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PART - I

Antecedents Before World War II In the Philippines



War is hell - someone said, and it surely was everywhere it reaches. And no one can vividly relate the tolls, ravages and its uselessness - than the soldier who was in combat, not to leave out the non-combatants [civilians ] as martyrs of holocausts accidentally involved in the process.



The loyal soldier follows order, right or wrong:



" They died unquestionably, uncomplaining, with faith, in their hearts, and on their lips the hope that they would go on towards victory. They have gone beyond the mists that blinds us, and become part of the beautiful thing we call the spirit of the unknown soldier



" It chambered temples of silence the dust of their dauntless valor sleeps, waiting, waiting in the Chancery of Heaven the final reckoning of Judgment Day.



"Only those are fit to live who are not afraid to die." [ Douglas MacArthur ].



However, there are those who viewed war was un-necessary, according to Winston Churchill [ as in the case of World War II ] along with experienced and conversant top military career brass like: Lt. George E. Stretemayer (USAF Ret.), Lt. Gen. Edward M. Almond (USA Ret), Vice Admiral T.G. Settle (USN Ret.),Lt. Gen. Paul P.A. Del Valle (USMC Ret.) and Col .John Beaty (USA Ret.) -and many more - all of them agreed and said:



"In view of the legacy of deaths. economic debts, and precarious rushness, what Churchill said is somewhat an understatement."



Pres. F. Roosevelt’s Caprice



In the United States - shortly before World War II was declared, in 1940 he was feverishly and secretly preparing for war, but publicly denying any such purpose according to Col. John Beaty, U.S Army Military Intelligence Service Department General Staff.



Beaty has been privy to daily secret "G-2 Reports" that flowed to the White House. He had access to strategic informations - which he now exposed to the world, in the cause of for peace and equitableness.



First-Hand Information



I also vividly remember, that it was not only Col. Beaty who knew of such informations, but also my wartime best buddy, the then, Capt. Max Delano Maule, cousin of Pres.F. Roosevelt, who intimated to me how America got into World War II. History also records events which freedom-loving and peaceful citizens of the world relied on, however, which may appear rather licit.



In order to comprehend the realities of World War II, the book, "The Iron Curtain Over America," written by Col. John Beaty, records the veritable realities that involved the allies, and protectorates of the United States in a war not inherently their own, ( i.e. the Philippines and other nations).



Other books like "Japan At War" by Theodore and Haruko Cook, and Edwin Hoyt confirmed said realities.



Was World War II Preventable ?



Certainly - yes, it could have. And could have been averted, but not with the wager of Pres. F. D. Roosevelt, his collaborators and hangers-on around him the White House, some of which were tagged as ethnic "Red Communists" by military intelligence, and those who had the president’s ear and had influence over some of his decisions.



At that juncture, as matter of fact, "Adolf Hitler, was merely concerned with Germany’s domestic crisis,, thus have a sincere effort to improve relations with the United States, only to be rebuffed by Roosevelt himself.



"The United States government’s alleged reason was ‘fear of domestic political reactions."



This fact was not known to American taxpayers.[ See Iron Curtain Over America, phar. 3, pp 65].



History of Wars and Conflicts



Since the Fall of the roman Empire, [ the West ] in 476 A.D., the principal weakness of Europe was lacking in unity among nations. Charlemagne, the Crown Emperor of Rome - gave Roman-Europeans much-needed unity that extended as far as Jerusalem,. which secured protection of Christian pilgrims associated with the birth of the ministry and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.



However, Europe was again divided after Charlemagne’s death. Europe was fragmented into three segments: From two of these three [ France and Germany]derived historical boundaries, then a millennia of wars were fought largely to change them.



A Concocted War



And World War I was allegedly concocted by ethnic groups that held gold and influence over governments with an objective of making more money out of wars at the expense of human lives and economies of small nations.



Even up to the present, there are groups reported waging wars and creating monetary inflation that off-balance national economies. An insidious form of subtle domination - under limited wars and induced subtle conflicts.



Arrogance of the Strong, and Weakness of the Weak



It is not necessary, however, to name who these puissant group or trenchant groups are - for they are public knowledge. War has become a two-faced profitable commercial undertaking by colonial powers, at the expense of small and weak nations. The essential ingredient of friendship, mutual security and respect has been overshadowed by the arrogance of the strong or the insolence of the weak. And the lust for gold and turf for profit through abuse.



The true and honest recognition of genuine interest of each nation gets lost amidst the greed and over-riding shoals of conflicting national interests. Big powers have been indifferent to the siren voices of the small nations which urge big powers to share their political and economic benefits flowing from exploitation of the weak.



The Pre-War German Crisis



Political and economic crisis prevailed in Europe since World War I and II [ a creation of restive ethnic gold and money hoarders and slippery schemers in the corridors of power.



Hitler under fire from his people had to declare an anti-communist policy of "Germany for the Germans."



At that juncture in the U.S., the Roosevelt Administration under the influence of avid kibitzers in the White House, close to the European ethnic money hoarders and war-mongers, blocked Germany’s efforts for peace by withdrawing the U.S.. ambassador from Berlin, thus preventing future negotiations for peace.



This recall was not published in the U.S. when Germany made her appeal, however, was ferreted out later by the U.S House Committee on Un-American Activies in Congress, [after World War II] and by that fact described as so "criminally" suppressed.



The American people were unfairly kept in the dark for so long by Roosevelt which have created so much dubiety and discredit to his administration - which up to this time is being closely scrutinized by historians world-over if only to establish God’s truth.



U.S War Against Germany



Germany’s state economy strangled [ like that of Japan ] by a boy-cott hatched up in New York [ not in Washington D.C. ] was denied conference, therefore, Germany faced no alternatives. Hitler had to result to desperate measures, [ like that in Japan ], and therefore Hitler had advertised to the world the phrase "Guns Instead of Butter."



Roosevelt personally stung by this, considered it as a personal insult, fuelled by his faithful kibitzers at the White House, was maddened by such contemptuous rejection of diplomatic solutions - turned around and made a deal with the Soviet Union against Poland that was most feared and unacceptable to Germany. It was viewed as a damnatory betrayal against Germany.



Roosevelt’s Own Secret Policy



"The war resulted from F. D. Roosevelt’s own policy is well remembered especially by those American families whose sons lie beneath white crosses at home and abroad." said Beaty.



And I may add - that this is the same grief and feeling of Filipino families whose sons were sacrificed in the blood-soaked battlefield of Bataan ,Corregidor and other fronts in World War II [ 1941 to 1946] as wretched pawns In America’s own war against Japan that involved Filipinos.



Cold Fact and Reality



As matter of fact, the U.S. Supreme Court in several Insular cases - stated that, to wit:



"The Philippines was not a foreign territory within the meaning of the Constitution. and the Commonwealth of the Philippines was under the sovereignty of the United States. The United State legally involved the Philippines in a war against Japan, likewise dictated the political and military strategy of the conflict."



Roosevelt Conscripted Filipinos



When Roosevelt issued that un-numbered Military Order of July 26, 1941, conscripting all organized military forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, and incorporated it into the United Sates Army forces in the Far East [ USAFFE], such active and honorable military service commenced such legitimate military service - as any member of the Unites States Army, especially after The Filipinos were made to take the oath of allegiance to the United States and the flag.



And they were subject to the Articles of War - with provisions subjecting them to punishment of death. Let there be no mistakes about this.



Honorable Military Service - not Free



Roosevelt did not give them a one-day ticket to a nodding picnic - for Filipinos to shed blood, and put their lives on the line for America. Filipinos were not drafted into the U.S. Army to perform "involuntary servitude" or as a despicable infra dignitatim [ knavish serf.] Even lowly black Americans were at least accorded full compensation in the armed forces, albeit the 66,000 nationals of 16 national allies who also fought for the U.S. flag who were white. [ Europeans, etc ] So - why single out Filipinos because they were servicemen of color? Why the critical perception?



History so Cruel and Unjust.



This war and history was never so cruel to them - s they were made to die each day for 60 years [ half a millennium ] with what appears as bad graces under the amorphous white man’s burden of culpable anorexia.



Their struggle for fairness and have been allowed to reach the apex of their endless endeavor for justice since 1942 - to no avail. While most of them die each day bald and naked of their benefits after performing honorable and active military service to the U.S. flag that dastardly turned it back against them after the guns of war have \became silent, and when the favorite American past-time of critical perception was again in fashion.



Gratuitously Equal But Disparate



Let there be no mistakes, nor any double talk and deceit about this. They wore the same uniform, were issued the same rifles, were led by American officers, were subject to the United States Article of War that carried death sentence for violation of its provisions. They fought just one enemy [ the Japanese Imperial Forces] but had an indomitale enemy from within ]



They were unequivocal U.S. servicemen [ of color ] - equal to any member of the U.S. Armed forces, but the enlisted men’s pay and wartime benefit were only one-half [ ½ ] rate than that of the white American pay. Is the life of the brave Filipino soldier worth fifty cents [$0.50 for each U.S. dollar paid to the white servicemen?



Where is the famous American square deal, fairness and the scale of justice? For 60 years of skittish, spiritless and recusant posture in Congress - from the reported number of 300,000 patriotic Filipinos that laid down their lives for Uncle Sam in 1941-46, until this time of writing [ the year 2001 ] there are only approximately 60,000 of them left as miserable survivors under a despicable act of evasion, under the notorious Yankee game of barefaced attrition



Yankee Shell Game and Of Attrition



Longer procrastination and delay of recognition and payment of U.S constitutional obligation to these aging and sickly heroes of Bataan. Corregisdor and other fronts in the Pacific War [ 1941-1946] - of course incur savings of million of U.S. dollars for the U.S. Congress at their disposal for their own use in a politics of extravagance, waste, an depletion of the tax dollars intended for good government.



Inequity By Reason of Race ?



The whole world can not comprehend the American fatuous arithmetic in such particular case. All the proudly soi disant [ pretentious ] gentily and attributes of members of Congress in the 79th Congress was lost - when it unjustly and invidiously took away all wartime benefits of Filipino -American wartime-earned benefits under the GI Bill of Rights in a dastardly inserted "rider" in the First Supplementary Appropiation Rescission Act of 1946 ]



Half Millenia of Double Talk



Up until now, 60 years of acts of evasion and double-talk, these ex-U.S,. Army servicemen have been stripped of their rightful wartime benefits and privileges [ except for disability and burial benefits ] under the dastardly passed First Supplementary Appropiation Rescission Act of February 18, 1946, by the 79th Congress.



