The Tragedy of Bataan begins shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Imperial Japanese launched attacks across the Pacific on several western territories and advanced across the Pacific with little resistance. Hong Kong, the Dutch East Indies, Wake Island, and Guam all surrendered. The British surrendered Singapore – the largest surrender in Britain’s military history.

American and Filipino Defenders in the Philippines repelled the Imperial Japanese for several months, and retreated to the Bataan peninsula to wait for supplies and reinforcements. The Imperial Japanese, however, had cut off all routes to the Philippines, which prevented the United States from providing assistance. Realizing the situation was hopeless, President Roosevelt ordered General Douglas MacArthur to escape to Australia, leaving Lt. General Jonathan Wainwright in command of the troops in the Philippines. Already weakened by malnourishment, dysentery, and malaria – and rapidly running out of adequate supplies – the Defenders were no match for the Japanese and were surrendered on the Bataan Peninsula on April 9, 1942 by Major-General Edward P. King.
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The Tragedy of Bataan begins shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Imperial Japanese launched attacks across the Pacific on several western territories and advanced across the Pacific with little resistance. Hong Kong, the Dutch East Indies, Wake Island, and Guam all surrendered. The British surrendered Singapore – the largest surrender in Britain’s military history.American and Filipino Defenders in the Philippines repelled the Imperial Japanese for several months, and retreated to the Bataan peninsula to wait for supplies and reinforcements. The Imperial Japanese, however, had cut off all routes to the Philippines, which prevented the United States from providing assistance. Realizing the situation was hopeless, President Roosevelt ordered General Douglas MacArthur to escape... Show full description