II Slowing Japanese advance in the Philippines

Slowing Japanese advance in the Philippines
March, 1942

HANDLING DYNAMITE

The Filipino soldier in center foreground is distributing sticks of dynamite to some fellow defenders of the island. The bridge was destroyed to slow the Japanese advance and was one of the many efforts made by the natives to check the foe during the months of horror brought on by the invaders. These Filipino soldiers had been schooled in the American way of armed combat by General Douglas MacArthur, who had served for years as Marshal of the Philippine Army. How well these soldiers fought against the Nipponese was revealed by all American officers on the island and their work was of the greatest value to the Americans during the dark days of the invasion and retreat to Corregidor. Like their American comrades, practically all of the Filipinos that survived the campaign were taken prisoner after the fall of Corregidor, and subjected to horrible torture


End of U.S. resistance on the Bataan

END OF AN HEROIC DEFENSE

On April 9 the U.S. and Filipino defenses on the Bataan Peninsula of Luzon were smashed by Japanese forces and an epic resistance which had lasted for four months was brought to an end. General Wainright's forces on the island amounted to 36,800 men, nearly all of whom were killed or captured, but some of them, including 3,500 U.S. Marines succeeded in escaping to the island of Corregidor, which continued to hold out. Although outnumbered six to one, the defending forces put up a magnificent resistance and succeeded in inflicting 60,000 casualties on the enemy. It was only after they were physically exhausted by days and nights of fighting that they were finally compelled to give up. The pictures show: first, Japanese forces on the Peninsula passing blazing oil dumps that had been set on fire by the defenders before they surrendered, and third, some of the Japanese prisoners captured during the fighting. Second, two Japanese soldiers, killed in the fighting, are seen lying where they fell, and fourth, a Bataan village after it had been blasted by enemy artillery.

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