Military history of the Philippines during World War II
The Japanese viewed all the lands of Asia to be the rightful property of the Imperial Japanese Government and the Emperor. The land invasion into Korea, China and parts of Russia which had begun at the turn of the 20th century had been taking an upswing. However, the Japanese had been kept from realizing their goal of unify or dominating the Asian lands by the presence of military foreign military forces in the Philippines (United States), Hong Kong, Malaysia (United Kingdom), and the Dutch East Indies. Japan had hoped that they could strike fast and hold off reinforcements long enough to broker a peace accord from a position of strength such as they did during the Russo Japanese War.
Central to the Japanese goals was taking of all Asian lands, however, to be successful US, UK, and Dutch forces were to be attacked simultaneously to prevent their ability to reinforce and aid their Asian possessions. Pivotal to the Japanese decision to attack was a tremendous need for crude oil as a result of economic sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands were weakening the Japanese economy. The leaders of Japrcean were faced with a choice: End the war in China and their plans for Asian conquest, so as to end the sanctions, or declare war on three large military forces. The current war against Britain, and Holland, and the strain of providing aid by the United States to these countries was seen as an opportunity by the Japanese to extend their "rightful" place as a ruler of Asia.
The Japanese government decided to seize resources under the control of Britain, the United States and the Netherlands. Japan had already placed over ten divisions in Formosa (Taiwan), which was once part of the Philippines. Japanese military planners argued that the British (and the USSR should they decide to declare war) would be unable to effectively respond to a Japanese attack, given the threat posed by the Third Reich.
(See Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) for details of successive events.)
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List of conflicts
- Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1941-1945)
- Liberation of Antipolo (1945)
- Battle of Balete Pass
- Battle of Bataan
- Battle of Bataan (1945)
- Battle of Besang Pass
- Canlelaria Tayabas Massacre
- Battle of Corregidor
- Battle of Corregidor (1945)
- Battle of Leyte
- Battle of Leyte Gulf
- Battle of Luzon
- Battle of Manila (1945)
- Battle of the Air Bloody
- Battle of Mindanao
- Battle of Mindoro
- Battle of the Philippines (1941–42)
- Battle of Ormoc Bay
- Battle of the Visayas
- Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
- Invasion of Palawan
- Philippines campaign (1944–45)
- Raid at Los Baños
- Raid at Cabanatuan
- Raid at Capas
- Siege of Tanay
- San Ildefonso Massacre
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See also
- Commonwealth of the Philippines
- Second Philippine Republic
- Hukbalahap
- Bataan Death March
- Comfort women
- Manuel L. Quezon
- Sergio Osmeña
- Douglas MacArthur
- Jose P. Laurel
- Gen. Alfredo M. Santos
- Yamashita Tomoyuki
- Cesar Basa
- Hiroo Onoda
- Jesus A. Villamor
- Wendell Fertig
- The Great Raid
- Harbor Defenses of Manila and Subic Bays
- Nichols Field
- Nielson Field
- Offshore Patrol
- Philippine Army Air Corps
- Philippine Department
- U.S. Army Forces Far East
- U.S. XXIV Corps
- U.S. Philippine Division
- Military History of the Philippines
- Military history of Japan during World War II
- Military history of the United States
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External links
- Congressional Statement of Ronald R. Aument, Deputy undersecretary for Benefits, Department of Veterans Affairs, before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, February 15, 2007, <http://www.va.gov/OCA/testimony/hvac/070215RA.asp Congressional>. Retrieved on 22 May 2008
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