Filipino EM’s Quandary



This much, however, facts are evident. With some secret facts now revealed, and with a foul nearing completion, Filipino U.S Army ex-servicemen [ EMs ] can no longer wonder that a clean truthful soldier or even an honorable Officer, or General, being unable to give satisfactory reason for having to participate in America’s war against Japan, and then mistreated by the very government that sent to Harm’s Way and die for the American flag.



The have an innate right to know the cause of such invidious discrimination, wile their comrades in the same war enjoyed the benefits under the GI Bill of rights all along. And also why approximately 66,000 nationals of 16 allied nations that also participated in World War II have been fully compensated, while the Filipino war veterans have been made to serve the U.S. flag under "involuntary servitude."



Loyalty to the Constitution



Servicemen of the U.S. or any country loyal to the Constitution, made to fight any war - must know the true cause why they have to shed blood and die for wars and conflicts of the United States, or any nation for that matter - under a dictum by the Commander-in-Chief [ the President] with or without a declaration of war by the U.S. Congress, or any country. This is a discretion of the Constitution, and the people’s will in a democratic nation.



The whole World awaits the outcome of this infamous truculent abuse of authority, virulent malevolence inhuman cloven foot. As of this time of writing, [year 200 ], legislations in the U.S. Congress still appear as piece-meal basis, precluding those residing in the Philippines. Indeed. This has been a lesson in the shifty relationship between the U.S. the Filipino people.



[See Philippine-American Relationship in a chapter of this treatise, which describes the elements of alliance and antagonism.]



Guile and Duplicity



Back to the Pacific War -



"As the un-necessary war progressed, we adopted an increasingly horrible policy. The government‘s fawning embrace of the Communist dictator of Russia, and his brutal policy which was dubbed as "democratic" and was most un-necessary act of our whole national history. And could have been motivated by the most reprehensible political consideration [ by holding 100 percent support for the Communist [Ref: James Forrestal’s diary exposing liberals around Pres, Roosevelt.]



Japan’s War In Asia



A fast-growing country, over-bulging with a threatening population under meager and nearly exhausted resources, Japan was forced to establish a "New Order" to ensure for its stability in Asia.



Under an emergency adventure lies an ultimate purpose of a military campaign seeking new and larger space [ land ] and war resources. They have settled in Korea, China, and as far down south in Davao, Philippines while she sought refuge for her people under the rising sun when and wherever possible.



Japan’s military had dominated and overcame its civilian administration. Top officers seized opportunity of militarizing Japan, especially after military occupation of Manchuria. which proved to be a temporary solution to her unending economic crisis, applauded by the hungry populace.



Nippon’s Military Philosophy



It was the military philosophy that guided Japan, which moved to victory both in China and Manchuria. The key to the survival of the Japanese Empire, was the prevailing objective coming from Emperor Hirorito himself down to the Nipponese in the street.



Since the 30’s - Emperor Hirohito and the Zaibatsus [ industrialists ]have looked to South East Asia in the Pacific as their target of expansion. By 1941, Japanese conquests were prodigious acquiring enormous wealth and resources for the Zaibatsus and and the treasury of the Emperial household.



Japanese industrial complex already had tremendous stock of raw materials, feeding its war industries. But economic powerhouse is essential to the growing military sector.



On July 2, 1941, military advisers met with Emperor Hirohito at the Imperial Palace to tackle economic and military matters. Present were: Prime Minister Prince Fuminaro Konoye, War Minister Hideki Tojo, Nav Chief of Staff Admiral Nagano, Army Chief of Staff Gen Suzuki, Field Marshal Sugiyama, military aides Gen. muto and Shimada, Minister Toyoda and Togo, and Ambassador to the United States Admiral Kishisaburo Nomura.



It was the initial contemplation of was against the United States. Prince Konoye recommended the military ‘strike south’ to the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies - believing that it would pay immense dividends for Japan in acquisition of raw materials and manpower that cold be exploited.



On the otherhand, Emperor Hirohito expressed concern about the possible war with the United States, and by moving to South Pacific - and cautioned how it could be handled sensitively. And interference by the United States deserved more serious consideration. In the end of the meeting Emperor gave his blessing to wage war.



The Zaibatsus then hiked its production of war armaments. Tojo informed the Emperor that the Zaibatsus as well as the military establishment were reaching the peak of their efficiency -and that Japan is well on its way to fight the war.



United States Concern



In the United States, Pres. Roosevelt sensed that he was approaching a precarious period of an imminent war. At the same time China’s Genrralissimo Chiang Kai Shek have been prodding Roosevlelt to do something about the Japanese incursion in China.



Roosevelt had demanded the Japan with drawl from China to no avail. Years have passed since Japan’s encroachment in China.



Field Marshal Sugiyama had performed well in Manchuria - and provided nspriation for the Japanese armed forces to strike south. The Tojo assured the Emperor that the military was fully prepared to start to strike south, and a war against America.



In Washington, Roosevelt told Secretary of State Cordell Hull,



"I have done everything possible to head off war against Japan. I have even offered to meet Emperor Hirohito on a ship off the coast of Alaska to discuss what can be done to ensure peace in the Far East."

At the Imperial Palace in Tokyo



However, in the Imperial Palace, on September 1941, Hirohito had another opinion. He said in the conference,



"It is impossible for Japan to withdraw troops from China without losing face, at least. And if Ambassador Nomura does not succeed in reaching an accord with America by October 10, then Japan will move toward war against the United States."



[See: Hirohito War Years by Paul Manning, Dodd, mead and & Co., Nyew York, 1986 ]



A Bold New Order For Asia



This new order has for its foundation a tripartite relationship of mutual aid and cooperation between Japan, Manchuko and China in political, economic cultural fields. Its objective was to secure international justice, to protect itself and to perfect a joint defense against Communism throughout Asia. [ See Statement of Prime Minister Konoe Fujimaro, Nov. 3, 1938]



The pressure in China was constant, and the Japanese have been enlarging its garrisons extending its influence as far as north in Mukden, and inner Mongolia. This expansion resulted to a shooting incident at the Marco Polo bridge when a Chinese military unit was passing through. [ See: Japan At War, by Theodore and Haruko Cook. Taya cook, New Press, New York.]



China’s Undeclared War



The Japanese, in turn expected too much under the command of natioanalist Generalisimo Chiang Kai Shek to sue for peace - so that the Japanese government would grant peace in exchange for the right of exploitation of Mongolia - as a se cond Manchukuo. This did not happen The Japanese then advanced to Shanghai.



In turn, the Chinese Nationalist [Koumingtang ] government saw what the Japanese were planning was total colonization of China. They had to put their feet down. China had to protect its sovereignty.



Un-necessary Involvement



China at this juncture - was fair game and Japan saw the consequences of the avidity of imperial colonizers in the South East Asian region like the Philippines, Indonesia, Burma, Indo-China [ Vietnam ], Malaya [ Malaysia ], Cambodia, Laos, etc. So when World War II reached The Philippines was singled out as a prime target by the Japanese because of its strategic location, the neutralization American military bases in the archipelago, not to leave out the pronounced blind loyalty of Filipinos to the United States of America.



The Japanese viewed that "where ever the white man went, they brought the white man’s burden, and so much trouble for Asians. Caucasian colonizers had partitioned Asia as their preserved." [ See former Senator Jose W. Diokno’s desertation, Imperial Colonizers Appetite For Asia.]



Asian Regional Conflict



China declared that the Japanese were in effect engaged in an open war against them and that China would meet it with a sustained strategy of attrition. It therefore started the open war.



Meanwhile, another authority was established in China with the inauguration of a new Nationalist government of Wang Ching Wei in Nanking. Wang a close associate of Chiang Kai Shek. Both were trusted associates of the most respected leader Dr. Sun Yet Sen.



The Nationalists retreated to Hankow and later to Chungking to counter the Japanese advance. [ Ref: Oriental History, Capt. Roman N. Quesada’s library,professor of History and Mathematics ].



Fall Out with the U.S.



After the Fall of Nanking, - the American boat Panay was sunk by the Japanese. The Japanese asked the Americans to remove their gunboats from Yantze River in Central China.



U.S. Admiral Henry Yarhell, Commander of the U.S. fleet mannerly told the Japanese to "go to hell."



The Japanese then moved forward to Hankow recently abandoned by the Koumingtangs. Only the U.S. gunboat Tutuila remained while the British and other American gunboats left led by U.S Admiral William Glass ford. [ Ref: War in the Pacific by A.P Hoyt. Avon Books N.Y. and Goodbye Darkness, William Manchester. ]



After this, the Japanese pushed onward and took Hongkomg. No one ever expected what would transpire in the Mid Pacific. This Japanese plan had been secretly been planned over the years under very concealed and enigmatic manner. It could not have been put into action without the imprimatur of Emperor Hirohito.



The Japanese Pearl Harbor Raid



The main purpose of, Japan was to initially attack Pearl Harbor and the stronghold of the Pacific Fleet, likewise cripple the U.S. Navy in order to gain precious time for Japan to carry out its master plan of invading the South East Asian region, and augmenting its near-ending national resources, and also to harness the vast manpower of South East Asia. But most of all, with another nagging purpose if driving out the white imperial colonials out Asia.



Deep Self-Exaltation



This seemed to be a Nipponese obsession - a hang-up which would satisfy their fragile self-exaltation.



In the words of Japan’s top Admiral Isuroko Yamamoto, chief planner of the Pearl Harbor attack, to wit:



" The goal of Japan - is that all eight corners of the world under one roof - will now be demonstrated to the world."



Prime Strategy



Pearl Harbor attack was carefully devised to provide Japan a quick victory and hoped that the Americans could then be persuaded to come to the peace table and allow Japanese armed forces to enjoy the spoils and rewards of battles in South East Asia.



Japanese professional officers and veterans of the China campaign, however, doubted how Japan could sustain its victories in Asia if and when the United States have completed its re-armament program after Pearl Harbor raid.



And they were correct. In a protracted war - Japan actually could not sustain its campaign. However, they tried it anyway and took the great risk. They believed that after victories in China and South East Asia, the rest is history.



The Nipponese Ploy



The Japanese hoped that the U.S would prolong the peace negotiations - so Japan could invade the Philippines. Thus would be advantageous for the Japanese navy to carry on the war in Asia - even up to Australia from the viewpoint of the Japanese navy plotters.



Then the other joint-military echelons approved the occupation of the Philippines although it would involve many divisional forces. Manpower, at this juncture, was not a problem. The whole Japanese nation, teeming with fanatic men all willing and able, were indeed in top shape to wage war for the Emperor and country.



