Battles Leading to the Capture in Bataan
On December 7th, 1941 Japanese bombers struck U.S. airfields in the Philippines, and islands of Wake and Guam, both key American bases in the Pacific. The following days their campaign intensified and the Japanese invaded Thailand and Malaya, and captured Guam, Wake and the Great Britain colony of Hong Kong. Their vicious troops landed in the Philippines mid December and quickly took the capital, Manila. The Filipino and U.S. troops being commanded by Douglas MacArthur were forced to retreat to the Bataan Peninsula which is west of Manila and Corregidor. After months of fierce fighting the troops surrendered on April 9th, 1942.
"Japanese troops seemed unstopable."
-U.S. army soldier in the Philippines
-U.S. army soldier in the Philippines