)

Liberator PQOG

Premier Hideki Tojo was said to be

impresses
with
the
sincere
cooperation of the Filipinos

Preparatory
Commission
Independence (PCPI)
-

for

Philippine

Members of the PCPI signed the draft of

the Japanese-inspired Constitution on
September 4, 1943 at the balcony of
the Metropolitan Waterworks Building
in Manila

Philippine Flag

On October 14, 1943, E. Aguinaldo and

Artemio Ricarte hoisted the Philippine
flag; Japan granted a four-day holiday
to celebrate the independence

Seal of the Republic

-

The triangle in the middle stands for the

Republics official seal

Japanese Banquet
-

Ifugaos Bow
-

The picture shows how the Ifugao girls

bow to a Japanese soldier

Neighborhood Association
-

These cartoon strips show that stealing

electric wire is a crime; it also
discourages the Filipinos to join the
guerilla

Calisthenics
-

The Filipinos are required to do their

daily exercises by listening to Radio
Taiso

Sumo wrestling in Ifugao

-

The Ifugao children learned the

Japanese way of wrestling from the
soldiers

Filipinos were ordered to parade in

their native costumes to celebrate
Philippine Independence

Tojo welcomed

The
Japanese
strictly
censored
publication of books; almost all book,
bookstores, and schools had to be
checked and stamped

Shin Seiki
-

The dissemination of Japanese culture

is the primary concern of Shin Seiki;
note the languages used Nihonggo,
English, and Filipino

Textile Mills Float

-

One of the primary concern of the

Japanese is textile production; take
note of the float in the middle of the
parade

Hat-making
-

Parade in Native Costume

-

A Japanese artist painted The Birth of

the New Philippines with Jose P. Laurel
in black suit

Book Censorship

They are the night guards assigned by

the Japanese

Crime Does Not Pay

The Filipinos gathered in one of

Manilas main thoroughfares and
sheered for Prime Minister Tojo; they
were told to shout Banzai, but some
shouted Bangkay

The use of local materials in hat-making

was encouraged by Japanese local
industry such as this was immediately
re-opened

Cigarette Factory
-

Cigarette production was strictly

supervised by the Japanese; it was
intended to supply the cigarette needs
of the Imperial Army

Real Estate Tax

-

Taxes were continued to be collected

under the Japanese time as shown in
this 1943 tax receipt issued to a certain
Narciso Padilla

Spinning Mills
-

Cotton production is vital for explosive

making, thus the spinning mills inside
the factory are under the strict control
of the Japanese

PRIMCO
-

The Philippine Prime Commodities

Distribution Control Association takes
charge of the rationing of basic
commodities like soap, matches,
cigarettes, and others; note the
signatures of those who got their
supplies

Tanaka inspects mining site

-

General Shizuichi Tanaka led the mineinspecting team in Luzon; Japan favored
copper to gold; Japan favored anything
that will be advantageous to its military
ambition and operations

Liberator of Asia
-

The Front
-

Women began to be involved in the

KALIBAPI Propaganda; the boy in the
middle of the two women in the picture
is meaningful in the Japanese
propaganda

The Japanese touch

-

The Japanese used children in their

propaganda materials to soften the
hearts of resisting Filipinos

The magazine shows the much played

up independence for the Filipinos; this
is part of the propaganda campaign
intended to all the occupied territories
of Japan

Isang Watawat, Bansa, Wika

-

This is one of the popular nationalistic

slogans of Jose P. Laurel as the
president of the Japanese sponsored
Republic; note the use of sakura or
cherry blossom in the middle of this
poster

Carlos Franciscos posters

-

Carlos Francisco, a Filipino artist,

prepared these posters to encourage
members of the Philippine Constabulary
to support govt of Jose P. Laurel

Bayang Magiting
-

Women in KALIBAPI
-

A leaflet showing the Japanese as the

real liberator in Asia

Hunters ROTC is one of those guerilla

units during the Japanese time; the
song expresses the Hunters patriotic
and nationalistic feelings

Farewell, American
-

The leaflet was intended to increase the

number of Japanese sympathizers and
to discourage resistance from the
Filipinos and Americans

1944: Deliverance, it has come!