General Hideki Tojo, approved the plan - guided by the final decision of the joint-armed forces to forge ahead and strike the South first.- to be able to secure the much needed additional oil supply, rubber and other logistics to flow to the Japanese mainland and keep the war going.



Pearl Harbor Sneak Attack



Sneak attack at Pearl Harbor was the key to conquest of South East countries in the Pacific.



Plans for the sneak attack Pearl Harbor in Honolulo, Hawai was the project of Admiral Isaburo Yamamoto, a Harvard alumnus, and was top in his class at the Naval Staff College, and was stationed in the as an attache in the United States for sometime.



He commanded the as Chief of the Imperial Fleet shortly before Japan waged war south in 1941.



He was a perfectionist and laboriously attend to the minute detail of the Pearl Harbor watched with satisfaction simulated exercises of the attack conducted at in the harbors of Sukomo, Sacki, Kagoshima and Kanoya.



Practice assaults by torpedo bombers by different groups were performed as per plans. Ships they hit were that if the exact positions of U.S. Navy warships docked at Pearl Harbor.



On September 6, Yamamoto called in all his fleet commanders and assault leaders to the Naval College in for specialized war games in Tokyo. Yamamoto had a plaster model of Pearl Harbor on a center table. The whole plan was unveiled to the detail, while he lectured his fleet commanders the importance of destroying the the U.s Pacific Fleet. He figured out that if the aircraft carriers were also destroyed, it would be a long war. If they are not - then there would be a lot of sea battles in the ensuing year.



And that was what actually happened. Here were no U.S. aircrafts carriers on that morning {Dec. 7]in Pearl Harbor. That would lead to the decisive sea battles of Coral Sea and Midway. later.



Yamamoto was quite conscious of security measures before he launched his harbor raid in Hawaii. He implemented his strict preparation for complete elimination of spies and news correspondents in Japan. By September of 1941 - the Japanese Kempei Tai [ Military Police ] rounded them up. It began with the disbandment of the ring of Richard Sogre. Then the arrest of Ozaki Hosumi, head of Nippon’s Communists who were reported assisting Sorge



At the same time, the U.S. Embassy was under 24 hour surveillance. It included one, Frank Shuller, an American embassy aid who earlier had access to Japanese military bases, and religious missionaries. He made it safely back to the U.S before he was arrested. But for both Hotsumi and Sorge, they mounted the gallows and were hanged.



[ Planing the Attack on Pearl, by Paul Manning, In Hirohito in War Years, Dodd, Mead andCo. N.Y.1986 ]



Japan’s Diplomatic Preparation



Diplomatic approaches provided for Japan’s maneuver for time which lasted up to September and October.



Nomura. Japanese Ambassador to the United States met with State Secretary Hull on October 21and was told that Japan should withdraw from China, if relations between the United States and Japan were to stay. Diplomatic moves extended up to November.



Roosevelt in consultation with Churchill was told by e latter that "Without a direct Japanese attack on the U.S Territory, Roosevelt could not go to war, and England, he feared would continue alone against Hitler."



But in Tokyo, Hirohito had already given approval to Tojo and the military. At this juncture, Yamamoto was also moving his projected attack, ordering the opening salvo in complete order of battle for the strike south.



The order of implementation starts on December 8. It should be noted that it was Monday in Tokyo, but still Sunday in Hawaii die to the difference in time past the International Dateline in the mid Pacific.



Yamamoto boarded his flagship Nagato, and watch bis project put into action.



The sequence of the order was: (1) Japan declares war against on the United States and Great Britain and the Netherlands on X Day. It becomes effective on Y Day. An Imperial Rescript would be released the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. And announcing was on the U.S., England and Holland as part of the establishment of the Japan’s New Order in Greater Eat Asia.



Tojo gave orders to the submarine squadrons and sail for Kure islands towards Anchorage, Alaska and to Kwajalein and Marshall islands in the mid-Pacific, far below the Equator. They would rendezvous with the Sixth fleet’s flagship Katori. And waited for the signal to advance. Commander Naoji Iwasa received the signal on November 11 to proceed to Hawaii.



When submarines reach the waters of Hawaii, they stood by " a net of readiness". The key was - If Japanese- American negotiations were still in a deadlock on November 11, the submarines would become operational.



In Washington D.C.



The fourth formal conference was in motion. Sec. Hull speaking for Pres .Roosevelt gave Japan an ultimatum: a multilateral non-aggression treaty calling for the withdrawal of all Japanese troops from China and French Indo-China.



In Tokyo



There was a Supreme War Council going on at the Imperial Palace - that decided on November 20 that the war would go forward. And there would be no treaty with the United States on the terms laid down by Hull.



On December 8 at 03:00 Hours, The Japanese Foreign Office in Tokyo sent a signal to Nomura and Kuruso, the Japanese envoys in Washington D.C. to severe diplomatic relations with the United States. The full message did not reach the desk of Hull until forty minutes after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor.



Ann alert U.S. Naval Operations officer, Stark issued a warning that - an aggressive move by Japan is expected within the next few days – and the move would probably be an amphibious expedition against the Philippines, Thailand, Malaya or Borneo."



While the unforseen attack on Pearl Harbor stunned the U.S Navy and Army - It was known to Col. William Friedman chief of the US.s Army Signal Corps Intelligence Service. He was the one who broke the Japanese Purple code and his "Magic" interceptions, which discovered the attack on Pearl Harbor thay that have been sent to the white House .Obviously his warning, for some reason had been ignored.



There was no doubt the President Roosevelt wanted to provoke the Japanese into a first attack on the United States. It appeared that Roosevelt had instructed Hull to drat a final statement of the American moral position which he knew Hitohito and Hitler had grand designs to conquer the world, despite what they say officially.



As a consequence of said act of ommission - Yamamoto’s sneak attack on Pearl Harbor netted the following heavy toll on the U.S. Navy and Hawaii ground base: "eight battleships, three light cruisers, three destroyers, and four auxiliary crafts were sunk, capsized or heavy damaged. Naval aircraft casualties were likewise heavy; thirteen fighters, twenty-one scout bombers, forty-six patrol bombers, three utility planes, two air transports, two observation scout aircrafts.



The "Army lost four B-17s, twelve B-18s, two A-20s, thirty-two P-40s, twenty P-36s, four P26s, two OA-9s, eighty-eight pursuit planes, and six reconnaissance aircraft, thirty-four bombers damaged.Hickam, and Wheeler Fields, Ford Island and Kaneohe and Ewa installations heavily damaged."



The United States dead and missing totalled 2,402, and 1,178 wounded.



Over at the White House, Roosevelt was heard saying,



"Oh God, I never thought it would be so great." [ referring to the damage and casualties. ].



Yamamoto’s mammoth power of destruction was beyond his belief, his air fleet flew back to their carriers with a code signal "Tora Tora Tora" - happily received at the Imperial Palace and Yamamoto’s flagship.



News of this fantastic success on the part of the Japanese military operation turned the whole nation of Japan into a festival of jubilation. Tojo - could not get believe it - and hardly get over it - as he paused to what was next for the Japanese military.



But following the attack at Pearl Harbor, Tojo was accomplishing a string of successive victories in the subsequent operation si the Pacific that staggered the United States, Great Britain and Netherland. Few Western leaders suspected that the Japanese would follow up the attack on Hawaii with invasion of the Philippines, Hongkong, Malaya, and the Dutch East Indies, all quick in succession.



Tojo’s divisions moved on Guam and Wake Island. In the South West Pacific - General Tomoyuki Yama****a’s 21st Army moved to Malaya, and General Homma’s 14th Army boarded tranports for Formosa (Taiwan), then to Pescadores - for the Invasion of Luzon, Philippines.



[ See Hirohito, The Glory Years by Paul Manning, in Hirohito’s War Years, 1968 ]



Invasion of the Philippines



Victory at Pearl Harbor was the key to the invasion of the Philippines. The raid at Pearl Harbor was on December 8, 1941 as D-Day by the Japanese navy planned by Admiral I. Yamamoto, Simultaneously, Japanese invading forces would attack the Philippines on the same date [ note the difference in time and date past the inter-date line in the mid Pacific]. For example, if it is [ 0300 hours] or 3:00 o’clock local Manila time, A.M it is [0900 hours ] or 9:00 o’clock local time in Honolulu. Hawaii. When travelling Eastbound crossing the Inter-date Line subtract one day. Going on the opposite direction, West-bound, add one day.



In brief - Manila is one day ahead.



Attack Base in Taiwan



Before the Pacific War, Taiwan was occupied by the Japanese. From there, the Japanese air force composed of three light carriers, started from there under Admiral Tsukahara, who found his force inadequate.



Instead, he used another plan by using the new Zero air-crafts with extra gas tanks with a range of 1,000 miles to fly from Taiwan to Manila and back.



In the Philippines



At Clark Field, and in Nichols Field, there were no less than 32 Boeing B-17 heavy bombers, and some 150 assorted attack warplanes. They were neatly lined up on the ground, as if it were inspection day. They laid there as easy targets awaiting the enemy’s Zeros and bombers.



And that was how it actually happened when the Japanese raiders instantly swooped down upon them. The U.S. Air Force sadly lost practically all and suffered a major setback. MacArthur’s USAFFE air cover therefore had nothing.



MacArthur was completely taken by surprise. He had n excuses. He was not notified by of the intelligence Roosevelt held in his hands about the known enemy attack at Pearl Harbor, and in the Philippines. The Japanese "Purple Code" was already broken by U.S. decoders but was limited to higher echelons. And so with Admiral Kimmel in Hawaii who was never informed by Roosevelt. This was viewed as quite distrustful in the eyes of field officers and men, especially those who suffered most.



December 8, 1941



Filipinos nonchalantly went on their casual way as if the never knew the impending war threat. And oblivious of what was going to happen, and what was in store for them despite the several air drills and warnings of the suspected impending invasion by the Japanese. to them.



The believed hook-line and sinker the American bum propaganda that "so long as the American flag waves over the Philippines, no invader would attempt to land in Philippine soil." But they were in a very great surprise - when Japanese bombs fell right in the city. Nichols Field and Cavite Naval Base were attacked.



The nation was caught naked and unprepared for along trouble and pain. It has been a long time since the Revolutionary War in 1989 - and people never really could imagine how war could affect them. All they knew was - peacetime was an over-riding order of the time. The old saying, "come what may", in Tagalog , "Bahala Na" [ Que sera sera ] was their last resort. And that God will provide. However ,it was not the case.



Series of Enemy Air Raids



At noon of December 8, some 30 Japanese bombers escorted by Zero fighters dropped bombs at predestined targets [ Clark Field[ straffed Nichols and Cavite Navy Yard.



