"The Philippine Resistance – How WW2’s Forgotten" Topic

…Guerrilla Movement Helped Bring Down Japan

"WHAT IF I told you that one of the most important campaigns of World War II – the Philippine Resistance — has been ignored?

Even the official U.S. Army history pronounced the "struggle for control" of the islands ended with the surrender of Corregidor in May 1942 and was not renewed until MacArthur returned in October 1944.

Yet in that time Filipino guerrillas waged a war that denied Japan its strategic goals, altered U.S. grand strategy and helped transform America's greatest military defeat into Japan's greatest military disaster. Their fight also laid the foundation for a free and independent nation vital to the post-war order…"

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Armand

I remember reading an account of some of the guerillas long ago. The resistance on one island was led by an American who had avoided capture. Once they established regular communications with MacArthur's staff, the colonel had to submit monthly reports of what they had done. MacArthur's staff got this guy's first report and cried BS on the claims of Japanese casualties. The colonel did not argue. Next time he had to submit a report, he sent a large jar full of Japanese ears thoughtfully provided by the headhunters in his group. MacArthur's staff never complained about him again.

Grelber

Didn't John Wayne make a movie about this?

"I remember reading an account of some of the guerillas long ago. "

That might be 'American Guerrilla in the Philippines' by Wolfert (Bantam books), though I don't remember the ears part…

Greiber, sounds like a story about Fertig's campaign. At times his command controlled large amounts of Mindanao.

Bill N, yes, I think it was on Mindanao. I probably read this back in the 1960s.

Grelber

John Wayne, Back to Bataan. Not a bad movie.

Thanks

Armand

If attracting your interest, you might want to look at these . . .

"Guerrilla resistance movement in the Philippines, volume I"
This individual study of the Intelligence Series was originally prepared to familiarize staff planners in the Southwest Pacific and Central Pacific areas with the potentialities of the Philippines' guerrilla groups. It is a compilation from material in the G-2 Philippine section files: guerrilla messages, reports of interviews with guerrillas, intelligence reports, and miscellaneous documents. This study in general covers the evolutionary history of each of the guerrilla groups and the situation of these forces as it existed on certain dates in the chapter headings. Chapters include information on the guerrilla resistance movement on Leyte Island, Samar Island, in central Luzon, in the Bicol area, in Cebu, northern Luzon, Panay and neighboring islands, Negros Island, on Bohol, and on Mindanao and Sulu.
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and
"Guerrilla resistance movement in the Philippines, volume I documentary appendixes"
In the wake of military conquest by foreign invaders, there have been great historical resistance movements within oppressed populaces. It is against a background of peril and savagery that the Philippines guerrilla movement must be gauged. From an extensive record of trial and punishment by Japanese Provost or military police courts and from military reports, the documents contained within this volume are translations that tell their own story. Topics include enemy publications: trial records of Filipino and Chinese guerrillas and civilians, etc.; discipline of Imperial troops in the Philippines and Army propaganda measures; Batsu staff intelligence report; Kaki force anti-guerrilla activity; operations against Luzon guerrillas; report on the destruction of Manila and Japanese atrocities; massacre of American prisoners of war at Puerto Princesa, Palawan; periodic summary of enemy trends; and additional translations.
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and
"Intelligence activities in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation"
Contains documentary appendices, including information on the guerrilla resistance movement in the Philippines, Intelligence activities in the Philippines during Japanese occupation and operations of the Military Intelligence Section, the Allied Intelligence Bureau, the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section, the Allied Geographical Section, the Technical Intelligence Unit, the Counter Intelligence Corps and the Civil Intelligence Section.
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When Corregidor was on the verge of being overrun, the Japanese forced General Wainwright to surrender all US and Filipino forces everywhere in the Philippines. Wainwright wanted to surrender just Corregidor, but the Japanese refused to accept that and told him flat out that they would massacre everyone on Corregidor (soldiers, civilians, nurses, wounded men) if he didn't agree. He had no choice but to accept. Most US soldiers surrendered as they'd been ordered to, but many did not and joined guerrilla bands.

Thanks also…

Armand

ignored? We have a whole miniatures line around them. If by "ignored" do you mean no one is gaming them. Then yes. It's ignored by gamers.

The Great Raid (book and movie adaptation) highlights the Filipino resistance.

- dale

Deldietch..where are you? I'm confident that my wife would be happy to have yet another army with which to fight my Japanese.