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Bataan Death March Facts and the
Fall of the Philippines
Franklin Roosevelt was
the 32nd American President who served in office from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945.
One of the important events during his presidency was
the Fall of the Philippines and the Bataan Death March.
Bataan Death March Facts
for kids:
The Fall of the Philippines
The following fact
sheet contains interesting information, history and
facts on Bataan Death March for kids.
Bataan Death March
Facts for kids: The Fall of the Philippines
Bataan Death March
Facts - 1: The Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 was timed to
coincide with attacks on the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong
Kong and Thailand.
Bataan Death March
Facts -
2: In July 1941 General Douglas MacArthur had been
sent to the Philippines to build up American defenses.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 3: A few hours after the bombing
of Pearl Harbor the Japanese attacked US airfields in the
Philippines. The majority of General MacArthur's aircraft
in the Philippines were destroyed by the Japanese on the same day
they made the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 4: The Japanese military landed
on the Philippine Islands two days after their bombing attack on
December 9, 1941.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 5: The American and Filipino
troops were vastly outnumbered by the invading Japanese and their
commander, General Douglas MacArthur, and following the fall of
Manila (January 2, 1942) ordered their retreat to the Bataan
Peninsula
Bataan Death March
Facts - 6: The Bataan
Peninsula, located in western Luzon, Philippines, is
about 30 miles (50 km) long and 15 miles (25 km) wide
with Corregidor Island lying just off its southern tip
at the entrance of Manila Bay.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 7: The Bataan
Peninsula was an arduous terrain consisting of jungle
and mountain regions. The Battle of Bataan lasted from 7
January – 9 April 1942 (3 months, and 2 days). The
troops had few supplies and conditions led to men being
hit with various diseases such as dysentery, scurvy and
malaria.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 8: President
Roosevelt realized that the death or capture of General MacArthur
by the Japanese would have devastating effects and
demoralize the nation. He therefore ordered MacArthur to
leave Bataan.
Bataan Death March
Facts -
9: On the night of 12
March, 1941 General MacArthur, his family, and several
staff officers left Corregidor and evacuated to
Australia and handed command over to General Wainwright.
When General MacArthur reached Australia he made his
famous promise saying, "I came through and I shall
return."
Bataan Death March
Facts - 10: On March 24
Japanese artillery and aircraft mounted a massive attack
on American positions on Bataan and Corregidor and the
exhausted fighters were forced back. General Wainwright
withdrew as much of his force as possible to the
fortress island of Corregidor in Manila Bay.
Continued...
Bataan Death March
Facts for kids: The Fall of the Philippines
Facts
about the Bataan Death March Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with interesting information, history and facts
on Bataan Death March for kids.
Bataan Death March
Facts for kids: The Fall of the Philippines
Bataan Death March
Facts -
11: There were no
reinforcements and on April 9, 1942, the weary US and
Filipino defenders of Bataan finally surrendered as
resistance collapses under the fierce Japanese attacks.
The delay had cost the Japanese military valuable time
and prohibited immediate victory across the Pacific.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 12: The estimated 75,000 Japanese
prisoners of war, consisted of about 12,000 Americans and the
remainder Filipinos.
Bataan Death March
Facts -
13: The surrender was
treated with utter contempt by the Japanese as they
believed strongly in the honor brought by fighting to
the death. The captured American and Filipino POWs from
Bataan were therefore deemed unworthy of respect.
To show their contempt and disgust, the Japanese guards
tortured their prisoners throughout the Bataan Death
March.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 14: The troops gathered at various points on Bataan
from Mariveles on the tip of Bataan to San Fernando. At San
Fernando, the troops were literally shoved and crammed into small
railroad cars with no room to sit down. They were then released from
the boxcars and faced an additional nine-mile walk from Capus to
Camp O'Donnell
Bataan Death March
Facts - 15: The Bataan Death March was a
66 mile (106 km) journey that was to be completed in the blazing
sun, with little water and food in six days.
Bataan Death March
Facts -
16: The lack of water
took a terrible toll on the prisoners and the Japanese
took great delight in shooting any prisoners who
attempted to drink from the clean water in the wells
they passed along the way.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 17: The thirst was made even worse
by the torturous treatment of the Japanese who made the POW's sit in
the hot sun without any shade. The starving POW's were given just
one meal of rice during the entire journey.
Bataan Death March
Facts -
18:
Prisoners were beaten, shot, bayoneted and, in many
cases, beheaded. They were weak from the march,
suffering from malnutrition and diseases. If anyone fell
behind during the march they were either shot, bayoneted
or beheaded by the Japanese "buzzard squads" who were
responsible for killing any men who were unable to keep
up.
Bataan Death March
Facts -
19: More than 10,000 men died on the
Bataan Death March.
Bataan Death March
Facts - 20: At the end of WW2, the
Japanese commander of the invasion forces in the Philippines, Lieut.
Gen. Homma Masaharu, was charged with responsibility for the Bataan
Death March and the atrocities and abuses at Camp O’Donnell.
Masaharu was tried in Manila and convicted by a U.S. military
commission. He was executed by firing squad on April 3, 1946.
Bataan Death March
Facts -
21: Homage is paid to the victims of the
Bataan Death March every April on Bataan Day in the
Philippines.
Bataan Death March
Facts for kids: The Fall of the Philippines
Important US Battles in
WW2
For visitors interested in the important US battles
in WW2 refer to the following articles:
Bataan Death March Facts for kids - President Franklin Roosevelt Video
The article on the
Bataan Death March and the Fall of the Philippines provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Franklin Roosevelt video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 32nd American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945.
Bataan Death March Facts
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Interesting Facts about Bataan Death March for kids and schools
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Bataan Death March Facts for kids
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Bataan Death March Facts with important dates and key
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Franklin Roosevelt
Presidency from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945
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Foreign & Domestic
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