They took MacArthur"s USAFFE [ United States Army in the Far East ] in complete surprise. The same thunderclap that hit Pearl Harbor. American complacency cost the its Navy in the Pacific, and the Philippines as a land base defense under the much-bruited about War Plan Orange III, which later switched to War Plan Rainbow. It merely called for a dilatory defense until reinforcement 8.000 miles away arrives from the U.S. mainland.



Decimated U..S. Navy



One by one, the U.S. most boasted Asiatic Fleet was quickly dispatched by Admiral Hart quickly to Java, with only a destroyer left in Cavite. The rest of the fleet escaped and proceeded to Australia.



Japanese Zeros swept the airstrips and military bases but no U.S. fighters intercepted them Bombs were dropped and when they were finished, the Philippines and the U.S. air defenses were nothing but a burning heap of ashes. The Japanese flew back to Taiwan safely to regroup for another sortie.



They returned the next day and attacked again, however ,this time was not productive. One the third day, they found some U.S. aircrafts of about 20 B-17 bombers on the ground but had quickly managed to escape southward to Mindanao island.



Major damage inflicted in December 10, was in Cavite Navy Yard across the island of Corregidor approximately 10 miles across in Manila Bay. The Japanese scored a big hit at the munitions depot. Other casualties in Cavite were U.S submarines: Sea Lion and mine sweeper, Bittern at the harbor. The U.S. navy in the Philippines was then nothing.



Enemy Beach Landings



Little-known was the first unheralded landing at Bashi Channel in December 8, 1941. This was before the huge mass attack in the Philippines. They later moved to Camiguin Island and constructed a seaplane base.



Upon seeing that there were no appreciable resistance. The air attackers proceeded to provide air cover to the Japanese invasion at Vigan, Ilocos Sur.



Aparri Beachhead



The second large landing was in Aparri, in the northern most tip of Luzon that consisted of large battalions, otherwise known as the Tanaka Detachment [ named after it commander].



In Aparri, American P-40 fighters And 6 B-17 Bombers attacked the Japanese landing force in the beach, and blew up the minesweeper that gave the USAFFE defenders some semblance of control.



Tanaka waited for Japanese air-cover which did not arrive. They then quickly moved to Cagayan River where they were able to mount an advance towards the direction of Manila.



Pandan and Vigan Beachhead



This other enemy landing waswas at Pandan, south of Vigan, composed of Gen. Nishimura’s 4,400 troops ashore, however, the USAFFE sank the minesweeper, and straffed Nishimura’s flagship. Hishimura sought refuge ashore. They broke through the defender’s line.



The Legaspi Landing at Bicol



In the Southern tip of Luzon, at Camarines Sur, in Legaspi City - near San Bernandino Straight across the island of Samar, the enemy landed with not much resistance. It was a strategic point foe the Japanese because this body of water protected by them would deny the American forces from reinforcing the defense line.



On December 14, the U.S. Airforce mounted a raid with B-17 bombers to attack the landing force at Legaspi harbor. Japanese Zeros jumped American bombers so badly - which hardly made it back to their base with a lot of casualties among the crew.



The Lingayen Gulf Landing



More invasion troops were poured by the Japanese into the Philippines which headed for Lingayen Gulf at Pangasinan beach in December 21st completely unopposed.



More lamdings followed protected by enemy air cover at San Fernando, La Union, with simultaneous strikes at Clark Field and other USAFFE defense fortifications. By this time, the Japanese had command of the air and the invasion of Luzon.



Incursion At Lamon Bay

Lamon Bay lies east of Luzon facing the Pacific coast. There was also no appreciable defense to stop the surging mass of enemy invaders. The USAFFE was made to retreat to Bataan Peninsula under instant orders.



The most which could be done by President of the Philippine government, while in exile in Corregidor Island, was to declare Manila, the Capital City - an " Open City" in an effort to preserve the city structures and the civilian population, short of full collaboration with the enemy.



Manila - Open City ?



There was no way for the USAFFE to stop the surging massive enemy forces advancing towards Manila. They all had to retreat en mass in the desolate Bataan Peninsula as per plan. Only the rear echclon was left in Manila at Intramuros [Walled City ] to direct the last plans for the retreat, after disbanding as many USAFEE defenders that would be inside Manila - like the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and ROTC university cadets that manned the defense of the city along with the U.S. troops.



The Japanese troops that converged into the city never did honor or accepted the pleas for Open city and proceeded to occupy Manila. The found the city evacuated with the exception of a few Manilans who were caught inside the city without any means of evacuation.



Martial law was declared and the people were subjected to brutalities.



Puppet Philippine Government



The Japanese were able to locate Filipino officials [ politicians who were instructed by Pres. Quezon to stay and see what they could do ] short of full collaboration wit the enemy.



He instructed Jorge Vargas and other officials to hod the fort while the Philippine Commonwealth was in exile.



At Corregidor



Quezon was evacuated by MacArthir to Corregidor Island to protect him and the family from enemy abuse. He was literally a pawn of the U.S while was safe from the enemy. It would be a blow to the U.S prestige to leave Quezon behind in under the iron heels of the obdurate enemy who could exploit his presence.



MacArthur was not too sure what Quezon would do in order to protect the Filipino people. Queson was very vocal against the weak defenses of the USAFFE, and Washington’s wishy-washy policies. He even suggested that the Philippines declare neutrality if only to save the nation. Rosevelt and MacArthur.



Quezon, in his frustrating moments candidly told MacArthur, upon seeing the Filipino soldiers and the civilians without proper protection, because of the inability of the U.S.. to bring relief to the Philippines. he emotionally said, to wit:



Writhing in anguish, "The fate of the a distant cousin [ Europe ] to be saved by America, came first, while a daughter [ the Philippines ] is being raped in the back room ! Quezon said.



This was never published for some reason. But the record showed his deep concern about the Filipino people and their future. He was very much concerned and worried about the thousands of Filipinos in Bataan, whose safety he had assumed responsibility.



The USAFFE Mass Retreat to Bataan



The USAFFE was ordered by MacArthur to implement War Plan Orange III, which was no less than the hurried mass retreat t the desolate peninsula of Bataan Province.



It was to be the staging area of a defense to the last man against the superior enemy forces that over-ran all the USAFFE’s beach defenses, before the promised American aid from the U.S. An 8-mile convoy from the mainland U.S.A. never arrived, and was diverted to America’s cousin in Europe by Roosevelt.



Thus - the USAFFE was doomed to be the sacrificial goat, influenced by Roosevelt’s cronies.



Bataan Defense



On December 24, BGen. George Parker was assigned by MacArthur to organize the Bataan defense. And on Christmas Day. the USAFFE quickly moved to their assigned areas as follows: 21st Infantry Division, 31st Infantry Division, 41st Infantry Division, 71st Infantry Division and the 26th Cavalry, etc.



The battle of confrontation began. What followed was history that was cruel but was just.



[See the Battle of Bataan in the chapter of this treatise, Triumph in the Philippines, Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, AFP Library ]



Enemy’s Quest for Prisoners



Very few prisoners were taken by the pursuing Japanese troops, that were mopping up the occupied areas. The last batch of USAFFE s crossed the Calumpit Bridge [ in Bulacan ] thereafter was blown off by the USAFFE engineers to deny the enemy from further chasing them.



The Bridge that divided the USAFFE



On the other side of the bridge were also many USAFFEs who were late and therefore stranded south if bridge. They had to fend for themselves - mostly melted to the hills of the Cordilleras and the sierra Madre mountains to join the resistance movements already being formed by fellow stragglers.



Many of them [ like me were ] left behind, and were to seek safety towards the hills of Bulacan and Rizal provinces. However, we were lucky enough not to be caught by the surging enemy forces towards Manila that instead went via the 1st District of Laguna [ through San Pablo, Calamba and Sta. Rosa ,Laguna and towards the southern jaw of Manila through Paranaque, Rizal. ]



Guerrilla Action



We who did not relish taking defeat, joined the guerrillas, in order to divert the enemy’s attention against our brothers, fathers and friends in Bataan in an uncertain dilatory action.



We believed that a second front could provide a diversion of the enemy’s quest to vanquish the USAFFE in Bataan and Corregidor. and we were correct.



Guerrillas would be augmented by those who escaped from the Bataan Death March after the surrender of Bataan.



A handful of American escapees tried to join the guerrillas but could not withstand the privations of mountain ssurvival, and risk of being beheaded [ by decapitation ] by the Japanese upon being caught.



Defense and Fall of Bataan, and Japanese Occupation of the Philippines



The battle of Bataan ceased in April 9, 1942. Shortly before the fall, an ominous lull reigned over the battle-fronts. Massive enemy offense breached the USAFFE defenses, enemy planes dominated the air, and revealed all strong-holds of the defenders from the air observers,, while bombers continuedly pounded hungry, sick and weary USAFFEs fighting to the last man.



However, all over the front, defenders stuck to whatever fight they could even under the downward struggle. In April 6th - the enemy was already on Mount Samat that commanded the whole view of the USAFFE defenses.



Even before the Japanese Forces struck, the American defense of the Philippines drawn under the much-bruited about "War Plan Orange III" - it was likened to a feebled seed, planted on the drawing board, and supinely nurtured in the battlefield as withering plant. This token defense was more of a semblance of dilatory "chevaux de frise" [ port cullis ] that held Filipino-American USAFFE defenders no less than expendable hocks in a simulated niggard defense when all the much-needed logistical support secretly was diverted to American cousins in Europe.



MacArthur secretly knew it was a procrastinating shroud until he receives actual logistics and re-inforcements from the U S. mainland and Hawaii - which never arrived. Only him was aware of that.



The USAFFE defenders were lulled into a make-belief esprit de corps" that held them together in a phantasmagoria of a crazy delusion.



Filipinos a Wretched Pawn



The Philippines was placed in a political dilemma during this war. In the opinion of the intelligentsia, the Pacific War was for economic and political supremacy of a sphere of influence in Asia and in the Western Pacific, which used the Philippines as their battleground.



The Philippines as a protectorate of the United States, happened to be in the area for expansion of the Japanese Greater East-Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.



In accordance with War Plan Rainbow 5, the Philippines would not expect nay help until Germany would be defeated in the war in Europe. The Philippines would have to be sacrificed therefore, if it was necessary. Quezon was furious. He saw nothing in this nothing less than desertion. He did not hide his displeasure with MacArthur.



Because of the inability of relief from the U.S., Pres. Quezon even proposed that the Philippines be a neutral nation and be kept out of war between two imperial colonials.



