#TodayinHistory in 1945, 75 years ago, General Douglas MacArthur announces publicly via a communiqué that the "entire Philippine Islands are now liberated and the Philippine Campaign can be regarded as virtually closed." (THREAD) #PH#WWII#WW2
Context: After the great retreat and crashing blow on the United States by the Japanese w/ Pearl Harbor attack, the invasion of the Philippines & entire Southeast Asia in 1941, the Allied forces slowly gained ground in the Pacific. In October 1944:
The Filipino guerrillas and the U.S. forces, together, engaged the thinning Japanese forces in #PH, as the Japanese were pushed to desperation. The Allied forces landed in Lingayen and in Batangas to converge in Manila to liberate it.
Lasting from 3 February to 3 March 1945, the #BattleofManila devastated the Philippine capital, making it the 2nd most destroyed Allied capital of #WWII, next only to Warsaw, Poland.
With Manila liberated, the scattered Japanese forces were pursued northward into the mountains of the Cordilleras, and in other parts of #PH. The last strategic battle that compromised the Japanese making them unable to mount an offensive was Bessang Pass.
On 28 June 1945, intel reports came in to MacArthur's HQ from across the archipelago that all hostilities have already ceased. Further sweep of terrains and potential Japanese holdouts were conducted.
Today in 1945, MacArthur's communiqué: "Some minor isolated action of a guerrilla nature in the practically uninhabited mountain ranges may occasionally persist, but this great land mass of 115,600 square miles with a population of 17,000,000 is now freed of the invader." #WWII
Credits:
- Photos from the Presidential Museum & Library 2010-2016
- Maps from the Historical Atlas of the Republic (2016) (archive.org/details/histor…)
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#TodayinHistory in 1986, Marines broke thru Camp Aguinaldo's east wall, but hesitated due to civilian buffer. Soon, PH Air Force's 15th Strike Wing hovered. Crowd expected an attack but the airmen joined the crowd. Marcos issued kill order but it was not obeyed. THREAD. #EDSA37
Radyo Veritas provided a blow-by-blow account of #EDSA even as its transmission tower was compromised by the PH Constabulary attack, limiting its airing to Luzon. However, a mysterious radio station appeared at 12mn calling itself "Radyo Bandido."
Listeners tuned in, as Radyo Bandido (@DZRJ810AM) station played the Mambo Magsaysay jingle, making people realize that it was really Radyo Veritas gone rogue. soundcloud.com/podcast-ph/cla…
I disagree that the return of “holiday economics” is “good.” Holidays of historical significance are important annual markers for everyone— the learned & those who aren’t. Moving the dates arbitrarily dilutes the full meaning of past events that happened in a specific pt in time.
It defeats the purpose of memorialization, especially when an event being commemorated involves a gruesome battle, atrocity, or martyrdom. Moving the commemoration dates are tantamount to disrespect.
It’s this very reason that the late president PNoy restored the national observances during his term, no matter how inconvenient the dates were “economically.”
#TodayinHistory in 1986, #Marcos Sr. sent 12 tanks to #EDSA led by Gen. Artemio Tadiar in an attempt to arrest the defectors & disperse the crowd. But the human barricades across the intersection of Ortigas & EDSA forced the marines to pull back. THREAD. #EDSA37#PH#history
The day prior, as news of Ramos and Enrile’s defection reached Cory Aquino, she was staying for the night in secret at the Carmelite monastery in Cebu. The sisters saw it their moral duty to protect her, w/ conviction that they’re protecting the legitimately elected president.
At dawn, via Radyo Veritas, Enrile & Ramos began calling again for Marcos' ouster. At 5:30am, PH Constabulary attacked Radyo Veritas limiting its airing to Luzon only. A few hours later, men began cutting down trees & used these as barricade on roads near Camps Crame & Aguinaldo.
#TodayinHistory in 1986, after a plot to assault Malacañang was foiled, Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile & AFP Vice Chief-of-Staff Fidel V. Ramos held a press con announcing defection from Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Jaime Cardinal Sin urged people to protect them. #EDSA37#History
In 1985, to placate the growing concern of the int'l community on #PH under Marcos, Marcos agreed to a Snap Elections on 7 Feb 1986. Corazon Aquino & Salvador Laurel ran as opposition.
On election day, & days that followed for tally & canvassing of votes, int'l observers note widespread fraud & violence threatening the integrity of the elections. Upon announcement in Batasan that Marcos won, majority of people boycotted crony companies.
#TodayinHistory in 1890, poet, nationalist, political thinker, jurist, & statesman, Claro M. Recto, was born in Tiaong, Quezon Province. Recto reshaped modern #PH political thought, pushing for nationalist policies when the U.S. heavily influenced post-war PH affairs. THREAD.
Born to Don Claro Recto Sr. of Rosario Batangas & Doña Micaela Mayo of Lipa, among 5 other siblings, 3 of whom died, Claro lived in a generation of great awakening. In 6 years time after his birth, #PH Revolution vs. Spain broke out.
Recto studied Latin at Instituto de Rizal in Lipa, Batangas from 1900 to 1901 & pursued Bachelor og Arts in 1905 at @ateneodemanilau, achieving the highest grade—maxima cum laude. He pursued Law in 1909 at @UST1611official & wrote for several newspapers to support his education.
#TodayinHistory in 1986, the consequential Snap Elections began. The 2 contenders for the presidency were Ferdinand Marcos Sr. & Corazon C. Aquino. It is one of the landmark events that led to the EDSA People Power Revolution 3 weeks later. THREAD. #history#kasaysayan
After the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, int'l support on Marcos Sr. waned. It was in Nov 1985 that Marcos Sr. was interviewed in the David Brinkley's show & said: "... all these childish claims to popularity on both sides have to be settled, then I think...
"... we better settle it by calling an election... And we will invite the members of the American Congress to please come and see what is happening here. All this talk about fraud... that's sourgrapes."
Corazon Aquino, after much thought and consultation accepted the challenge.