Japan Victorious - Pacific 1942 [Pacific02]

Japan Victorious - Pacific 1942

Japan attacks Pacific,
from ILN 1942/01/31
Japan attacks Pacific,
from ILN 1942/02/21
Japan attacks Pacific,
from ILN 1942/03/14

Jan. 11 - Japan invaded Dutch Borneo, Timor, Celebes

smoke over Singapore,
ILN 1942/03/07

Singapore residents show visa to flee,
ILN 1942/03/07

Japanese welcomed in Burma,
ILN 1942/05

seized Kendari airbase - finest in all East Indies
Pacific map from ILN 1941/10/25 top bott
Feb 15 - Singapore fell - 130,000 under Percival who became "nonperson"

not because guns faced wrong way, but dispersion of forces
Brit outnumbered Yamashita's 30,000 with Brit army of 85,000
Brit. in Asia map and SE Asia
Feb. 27 - Battle of Java Sea

loss of USS Houston, HMS Perth Feb. 28
De Dutch Admiral Doorman went down with de cruiser De Ruyter
Mar. 10 - fall of Rangoon

Burma Road closed - fear of losing India
Gen Shojiro Iida started 2nd Burma campaign
British failure in Burma was serious:

British were not outnumbered, but had no desire to help local peoples
Gandhi & Nehru took notice
Burmese and Indonesians joined Japan (only Filipinos did not collaborate)
Aung San and Burma National Army
pro-Japan Burma PM U Saw arrested in Egypt by British
Apr 5 - Indian Ocean raid by Nagumo's First Air Fleet after PH

air raid on Darwin Feb. 19
attack on 29 warships of Brit fleet in Indian Ocean
based at Ceylon, but Brit intercept warned
sailed out, but turned to Maldives 600 mi south for fuel
Apr. 5 - 127 Japan planes attack Ceylon, but no Brit ships
Nagumo searched for 4 days - sank 7, including 2 cruisers
but Japan plane losses high - Brit. kept Indian Ocean
April 28 - fall of Lashio

Gen. William Slim & Chinese 6th Army outnumbered
Burma Walkout - Stilwell + 114 to Imphal in 2 weeks
May 20 - arrived at Imphal, then New Delhi
Stilwell blamed Brit defeatism, Chiang's lack of will
May 5 - Imperial General HQ Order No. 18

expanded defensive perimeter to Midway and Samoa
to force a decisive battle with U.S. fleet
so far, Japan had not lose any of their 11 battleships, 10 carriers, 18 heavy cruisers, 20 light cruisers

Bataan peninsula map,
from ILN 1942/01/31

May 6 - surrender of Philippines
end of 6-month battle - most difficult campaign for Japan
Dec. 10 - Gen. Homma landed 43,000 N. and W. Luzon
Dec. 23 - decision made to evacuate Manila, fall back to Bataan

same day as Wake surrender
80,000 troops + 26,000 civilians = 106,000
food shortage - 1/2 rations
MacArthur failed to follow Plan Orange

Dec. 24 - MacArthur moved HQ to Corregidor

left Gen. Jonathan Wainwright's North Luzon Force
on Bataan - 5 defense lines - "defense in depth"
Gen. George Parker's South Luzon Force

Jan. 1 - Japan troops entered Manila
Jan. 9 - Japan break through poorly defended Mt. Natib
Jan. 22 - with back to Pilar Road, Allies held to Feb. - Japan drive stopped
Homma requested relief - 22,000 more arrive + 60 bombers

Feb. 15 - Quezon gave $500,000 to MacArthur, made offer to Ike

Quezon feared for loyalty of Americans
to prevent pro-Japan collaborators such as Jose Laurel - (Oct.'42 indep. claim)

Feb. 22 - FDR ordered MacArthur to leave

March 12 in 4 PT boats of John Bulkeley's Manila Squadron to Mindanao
then flew in B-17 to Australia , arrived March 17 in Melbourne
"I have come through and I will return" - later changed to "I shall return"
March 25 awarded Medal of Honor - bills introduced in Congress
Wainwright moved to Corregidor - Gen. Ed. King on Bataan
both ordered to attack when food ran out

Mar. 24 - Japan. bombardment of Bataan began
Apr. 2 - final Japan offensive - broke thru in 2 days
Apr. 9 - King surrendered Bataan against MacArthur's orders

2000 escaped in small boats
78,000 (66,000 filipinos + 12,000 U.S.) surrendered
largest U.S. army ever to surrender

April - Bataan Death March

kept secret until Jan. 28, 1944
60 mi. to San Fernando RR junction
25 mi. west to Camp O'Donnell - partial air field
5000-10,000 Filipinos died on march + 600-700 U.S.
5000 more U.S. died in camps (Cabanatuan, Davao)
Japan believed in bushido warrior code - to surrender is to be a traitor, a criminal act - Japan had not ratified 1929 Geneva agreement on treatment of POWs

May 3 - sub "Swordfish" evacuated 12 Army nurses

over 100 killed, 66 captured (but well-treated), 21 escaped
given medals in White House ceremony
FDR signed Rogers Bill May 15 creating WAAC May 22

ad in Life, 1943/01/25

The 1941 bill by Rep. Edith Rogers was opposed by military - WAVES July 30, SPARS Nov. 22, Marines Jan. 28, 1943, Bolton Bill May 1943 provided federal aid to educate nurses that served in military; by 1943, WAC Director Oveta Culp Hobby commanded 60,000 women in Army and was given rank of colonel; civilian Jacqueline Cochrane headed of WASP (Women's Airforces Service Pilots); 300,000 women served in military but no GI Bill, not allowed in VFW as vets, not counted until 1980 census.

May 6 - Wainwright surrendered Corregidor with 11,000

heavy bombardment, Japan troops landed May 5
this surrender was not against orders
MacArthur blamed the fall of Corregidor on the failure of Navy carriers to attack Philippines

Bataan by Elizabeth Himchak
They Were Expendable by David Cross