Roosevelt with his tongue in cheek, radioed Quezon in the Philippines to wit:



"Although I cannot at this time time state the day, that the help will arrive the Philippines, , I can assure you that every vessel available is bearing to the South West Pacific the strength that will eventually crush the enemy andn liberate your nativeland."



Pres. Quezon’s Deep Concern



Pres. Manuel L. Quezon, with deep concern of his people, upon seeing the negative situation and Washington D.C’s design had protested strongly to Pres. Roosevelt about the protecting Europe first at the expense of the Philippines.



Loyalty of Filipinos to the United States fought tp the bitter end to show their gratitude for protection and other benefits Uncle Sam had bestrowed upon them in time of peace and war, and because they resented the ruthless invasion of their homeland by the Japanese hordes of aggressor.



While in exile in Corregidor, MacArthur and the USAFFE officers, he said, to wit: " I writhe in anguished at the fate of a distant cousin (Euorpe), while a daughter, (the Philippines) is being raped in the back room."



Quezon saw through the dissimulation by the United States over the fate of the USAFFEs and the Filipino people as a hapless pawn in America’s misadventure in World war II in the Pacific. This was shared by Filipinos and world leaders that were conversant with the unpreparedness of the United States in the Philippines, not to leave out its inexorable and desultory design.



Quezon, purely upon is own responsibility telegraph Pres. Roosevelt on January 13, expressing is belief and desire that the whole force of America should direct first against Japan in East Asia. And in order to save the possible useless sacrifices of the Philippine Army as well as the American army, Quezon thought that that he would ask Roosevelt to authorize him to issue a public manifesto asking the U.S government to grant immediate , complete and absolute independence to the Philippines.



With this, Quezon believed that the Philippines would be free from the war and the Philippine Army b demobilized. This request reached Washington D.C but Roosevelt prevailed over Quezon to withdraw such proposal.



Under very clever but smooth language, Roosevelt sent this message, to wit:



"For over 40 years the American government has been carrying out t the people of the Philippines a pledge to help them successfully, how long it might take. In their aspiration to become a sel-governing and nidependent people, with the individual freedom and economic strength which they lofty aim makes a requisite."



No sooner, Quezon and his family would be exiled in the United States and smuggled out of Corregidor by the U.S Forces.



In Bataan Peninsula



" Rumors had sustained the morale of defenders for weeks, on Bataan as well as Corregidor until we gradually realized it was just one more of the mirages that made our lives bearable. That 8-mile convoy expected had actually been made of dream ships. What did we talk about by day - we dream about by night"



" In moments of respite from fighting there said to have bare their souls. Romance is stronger than disease and hunger. : according to the then Col. Carlos P. Romulo, the lastman off Bataan, before he was promoted to Brigadier General.by MacArthur.



On April 9th - USAFFE defenders found themselves marching as captives [prisoners-of-war] of the obdurate Imperial Japanese Forces. The victorious Nippon Army were rushing everywhere, and one of them said in broken English,



"War finished, American generals surrender." said enemy sergeant Murai.



What followed was utterly chaos. The notorious march of death or now dubbed as the "Bataan Death March" followed.



Summary of the Struggle



To summarize - Bataan’s struggle, under the U.S War Plan Orange III was a dilatory action, a defense position where Bataan was literally hopeless without full support from the U.S. Mainland and Hawaii. They were wretched pawns in a war of America against Japan. Little did they not know that they were sacrificed.



The USAFFE drove themselves to exhaustion in a hasty retreat to the designated holding area which was the desolate Bataan peninsula, and the island fortress of Corregidor in the mouth of Manila Bay which lasted for over 90 gruel-ling days before surrender.



When the Imperial Japanese invading forces began their mass and major offensive - the USAFFE defenders were almost defeated. With empty stomach, sick bodies, with minds tortured by the strain of fighting,. The knowledge that hope of aid from the much vaunted United States of America - was gone, however, gone only in spirit of defense which kept them fighting. The grim feeling of jaunty hopelessness found expression of a sad battle cry - was on every lips in the filthy foxholes of Bataan.



Famous Doggerel



Nobody knew how this doggerel started nor who composed these words together, but it was in everybody’s lips in the soggy foxholes of Bataan out of their frustration awaiting for reinforcement, to wit:



‘We’re the battling bastards of Bataan, no papa, no mama, no Uncle Sam. No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, n nieces. No pills, no planes no artillery pieces; And nobody give a damn."



Bataan lay to the west, southwest of Manila, a barren peninsula 25 miles long by 20 miles wide, an arm of which flanked Manila Bay. Five and a half miles offshore, at the Bay’s mouth, was the island fortress of Corregidor, a well-fortified island, however, obsolete in the air age of latest-built airplanes and heavy artillery from across the shores of Cavite province and Bataan itself. To the west of the peninsula was the restively facing the rough South China Sea.



Determined Enemy



The only direction the Japanese offensive of land troops could access was through the vast land trap of 500 square miles of lowland swamp, jungle and rice-land, along the spine of the of the formidable and rugged range of Mariveles Mountains, dominated by two extinct volcanoes: the 4,222 foot Mount Mariveles and the 4,733 foot Mount Bataan to the south.



From the mountains coursed deeply ravine streams featured by rugged gorges with thick forest.



[ See sketch of Bataan Peninsula ].



Non-combatant Refugees



This execrate land populated by a wandering host of 26,000 demoralzed non-combatant civilians accidently caught by the war without food, shelter, or medicine between opposing forces. They would be a great burden to both the USAFFE and the invading Japanese in the course of the siege of Bataan.



Some defense forces in the peninsula could not be supplied adequately, thus had to be on half ration almost since their arrival to their defense positions. The USAFFE, in this desolate peninsula were susceptible to malaria, amoebic dysentery, hookworm prevalent everywhere, were soon afflicted with malnutrition, scurvy and beri-beri. It was reported that after forth-night - that half of the troops were always down with disease.



And to such hell - these miserable troops held out for three months against a massive invasion force reported at no less than 58,000 well-armed with the engines of modern warfare, and trained to a razor’s edge of efficiency.



[See the chapter about the details of the death march and the captivity in the Gates of Hades of Camp O’Donnell.



The Island Fortress



Across the channel in the humid lateral of Corregidor’s tunnel - the "Voice of Freedom" radio station [ clandestinely based in this island fortress at the mouth of Manila Bay ] under then, Col. Carlos P. Romulo, assisted by my former college mentor, Capt. Salvador Lopez, a member of the psy-war staff. He was te one who wrote the famous philippic sans any bitterness or invective, which was recited calmly by my classmate in English class in the University of the Philippines in 1941, by Lt. Norman Reyes. Norman and I were seatmates in the class where we were seated in the alphabetical order.



Filipinos Adept in English



It was in the university that produced able craftsmen in psy-war who were adept in the grammatical English language through the tutorship of both Filipino and American language professors [ Dean. Paz Benitez, Dean Endicot, Prof. Angel Catanjal and many others ].



It was also in the same university where we had swell pre-war training in prose and poetry - and in publishing college publications such as the U.P. Collegian" and "The Philippinesian" Among them were: Salvador P. Lopez, Leon Ma. Guerrero, Renato Constantino, Angel Baking, Teddy Balagtas, Sammy Rodriguez, Juan A. Quesada Jr, Letty Roxas (Constantino), Ceres Cuyugan (Alabado), Melanio " Spike" Casupanan, myself along many others who have spent our waking hours, turning out those publications before our conscription to the U.S. flag, by and virtue of Pres. F. Roosevelt’s un-numbered Military Order of July 26, 1941.



[ Pre-War and War Years diary of Col. F.Quesada, Quesada Library ]



Conscripteion into the U.S. Army



By November of 1941, most of us were already in U.S. Army uniform, bore side-arms, ate the same rations as any member of the United States Army in the Far East. We were under command of American and Filipino officers, who inducted troops into the U.S. Army after taking the oat of allegiance to the U.S. and the flag.



Our units were ordered to join the hasty retreat of the USAFFE to Bataan, although many were either disbanded, or were not able to cross the Calumpit Bridge in Bulacan, after USAFFE engineers blew it up to deny the enemy its use.



Stranded and Left Out



We were among those stranded south of the bridge, were told to find and join pockets of resistance forces - in an irregular and uncoventional warfare as guerrillas - to distract the Japanese forces in its offensive operation towards Bataan and Corregidor.



Thus - when the USAFFE was surrendered in Bataan by Gen. King, somebody had to tell the world of the heavy-hearted event of the Japanese snare.



Voice of Freedom in Corregidor



The Voice of Freedom based in the tunnel of Corregidor was regularly broadcasting psy-war materials in its effort to maintain the morale of the Filipino people and the embattled USAFFE, beamed to the whole world whose freedom-loving people were following events of the gallant defense of democracy and freedom in the Philippines - invaded by the Japanese Imperial forces in 1941-42.



Col. Romulo previously authorized the broadcast of the Fall of Bataan to his staff. The task of producing philippic was first assigned to Capt. Leony Guerrero, who attempted to draft the broadcast material. Each time he sat down and pounded the type-writer, he broke down, and could not put the proper words together. Time was of the essence, so Capt. Salvador P. Lopez [SP] as we fondly called him, took over. Calmly, without heaviness and compression, started to type the the philippic which no one knew that someday would turn out to be a masterpiece - recited around the world by citizens of the free world. Many years later, this piece would be part of precious history of World War II.



This famous farewell ran this way:



"Bataan Has Fallen:



"The Philippine -American troops on this war-ravaged and blood-stained peninsula have laid down their arms. With heads bloody and unbowed, they have yielded to the superior force and numbers of the enemy.



" The world will long remember the epic struggle that Filipino and American soldiers put up in these jungle fastness and along the rugged coast of Bataan.



"They have stood uncomplaining under constant and gruelling fire of the enemy for more than three months. Besieged on land and blocked by sea, cut off from sources of help in the Philippines and n America, these intrepid fighters have done all that human endurance could bear.



" For what sustained them though All these months of incessant battle was a force of an unconquerable faith - something in the heart and soul that physical hardship and adversary could not destroy ! It was thought of native land and all that it holds most dear, the thought of freedom and dignity, the pride in these most priceless of all human prerogatives.



The adversary, in the pride of his power and triumph, will credit our troops with nothing less than the courage and fortitude that his troops have shown. And the world will testify to the almost superhuman endurance with which they stood up until the last in the face of overwhelming odds.



" But the decision had to come. Men fighting under the banner of unshakeable faith are made of something more than flesh, but they are not made of impervious steel. The flesh must yield at last, endurance melts away, ands the end of the battle must come.



