We often wonder why #ArawngKagitingan happened the way it did. Why commemorate one of the most humiliating defeats in #PH #history & call it “Kagitingan” (Valor)?
History, military strategy, & geography provide the answer.
THREAD.
History, military strategy, & geography provide the answer.
THREAD.
When the Japanese began its invasion of Southeast Asia in Dec 1941, it first attacked the US fleet in Pearl Harbor, crippling the only reinforcements for the defense of the islands. Hours after the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese began its invasion of #PH.
https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1468552367281152001
W/ the war machine sustained as Japanese marched from Bicol, Lingayen, and Ilocos towards Manila, to discourage attacks in the capital, Gen. Douglas MacArthur issued his War Plan Orange (WPO-3), gathering all Filipino & American forces in the Bataan peninsula.
https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1345693735560986624
The peninsula is a dead end. The troops were basically facing the enemy, while their backs were facing the sea. Was this wise? Check out the terrain. Manila Bay, as you can see in the map above, is one of the finest harbors in the world.
Forming as a gulf, the Bay is protected by the Bataan Peninsula and Cavite, with a slight opening in between those land masses which is the only harbor entrance of ships to the Bay from West Philippine Sea. Fleets could stay on the safe harbors of Manila Bay if…
… defenses are set up on Bataan and Cavite. The slight opening bet. Bataan peninsula & Cavite has Corregidor, El Fraile, and Caballo islands, all of which have been fortified w/ guns, while the spaces in bet were filled w/ mines.
It is therefore accurate when people say before that if Manila Bay is the mouth, Corregidor w/ its outlying islets are the mouth’s jagged teeth. This explains why even when the Japanese took Manila on 2 Jan 1942…
… they could not use the Manila Bay as naval staging ground for further assault on Southeast Asia. The defenses at Bataan and Corregidor formed formidable barricade stopping Japanese naval ships to enter the bay & use it.
Furthermore, by retreating to Bataan, Filipino and American forces distracted the Japanese who were intent on using the Bay & crush all resistance, concentrating its forces to Bataan. BUT such a strategy was only to give time for reinforcements— which would never come.
Was it futile? On one hand it was. But on the other hand, it tactically delayed Gen. Masaharu Homma’s invasion timetable, costing the Japanese precious resources. From 7 Jan to 9 April 1942 (around 3 months!!!), 66,000 Filipinos & 12,000 US soldiers held out until their surrender
So, when there’s a DDS propagandist blurting out defeatist statements that we can’t defend our country vs. a world power despite that power being an aggressor & encroacher of our seas, remind that person of history: That the #WestPHSea is ours, & might is never right.
https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1414456700791263232
As the Voice of Freedom radio broadcasted 80 years ago in grieving but unassailable voice:
“Bataan has fallen, but the spirit that made it stand—a beacon to all the liberty-loving peoples of the world—cannot fall!”
Kagitingan. 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
“Bataan has fallen, but the spirit that made it stand—a beacon to all the liberty-loving peoples of the world—cannot fall!”
Kagitingan. 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭
https://twitter.com/indiohistorian/status/1380383594393206785
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