Laurel at Malacaang
-

In 1944, Pres. Jose P. Laurel distributed

goods in his attempt to get peoples
cooperation
with
the
Japanese
government

Death of Quezon
-

This face shows a dedicated but very

sick president of the Philippine
Commonwealth; Manuel Quezon died
of tuberculosis in Saranak Lake, New
York

Down with the flag

-

Fighting using bamboo spears was one

of the tactics used and taught by the
Japanese soldiers to the Filipinos; it was
used against the Americans and
guerillas

MacArthur and the guerillas

-

MacArthurs promise of return served

as a battle cry for every Filipino to
continue resisting the invaders

This was the inside portion of the

university with the Cuttings family
interned inside; Mr. Cutting was the
owner-founder for Sime Darby, an
American firm closed by the Japanese

Tatlong Marias
-

Filipino artists headed by Carmen

Rosales starred in this 1944 movie;
Cinema was used by the Japanese as
part of their propaganda ploys to get
the Filipino to their side

Final Morning Extra

Scarcity of supplies was one of the

marks of the Japanese rule and the war
years; record of rationed gas for
cooking is shown in a picture

Lumber
-

Huge amount of trees were cut down

during the war years to supply the high
demand for lumber by the Japanese

Mankayan Copper Mine

-

Cuttings in UST
-

A 1944 advertisement of an antiAmerican movie, which stars both

Japanese and Filipino actors

Gas Ration

Bamboo Spears
-

Another one of those newspapers

showing suspicious Japanese even to
the Women Auxiliary Corps (WAC) from
USA

Opened under the management of the

Japanese, copper was badly needed for
their war effort; in fact, gold mines
were closed so that the machineries
may be used in acquiring copper

Japanese Money
-

The picture shows the first ten peso bill

released and circulated by the Japanese
govt in the Philippines

America Challenged
-

Upon the return of the American planes

in 1944, posters encouraging the
Filipinos to fight against the Americans
spread but it failed for the Filipinos
have suffered under the Japanese and

have long awaited for the return of the

Americans
Laurel Challenge and the 1899 Republic
-

The pictures represent Japanese

propaganda of declaring war with the
Americans; the first one was the Filipino
revolutionary republic of 1899, a move
of the Congress to fight against the
Americans, and the second one was
Laurels challenge of war against the
Americans

very few bases and air craft carriers in

contrast to what the Allied had
Japanese ship under attack
-

Leyte Beach
-

Nationalism and the food ads from Front

-

The picture from the Front magazine

illustrates the encouragement for the
Filipinos to work and solve hunger
problem in the Philippines; this move
was not intended for the starving
Filipinos but to feed the Japanese
Imperial Army

One of the stage shows presented

during the time of occupation side by
side with various moving pictures; it
involves some of the biggest stars of the
period

MacArthur back in Luzon

-

The poster was removed and torn in the

middle by an unbelieving guerilla; it was
one of the propagandas spread which
spoke of the failure of rice production

Kamikaze
-

By August 1944, Vice Admiral Takajuro

Ohnishi adopted an extraordinary tactic
using kamikaze to save Japan because
the air army of the Japanese navy had

The Womens Army Auxiliary Corps,

consisted of military nurses from the
Armed Forces of the United States,
were sent in Leyte to aid the wounded
members of the US army

1945: Silhouette of the Rising Sun

Guerilla tearing a poster

-

Large ships carrying American soldiers,

many of which started to move down to
build sandbag piers out to the ramps; it
was done in order to fasten up the
unloading operation of the American
operations in Leyte

WAAC in Leyte

Strand
-

A huge ship carrying the Japanese army

faced a major attack from the American
aircrafts in Leyte

The successful landing of Gen. D.

MacArthur in Leyte and Luzon led to the
liberation of the whole archipelago (had
with him 680 ships but news spread
saying that he had 800, which was a
plan of MacArthur to scare the
Japanese)

Japanese Delegation
-

The Japanese delegation arrived on USS

Missouri, Sept. 2, 1945; the delegation
met Gen. D. MacArthur to discuss
Japans surrender

MacArthur at Santo Tomas

-

Gen. D. MacArthur inside UST after he

liberated it from the Japanese

American tanks
-

The American tanks rush in Manila to

liberate the city

Rizal Avenue during the war

-

The picture shows how the Filipinos run

and save their belongings when their
houses were burned by the Japanese

Service to the dying

-

The battle for Manila killed over a

million people; take note of the make
shift ambulance used to save the
wounded and the dying

Guerilla parade
-

The guerillas join in the celebration of

the Philippine liberation

Healing the wounded

-

A volunteer from the Women Auxiliary

Corps giving service to the wounded
and sick soldiers