"Bataan has fallen. But the spirit that made it stand - a beacon to all the liberty-loving peoples of the world cannot fail."



[ See: Bataan and Corregidor,RP Dept. of Defense and Dept. of Tourism, Library of Col. F. Quesada.]



+ + +



All the world heard this last farewell of the USAFFE’s under siege in the desolate peninsula. As the beleaguered defenders trudged down the trails of Mt. Samat, and from all the battlefront lines to submit to a disgraceful surrender - freedom-loving citizens of the world unashamedly cried.



Our Fears Were Confirmed



We feared for all our comrades who have been captured by a ferocious enemy who did not care about the details of the Geneva Convention. It was until later - we found out that it was true that the hapless USAFFEs as men held the surging Japanese Imperial forces of Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma, at bay close to 120 days and nights of savaged fighting were subjected to the most devastating and truculent treatment which would turn out as holocaust in the Far East.



Divine Portent Omen



However, starting in Good Friday of April 3, the enemy had made hell of the USAFFE’s defense in Bataan, likewise have broken through all the way to Mount Samat. It was a vindication of their long and embarrassing quest for capitulation of Bataan, and how the USAFFEs delayed the whole time-table of the Imperial Japanese conquest of South Asia.



The last stand of the USAFFE defenders in Bataan was not easy to forget. Wherever the defenders were during the siege - memories of this day rushes back in bits and scraps of each one’s experience of one’s involvement in a war that was not inherently not his own It was a war of American against Japan. Filipinos were mere wretched pawns.



Unjustly Maltreated



They would later [ after the war] be denied by the U.S. their rightful wartime honorable and active military service benefits earned in the blood-soaked frontlines of Bataan, Corregdor ands other fronts.



No sooner when he guns of war became silent, and the war was won by the allies, n 1946 - the U.S. 79th Congress., saw that the U.S. owed the Filipino members of the U.S Army no less than $3.2 Billion dollars for arriers-in-pay, allowances and rightful wartime benefits under the GI Bill of Rights Act, for their active military service to the U.S flag - the First Supplemental Appropiation Rescission Act of February 18, 1946 was hurriedly passed, denying all benefits to Filipin veterans, except for two: service-connected disabilities and burial benefits,



[See Fil-Am WW-II Veterans Struggle for Fairness And Justice for Wartime-earned Benefits under the GI Bill of Rights denied by the U.S. under the Rescission Act of 1946, Quesada’s Library as Senate Secretary of the veterans and Military Pension Committee ]..



Shrine of Valor



Today - many years later, the "Dambana Ng Kagitingan" [ the Shrine of Valor ] atop Mount Samat stands proudly which memorializes the agony and the glory of the Filipino-American USAFFE defenders against the forces of aggression. This memorial was said - epitomizes the heroic stand of the defenders in one of the most celebrated defensive battles in the history of World War II.



[ Damban Ng Kagitingan, Shrine of Valor,RP Dept. of Tourism nad Dept. of Defense. Quesada Library]



Rude Reminder



It rudely reminded the United States of America - that her, in this land of the free and the braves in the Orient, there were men, as freedom-founders who are not afraid to die, who are the ones fit to live in a free society of honorable citizens.



This shrine stands proudly that with a huge cross atop Mount Samat built by men whose blood fertilized the land where they hold so dear in the cause of freedom, justice and human rights.



Way of the Cross



The huge cross, a structure of reinforced steel and concrete which rises 555 meters above sea level. The cross itself is 92 meters high. Inside is an elevator that brings viewers atop, and inside each of the arms of the cross is viewing gallery from which on, a clear day, the outline of the city of Manila across the bay can be seen.



Also a rolling sweep of the Bataan and other province country-side can be viewed.



From Mt. Samat, to get to the foot of the cross - is a zigzagging footpath carved out of the mountain. There is also an alternate vehicle route for those whose legs and hearts could not take it.



The colonade is a marble-capped structure with an altar, esplanade, museum of war mementoes, and historical depictions. It portrays the different military insignias of units and army divisions that defended the Philippines and the American interest. It included the salient actions of the defense up to the Death March.



It is a reminder to all of us veterans that our duty is to remember.



Inscribed in the Dambana Ng Kagitingnan - is the concise description of the Battle of Bataan, to wit:



"On this ground gallant men chose to die than surrender.



"From all corners of the Philippines they came, youthful and brave, to make their last stand in Bataan against an implacable enemy which had marched through Asia. What transpired was a ferocious combat between raw, ill-equipped recruits against season, well-armed troops.



"On these tablets is recorded the epic, the truly unifying experience, that was Bataan. Let all who read this take pride in the courage of our race.

The Battle



The enemy had secured the beachheads on Lingayen Gulf and the West coast of Tayabas [ now named Quezon province ]. The 14th Japanese Imperial Army under the command of 14th Army’s Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma started the gigantic pincer attack. The fate of Luzon defense was sealed.



"Fighting valiantly, the United States Army forces in the Far East [USAFFE] led by General Douglas MacArthur was thrown back in fierce actions by the implacable advance of the enemy. Retreat to Bataan became inevitable. On this peninsula, the defending forces, following War Plan Orange III, regrouped for last stand against the invaders.



Delaying Actions



" Delaying actions were fought to permit withdrawal to the peninsula, the bloodiest of which was fought by the 11th and 21st Divisions on the Porac-Guagua defense line.



" The 26th U.S. Cavalry Regiment protected the west flank of the 21st Division. As the entire USAFFE struggled from the south and north toward the Layac junction, the only approach to Bataan, the delaying forces held its line on open and unprepared ground. From January 1 to January 5 they stood fast against massive enemy aerial and artillery bombardment, concentrated tank attacks and banzai charge. Casualties on both sides were heavy.



Initial Defense Line



" The first defensive line in Bataan was the Hermosa-Dinalupihan line where on 6 January 1942 the 71st Division, and American 31st Infantry Regiment fought the pursuing enemy.



" The aim of War Plan Orange III was to resist the enemy in Bataan peninsula to the limits of human endurance.



" On 14 January, the Japanese attacked the boundary of the 41st and 51st Divisions. The 43rd Infantry, holding the left flank of the 41st Division reinforced by the 23rd Infantry, 21st Division, sharply refused its flank. The 51st Infantry, holding the right flank of the 51st Division, withdrew creating a gap through which the enemy advanced to the Salian River, but was discovered by a patrol of the 21st division. elements of the 21st Division were rushed to the Salian River Valley and after a savage fight succeeded in throwing back the enemy.



" Farther to the west the enemy surprised and routed the 53rd Infantry, penetrating deep behind the mined battle position along the Abo-abo River Valley, the enemy advance was held up by combined elements of the 21st Division of the II Corps Reserve, the 31st and 51st Divisions on the Bani-Guitol forest area.



It was a see-saw encounter.



Regained Turf



" The American 31st Infantry and 45th Infantry, Philippine Scouts succeeded in partially restoring the abandoned 51st Division line.



" On 15 January, the Morong-Sector, defended by the 1st Regular division, reinforced, came under heavy bombardment, but the line held.



" A few days later, the enemy penetrated through a huge gap in the Silangan-Natib area and established a road block on the Mauban Ridge, thus cutting off the 1st Regular Division from the rear area. Gravely threatened elements of the 71st and 91st Divisions and the 2nd Philippine Constabulary Regiment repeatedly attacked the road block but failed to dislodge the enemy.



" Although the II Corps Sector had prevented a similar envelopment in the Salian River battle the I Corps position was now untenable. The Abucay-Morong line was abandoned on 24 January. The Orion-Bagac line was established two days later



Out-flunking Action



" Again in a desperate attempt to outflank the I Corps, the enemy landed crack units on the west coast of southern Bataan. The aim was to outflank and isolate the front-line units from the Headquarters and supplies.



"There were three ferocious engagements: in the Lapiay-Longos-kawayan points area, fought from 23 to 29 January; in Quinauan-Aglaloma points area, fought from 23 January to 13 February. Of the 200 enemy troops committed to these battles, only 34 wounded soldiers returned to their lines.



" On 27 January, enemy troops were discovered in the rear of the Orion-Bagac line, the Tuol River valley behind the 11th Regular Division. The series of engagements to eliminate the enemy salients became known as the Battle of pockets, fought from 27 January through 17 February. Of the 2,000 Japanese troops committed to this battle, only 377 enemy soldiers were reported to have escaped Battle of Points



" After the Battle of the Points, Packets and Trail 2, which were brilliant triumphs of the USAFFE, the enemy withdrew to regroup forces and to wait for reinforcements.



" Meanwhile on 21 March - Gen. MacArthur, his family and some staff officers of the USAFFE left Corregidor on four PT-boats for Mindanao, from there they were flown to Australia. MacArthur’s departure was the end of the USAFFE. On 22 March the defending army was ren-named United States Forces in the Philippines [ USAPIF ] under the command of Lieutenant General Jonathan M. Wainwright.



Homma’s Thrust



" The Japanese High Command re-inforced Homma’s 14th Imperial Japanese Army, and toward the end of March, the enemy struck without let-up, pushing the USAFFE towards Mt. Samat.



" The entire Orion-Bagac line was subjected to vicious artillery and aerial bombardment. About a hundred and fifty artillery pieces of various calibers concentrated in front of Mount Samat. The enemy opened fire at 10:00 hours on Good Friday, 3 April. Aerial bombing was equally intense. The 21st and 41st Divisions came under incredibly savage bombardment, turning Mount Samat area into an inferno.



" The forest was set on fire, men were buried alive in their foxholes and every inch of ground was covered with fire. The dust, flames and smoke darkened the mountains. The USAFFE artillery, which had backed the defenders, was im-mobilized.



Enemy Penetration



" At 15:00 hours the enemy infantry spearheaded by tanks which rolled over the bodies of the dead and living Filipino defenders, broke through the main line of resistance of the 41st Infantry at Trail 29. Along Trail 6, enemy Infantry - also spearheaded by tanks, crashed through the main line of defense of the 21st Infantry. By nightfall, the enemy had penetrated about 1,500 yards behind the main line of resistance of the 41st Infantry, 1,000 yards behind the 23rd Infantry.



A Vicious Encounter



" On 4 April, the enemy infantry attacked the 23rd Infantry. Crushing through the line along Trail 4, the enemy swerved east-ward and struck the flank of the 22nd Infantry. By night-time, the enemy had penetrated 1,000 yards behind the battle position of the 23rd. By 6 April - Mount Samat was surrounded. But the 21st Division, reforming its line to resemble a horse shoe, still held the slopes of the mountain. The battle of Mount Samat was called the most vicious encounter of the second battle of Bataan.



