Japanese Occupation of the Philippines

Occurred between 1942 and 1945, when the empire of the Japan occupied the commonwealth of the
Philippines during World War II. The invasion started on December 8 1941, ten hours after the attack
on Pearl Harbor. During the initial Japanese attack, 76,000 starving and sick American and Filipino
defenders on Bataan surrendered on April 9, 1942 and were forced to endure the infamous Bataan
Death March on which 7,000 10,000 died or were murdered. The remaining 13,000 survivors on
Corregidor surrendered on May 6. Japan ruled the country for over three years.
Background
Japan attacked the Philippines after 10 hours after their attack on Pearl Harbor. The initial aerial
bombardment was followed by landings of ground troops both north and south of Manila. The aircraft
of the US Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific region under the command of General Douglas MacArthur
were destroyed; the naval forces were ordered to leave and because of that circumstance in the
Pacific region, the reinforcement and resupply of his ground forces were impossible. Under the
pressure of superior numbers, the defending forces withdrew to the Bataan Peninsula and to the
island of Corregidor at the entrance to Manila Bay. Manila, declared an open city to prevent its
destruction on January 2, 1942. Most of the 80,000 prisoners of war captured by the Japanese at
Bataan were forced to undertake the infamous Bataan Death March to a prison camp 105
kilometers to the north. Thousands of men were weakened by disease and malnutrition and treated
harshly by their captors, many died before reaching their destination. Quezon and Osmena had
accompanied the troops to Corregidor and later left for the United States, where they set up a
government-in-exile. MacArthur was ordered to Australia and that when he started to plan for a return
to the Philippines.
The Occupation

The Japanese military authorities immediately began organizing a new government structure in
the Philippines
They initially organized a Council of State through which they directed to civil affairs until
October 1943 and declared the Philippines an independent republic
Most of the Philippine elite with a few notable exceptions, served under the Japanese
Sponsored government
A puppet government was headed by Pres. Jose P. Laurel
Philippine collaboration in puppet government began under Jorge B. Vargas who was
appointed by Quezon as the mayor of Greater Manila before Quezon departed Manila
Japanese-organized KALIBAPI as the only political party allowed
Most Filipinos remained loyal to the United states during the occupation
War crimes committed by forces of the Empire of Japan against surrendered Allied forces
Civilians were documented

Resistance
Japanese occupation of the Philippines was opposed by active and successful underground
and guerrilla activity that increased over the years and covered a large portion of the country.
Kempeitai and Makapili were guerrillas Japanese-formed Bureau of Constabulary

Postwar investigations showed about 260,000 people were in guerrilla organizations and the
members of anti-Japanese underground were even more numerous
Japan controlled only 12 of the 48 provinces
Throughout Luzon and the southern islands, Filipinos joined various groups and vowed to fight
Japanese
General MacArthur formed a clandestine operation to support guerrilla, he had Lieutenant
commander Charles Chick Parsons smuggle guns, radios, and supplies to them by
submarine
Invasion and sabotaging Japanese forces began led by MacArthur
(USAFFE) U.S Army Forces Far East refused to surrender to local militia initially organized to
combat banditry brought about by disorder caused of invasion
Visayas region led by Filipino officers, such as Colonel Macario Peralta in Panay, Major Ismael
Ingeniero in Bohol and Capatain Salvador Abcede in Negros
The island of Mindanao, being farthest from the center of Japanese occupation, had 38,000
guerrillas who were eventually consolidated under the command of American civil engineer
Colonel Wendell Fertig.
Central Luzon are known as the Hukbalahap (Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon) under the
leadership of Luis Taruc, a communist party member since 1939
The troops are lack of equipments
1942, all contact was lost with Philippine resistance forces
November 1942 reformed Philippine 61 st Division on Panay Island and was able to establish
radio contact with the USAFFE command in Australia.
By the end of the war, 277 separate guerrilla units made up of some 260,715 individuals fought
in the resistance movement

End of occupation
The Japanese Imperial General Staff decided to make the Philippines their final line of defense, and
to stop the American advance toward Japan. They sent every available soldier, airplane, and naval
vessel to the defense of the Philippines. The Kamikaze corps was created specifically to defend the
Philippines. The Battle of Leyte Gulf ended in disaster for the Japanese and was the biggest naval
battle of World War II. The campaign to re-take the Philippines was the bloodiest campaign of the
Pacific War. Intelligence information gathered by the guerrillas averted a disasterthey revealed the
plans of Japanese General Yamashita to trap MacArthur's army, and they led the liberating soldiers to
the Japanese fortifications. MacArthur's Allied forces landed on the island of Leyte on October 20,
1944, accompanied by Osmena, who had succeeded to the commonwealth presidency upon the
death of Quezon on August 1, 1944. Landings then followed on the island of Mindoro and around
Lingayen Gulf on the west side of Luzon, and the push toward Manila was initiated. The
Commonwealth of the Philippines was restored. Fighting was fierce, particularly in the mountains of
northern Luzon, where Japanese troops had retreated, and in Manila, where they put up a last-ditch
resistance. The Philippine Commonwealth troops and the recognized guerrilla fighter units rose up
everywhere for the final offensive. The Filipinos also help the Americans to fight in the battle. The
fighting continued until Japan's formal surrender on September 2, 1945. The Philippines had suffered
great loss of life and tremendous physical destruction by the time the war was over. An estimated one
million Filipinos had been killed from all causes; of these 131,028 were listed as killed in seventy-two
war crime events U.S. casualties were 10,380 dead and 36,550 wounded; Japanese dead were
255,795.