American Surrender



" On 9 April 1942 - at high noon, Major General Edward P. King, senior American officer on the battle-torn peninsula, surrendered the USAFIP Bataan forces. The USAFFE was re-designated USAFIP beforehand when Gen. Jonathan Wainwright took command from MacArthur.



MacArthur and Washington D.C authorities saw that if ever the Bataan force was capitulated, its forces would only surrender the forces in the Philippines under the banner of the USAFIP, and that USAFFE would still be free from capitulation by the enemy, under MacArthur in Australia..



The infamous "Bataan Death March" began an ordeal which annealed the Filipino spirit.



[ See the Chapter, Bataan Death March and USAFFE in Captivity .]



Ominous Divine Omen



The night before the surrender a series of earthquakes rocked Bataan which were nature’s making. In the morning heavy rains fell. Then the sun shone. It appeared as an ominous omen for the battle-weary USAFFEs.



To the religious - they saw a parallel of such omen to the Lord’s crucifixion at Calvary, when He was in his last phase of suffering at the Cross - thunder, lightning and rain held sway before He surrendered his spirit to the eternal Father.



A Message of Sacrifice



To the religious devotees - they surmised the Almighty was telling the hapless USAFFE defenders something that they would soon follow the way of the cross. And they did. The march of death followed after surrender, and where almost half of the USAFFE perished in that "Death March" and inside the gates of Hades of Camp O’Donnnell and Capas, Tarlac in Luzon.



Majority of the USAFFE - if not all were Christians. They were creation of the Almighty in his image no matter how imperfect they were - and believed in the tenets of Christiandom where salvation was a source of existence, even with some beliefs of reincarnation. Such mix along with political practices have nevertheless glued people together in a society of free men.



Lopesided Relationship



Both the Philippines and American



Constitutions invoked the presence of God, even if in practice, there is separation of Church and State. However, politico-economic function and existence was something else.



It can be gainsaid that Philippine-American relations under the so-called special relationship born out of war, U.S. colonialism and munificent of peacetime grants and conditional loans - have spawn love and hate relationship under irritations of previous American presence, economic pressures. Albeit lope-sided mutual security agreements.



Enemy ‘s Harsh Revenge



Coming back to the heroic resistance of the defenders of Bataan had successfully wrecked the timetable of conquest of then enemy offensive, but later had succumbed to an overwhelming enemy offensive. Effects of USAFFE’s gallant stand in Bataan against the initial offensive by Gen. Homma left a negtive impression on the Nipponese top military powers in Tokyo.



Gen. Homma himself, under peer intrigues, was upbraided by the Japanese High Command in Tokyo for failing to capture Bataan within a month’s offensive. Therefore, as a consequence, the Imperial Japanese Forces ruthlessly maltreated the USAFFE defenders as part of the face-saving retaliation by proud sons of the Bushido - who was shamed by superb showing of the Bataan defenders against Homma’s forces.



Reality of History



History is cruel because it is just, if the truth must be told.



Years later, these following words were etched on the marble marker in Mt. Samat, in Bataan an I quote:



" Let friend and foe recognize the martial spirit that defeat could not break. To the memory of these brave warriors, whose blood soaked every rock of this land so this Nation might endure this humble shrine is consecrated.



" Our mission is to remember."



+ + + + +



Pockets of Resistance



After the Fall of Bataan, Corregidor still stood until May 9th under the banner of the United States Army force in the Philippines [USAFIP]. Stragglers [ female nurses, etc., ] from Bataan were able to cross the channel to Corregidor to safety until its final hour of capitulation.



[ The Death March is another story, which can be see in another chapter of this treatise. ]



The Resistance Movement



When the war broke out, cadets from the Philippine Military Academy [PMA ] the West Point of the Philippines, and cadets of the Reserve Officers Training forces of universities in the country were ordered disbanded and dispersed, in order to preserve them from the tolls and ravages of war, and possibly be the next generation to keep the fires of freedom and democracy.



These young and restive men simply did relish to take defeat. They organized pockets of resistance movements - by way of guerrillas and held "second fronts" to distract the enemy forces from its concentrated quest to decimate the USAFFE in Bataan and other fronts.



Some of them attempted to cross Manila Bay in dugout canoes [ bancas ] to join their brothers and fathers in Bataan, however, were foiled by friendly fires of the USAFFE defenders from the shores of Bataan, mistaking them for the enemy.



The Hunters’ Guerrilla



Guerrillas were "loose knit" groups with their own leaders who owed allegiance to the U.S. flag - an to no one but to Gen. MacArthur who repesented America.



One of these formidable guerrillas was the Hunters-ROTC Guerrilla trained and led by my contemporaries, two intrepid "yearlings" [second year cadets] from the academy [PMA], Miguel " Mike" Ver [Phlipine Military Academy Class 43] and Eleuterio "Terry" Adevoso [ PMA Class ’44 ] along with a dozen original boyhood friends., who defied the enemy from occupying the country. They started at San Juan [suburb of Manila ]. To name a few death-defying assaults by guerrillas against the Japanese occupying troops - hereunder are some of them.



The Young and the Heedless



Within three months, the Hunters expanded by attracting more ROTC cadets from the universities: Mapua Institute of Technology, University of the Philippines, San Juan de Letran College, San Beda, and even from the high school’s preparatory Military Training [ PMT cadets of the Mapa High School in the Capital City of Manila.



Headquarters was transferred from San Juan, Rizal - to the hills of Antipolo, Rizal on April 6, 1942. Shortage of arms and equipment led them to plot and carry out lightning raids on several college armories of the University of the Philippines at Padre Faura street, Union College at Taft Avenue, and Mapua Institute of Technology in Avenida Rizal. All of these daring raids were executed by a handful of Hunters - under the nose of the nonchalant Japanese occupation troops in the city.



This procurement sorties netted more than enough guns, rifles and ammunition to make the Hunters a formidable striking force the enemy had to contend with.



Procurement Raids



They daringly raided the Union College armory - in the heart of Manila under the noses of nonchalant enemy guards, which netted them hundreds of rifles and boxes of ammunition, carefully hauled through enemy check-points eastward towards the hills of Antipolo, Rizal.



It was a defiant feat young Filipinos imbued with intense patriotism that quenched their thirst for emancipation from the yoke of foreign domination of arrogance and severity.



These was the first of a series of death-defying raids by the Hunters - which supplied arms for the nucleus of the Hunters that harassed the enemy from the rear, and that distracted the enemy from its drive towards Bataan. It was fly on the face of the proud invaders tnat didnot respect the declared "Open city" by Pres. M. Quezon and Gen. MacArthur in order to save the non-combatant civilians and city from ruin.



In dire need of more firearms, ammunition and supplies, another raid was staged by them in the Mapua Institute of Technology College in Avenida Rizal, in the bosom of the city. They netted hundreds of rifles and equipment. Then followed later by raid of stocks of arms and supplies in the Bureau of Constabulary training camp staged by then Hunter Captain Gonzalo Magsalin,his brother and the Taguig Hunters, not only netting hundreds of arms, but also taking along with him majority members of the puppet constables to the hills of Rizal and join as members of the guerrilla organization.



This feat, having lost its face - angered the Japanese High Command and ordered an all out search and destroy guerrillas and sympathizers through "zonification" of towns and villages suspected of harboring guerrillas.by the dreaded "Kempei Tai " the enemy’s military police, based n the torture dungeons of historic Fort San Santiago.



Enemy Retaliation



The complacent face-saving sons of the Bushido, were caught with their pants down - therefore mounted a counter-strike against the unexpected invisible Filipino resistance movement right in the heart of the occupied territory - Metro-politan Manila. Japanese mountain troops with top combat experience tracked down the Hunters headquarters in Malabanca, Antipolo, the launched a massive manhunt, discovering the Hunter’s lair with the help Makapilis (Filipino quislings).



The First Guerrilla Battle



An encounter ensued in July 4, 1942 where the Hunter commander Miguel "Mike" Ver was killed in action. As a result, the fresh recruits under training took a beating, most of them begged off to return home, leaving only the hard core of 30 original Hunters that carried out the resistance against an obdurate "



Terry Adevoso carrying the nom de guere " Magtanggol", as the second in command took the lead.



To Avenge Mike Ver’s Death



Hard core Hunters had to avenge the death of their leader, Mike Ver, thus regrouped further inner the mountain of Sierra Madre - at Pugad Lawin ( Hawk’s Nest ) Rizal, and mounted ambush of the Japanese pursuers.



The Hunters were strategically deployed on both side of the high rise road, and waited for the enemy with much patience. They were confident that they had laid a superb trap for the enemy.



As the enemy column passed by, Terry fire the first salvo on the lead enemy vehicle. Numerous vehicles were blown up, only a handful of Japanese escapees were able to survive, leaving more than a hundred dead a d wounded behind.



More Arms and High Morale



This successful ambuscade again netted the Hunters more arms and ammunition, not to leave out usable equipment for them. The news spread out in Manila like wild fire, and in the adjacent provinces of Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan and Cavite - of this daring ambush where the enemy further lost its face. Filipino civilians inwardly cheered the Hunters, who rekindled the fires of freedom - as hundreds of new and fresh young recruits poured in, as well as former members who begged off after the Malabanca incident.



Noted enlistees for the mobile combat columns were: Remy Gozon, Sisoy Pia and Ernie Parpan. They would turn up as combat unit commanders for several mobile combat units that were to ambush the enemy later.



As a consequence, the scope of the mission of the Hunters was enlarged. Additional units were added under: Naning Guerrero, Vic Estacio, Frisco San Juan, Vic Novales, and Marcelino Tan. Each of them took command of their units.



With all these well- of operation in the provinces of Rizal, Tayabas, Laguna, Cabvita, Batangas and Manila.



Help was provided to the fledgling unit of the Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa Hapon , with the acronym "HukBaLaHap" (a Communist unit) in San Antonio, Laguna - that had no military know-how and experience.



The Manila Intelligence Net



In the heart of Manlia, liaison and intelligence unit was established by Col. Gustavo C. Ingles ( PMA class ’45) and left the unit to B. Estrella a.k.a. "Mutya", a violin instructor at the University of the Philippines. He expanded this net in Manila and suburbs - which was the eyes and ears of the Hunters in the Capital City.



Mutya was having a hell of a time operating in the middle of hornet’s nest (the enemy in Manila), so Ingles took over the intelligence function and left the communication activity to Mutya. Organizing a guerrilla [ Manila Intel-net ] inside the enemy line was a trying task for Ingles. He chose Perfecto Soriano, a close friend, and former class mate in High school as his executive officer. As a cover, Ingles worked as janitor at the San Juan Municipal Hall.



[ See: Memoirs of Pain, by Col. Gustavo C. Ingles (Ret.), Mauban Heritage Foundation, Fourways Printing, Manila, Philippines ]

Sorties to Laguna



He would make sorties to Laguna, where I spotted him in Pagsanjan, later we delved deeper together into intelligence work to pave the way for the mobile combat unit of the then Hunter Captain Remy Gozon, in the Sierras of the Second District of Laguna.



In Manila Proper



Under the very nose of the Japanese, back in Manila - Ingles was able to set up a formidable "inside unit" in the different Manila Police Stations, where desk sergeants headed the cell-units. They were doing well until the Japanese Kempei Tai, [ Military Police ] got wind of the Hunter secret intel-operation, under Homer M. Ingles and Leonardo Darvin and Dominiciano de Jesus. (they were architects)with access to the enemy plans of the Matsumura Gumi and contractors.



The relay comunications were under Cesar Castillo and Felixberto Damian of the Hunters police detachment. This operation proved valuable for the South-West Pacific Area Command under Gen. MacArthur in Australia.



Capture of Ingles



Ingles was commuting from Rizal to Manila in June of 1943 to coordinate with the City intel-unit. At the Ideal Café in Rizal Avenue, he was accosted by an unknown lanky man, along with some other quislings.



Ingles never did expect or knew that he would be meeting this man under an entirely different circumstance. Sergio Reyes, who turned up to be an enemy informer.



Last Rendezvous with Terry



Ingles last rendezvous with Terry was in June of 1943, when Terry just escape enemy capture in Marikina, Rizal where Terry was hurt, and was limping.



Obviously, the enemy was closing in on the Hunters ranking hierarchy through the efficient network of Filipino spies. Ingles, without any way out for an escape, was taken into custody by the Japanese Kempei Tai (KT) - and wad brought to the notorious torture chambers of the Airport Studio, at Soler Street, in Binondo district of Manila.



Ingles was dragged down to the ground from the truck by irate Japanese guards, slapped and struck on the face and the torso. He stood up but again took a barrage of kicks and blows. And then given the all too familiar torture "water cure" until he drowned and resuscitated to be beaten for days and nights by the Japanese military police.



[ See Memoirs of Pain, by Col. Gustavo C. Ingles, Four Ways Printing, Manila, Philippines. ]



All Too Familiar Torture



This type of torture [ the water cure ] was no monopoly or invention of the Japanese Military Police.



When the Americans intruded into the Philippines in 1898, after Admiral Dewey hoodwinked Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo ito work with him in accepting the surrender of the Spaniards, differences between them sparked a shooting war in the outskirts of Manila, in Sta. Mesa.



Flash Back [ 1898 ]



What followed was the Philippine-American War. Filipino civilians and soldiers were tortured by American troopers under the command of Gen. Loyd Wheaton.



His men were equally brutal and savages in treating Filipinos. They introduced the infamous American "water cure" as early as 1898 in the Philippines. Perhaps the Japanese were just "copy-cats".



Letters of American soldiers to their friend back home in the U.S. revealed and portrayed actual savaged maltreatment of Filipino civilians and soldiers alike. A private in the Utah Battery wrote home of a "Goo-goo" hunt, to wit: "With an enemy like this, as a motto, and fill the blacks (Filipino ) full of lead before finding out whether they are friends or enemies.



Another American soldier reported, to wit: " Our fighting blood was up, and all we wanted was to kill ******s (Filipinos)… This shooting human beings beats rabbit hunting all to pieces."



The report continued, and I quote from the book, entitled "Sitting In Darkness" by David Haward Bain, 1984 printed by Penguin Book [ ISBN 0-14-008992-6], to wit:



"What, for instance, could a civilized being think abut the "water cure" a practice to extract information from Filipino prisoners (whether soldiers or civilians): a soldier would hold a person on the ground while several gallons of water were sluiced down the throat. The prisoner’s mid-section would be horrible distended; water would be removed by kicking or punching the stomach until all the water was expelled. The procedure was excruciating and was very effective in making Filipinos to talk."



Ibid.



Documentary Evidences



This comparative maltreatment of Filipinos by both colonials, has been unparralleled, as recorded in history books. Under Gen. Wheaton’s watch, towns were burned, and his men killed Filipinos in sight, They killed hapless women and children which was done to a finish. They sang, " I am probably growing hard-hearted, for I am in my glory when I can sight my gun on some dark skin and pull the trigger."



"Of course, war being what it is, the Filipinos began to reply in kind despite their reputation for having treated Spanish prisoners with civility.



The New York Times has this to report, to wit:



"I am afraid that some people at home will lie awake nights worrying about the ethics of this war, thinking that our enemy is fighting for the right of self-. Independence. The word ‘independent’ which these people roll over their tongues so glibly, is to them a word, not much more



"Burning houses? Shooting prisoners, Torturing civilians? What . people might have asked, had happened to American youth?… Perhaps one can only point to the nature of the Asian war, the collision of cultures and race, and to the rampant messianism abroad n the United States that made all American action good and all others bad."



The Beating and Water Cure Began



Back to World War in the the Philippines, in the Airport Studio, Ingles was pushed into rectangular pool of water. His hands were tied on the back on a makeshift bench, while he was given by the Japanese guards the notorious "water cure" as the interrogation started accusing him of being a guerrilla.



Prisoners were being drowned and beaten to admit false confession or half truths.



This torture routine continued for days until the victim could not take the pain and suffocation any more. Some of them drowned, later resuscitated, only to begin the torture anew. Ingles remained here for a number of days with broken limbs but have endured and resisted the enemy interrogation.



He withstood the savaged beating and water cure.



Pre-conditoning as a Plebe



Having been a punished plebe cadet at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio, like any plebe cadet, had survived the "beast barracks" [ hazing] for a year until recognition day by their peers. So - Ingles was sort of prepared for this type of brutality. But how long he would last under the inhuman treatment, nobody knew. He survived this - and then returned to guerrilla resistance movement.



He is still alived today as I write this book, like me, as a prisoner-of-war, who survived hell and high water under the iron heels of a brutal and ruthless enemy. With broken limbs, we were able to withstand the tolls and ravages of that war that was not our own. Looking back, reminishing, we could only summarize the whole 3 and a half years of struggle for freedom worth the blood and sweat we shed for God and country.



Strategic Torture Chambers



There were, however, a string of torture chambers established by the Japanese for captured Filipinos: in Far Eastern University, in Antipolo, Rizal, and In Fort Santiago, in Manila, which was the headquarters of the Japanese Military Police [ Kempai Tai ] headed by Col. Nagahama. It did not include the torture chambers in the dragnets in towns where the Japanese isolated by means of zoning (hamletting} of townspeople in their quest for guerrillas and sympathizers. Our job was to harass the enemy from the rear. And our motto was : Thou Shall Not Get Caught.! It was nothing but a deadly game of cat and mouse with the invaders.



Historical Note



Fort Santiago during the Spanish regime was earlier the headquarters of the Spanish military, that incarcerated Jose P. Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, before his execution at the Luneta, Manila.



It was there where the where Rizal wrote the famous "Last Farewell" there night before his execution.



However, during the Japanese occupation, Fort Santiago became the horror chamber of execution of patriotic Filipinos who oppose the Japanese regime.



Savaged Retaliation



In the Intramuros raid, the guards were cleverly outwitted - who, in retaliation - mounted a against the shoot to kill guerrillas or were executed by beheading.



But the Hunters were already safe, and far away in the mountains of Sierra Madre, east of Manila - where they distributed the booty to the waiting recruits in Antipolo and Boso-boso, Rizal.



[ For further reference and details see the books: "Terry’s Hunters by P. Mojica, Benipayo Press. Manila 1965 ; The Indomitable by v. Brigoli Armamento, Viking Press 1972 ]



Personal Account



My personally account for the exploits of this organization, was based from my notes, being one of those who joined them in 1943, likewise survived the onslaught and deprivations [ as a [ POW ] and survived up 1945 and later to write this treatise.



[See chapter about the Hunters Story, and the ‘Freedom At Dawn" which accounted for the assault-rescue of 2,147 Americans and allied prisoners-of-war before they were about to be massacred by the Japanese guards in 1945 ]



Personal Ordeal In Hell



After disbandment of our unit from Manila before New Year of 1941, the USAFFE had destroyed Calumpit Bridge in Bulacan - which was the only span that linked Manila and Bataan. My dreams of joining the defenders in Bataan, my father, my cousins: Juanito and Eugenio Quesada, and my bosom friends in the USAFFE - had become whiten mirages which kept me more deeply loyal to the U.S. flag. We, [the disbanded USAFFEs] therefore fought in different fronts hoping to deter the enemy from further occupying the country. We give the enemy no rest and respite from our harassments. It was an ordeal for almost four years.



History have credited the guerrilleros of the Philippines with high mark as evidence of Gen. MacArthurs commendations and awards to them, as well as records of the U.S Army by the Philippine army records.



According to records these gallant members of the national resistance movement have saved the United States government billions of dollars, and saved million of American lives in the liberation of the Philippines by the joint U.S.. and Allied forces under MacArthur - in his obsession to fulfill his promise to the Filipino people of coming back to liberate the them.



Obdurate Japanese Invaders



Japanese forces were inching towards Manila by January of 1942. Many of us did not relish being caught or be executed by the enemy inside Manila City which surely was to be sealed by the occupation troops to enforce martial law.



Throngs and thousands of scampering civilians and non-combatants trying to escape death and ruin had only minutes to flee for dear life, rather than suffer enemy brutal abuses or death in the hands of the savage enemy troops who wasted people and looted properties along their advance.



The "Bakwis" [ Evacuees ]



Civilian population found their way also towards the various directions, scurrying to keep away from the surging enemy troops, foraged whatever food they could lay their hands from the fields, slept on the damp ground, and wandered to unfamiliar "poblaciones" hoping to discover kind-hearted faces who would offer them food and shelter.



They would roam from one village to another, searching for acquaintances and friends to find safe-haven. All they brought with them were their worldly belongings and family heirlooms, leaving everything behind for the enemy to plunder. Nothing could best describe them, and their fears of fear itself from rumors, which they fervently tried to dissemble, but was quite apparent over the haggard faces.



Fear of Fear Itself



Foremost, was the specter of xenophobia, fear and abhorence of an unknown enemy rumored and billed as savages. And it turned out to be true in many villages where the barbaric enemy occupied - they