Bataan has fallen, but the spirit that made it stand--a beacon to all the liberty-loving peoples of the world--cannot fall!
- “Voice of Freedom” (Radio Broadcast from Malinta Tunnel, Corregidor, April 9, 1942)
Today marks the 66th Anniversary of the Fall of Bataan. Although the government now calls it Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor, to people of my generation and the ones before us, this day will always be remembered simply as Bataan Day.
It was on April 9, 1942 when, some 70,000 sick, wounded and hungry American and Filipino soldiers under the command of General Edward King finally surrendered to the invading Japanese forces led by General Masaharu Homma after months of fierce jungle fighting. The forces fought valiantly against an enemy that was superior both in numbers and materiel. Corregidor fell a month later on May 6, 1942.
Although our forces were defeated, they were able to extract a high cost from the Japanese in terms of lives and resources. They effectively tied the Japanese forces down for four months. General Homma had to call in reinforcements several times from the Japanese forces stationed in Malaya and Formosa after losing thousands of troops to death and disease in the jungles of Bataan.
The long, drawn-out battle at Bataan and Corregidor gave the United States the time it desperately needed to recover from the defeat it suffered at Pearl Harbor. This preparation culminated in an American victory over the Japanese fleet in the Battle of Midway two months later in June 1942, a victory that put an end to the Japanese offensive and turned the tide of war in the Pacific.
Regardless of the politics these days, this blog takes pause to honor and remember all the lives lost at a time when both Americans and Filipinos fought for the same cause against a ruthless enemy and ideology.
22 responses:
lagi kong iniisip pa akoy nagiisip, pano kaya kung nabuhay ako noong panahon ng giyera?
kapag nakakakwentuhan ko rin ang lolo at lola ko, naitanong ko rin ang buhay nila noon. sa mga kwento nila, mas madali kong naimagine kung pano ang mamuhay sa ilalim ng lupa habang yumayanig ang paligid dahil sa mga bombang nagbabagsakan.
sobrang suwerte ng generation na hindi na umabot sa panahon ng giyera. mabuhay ang ating grandparents.
Was it John Adams who said, 'I study war so that my children may study poetry and music?' Or am I watching too much TV?
Personally, I feel that not having had a taste of war is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, for not going through one of the most harrowing experience one could have in a lifetime. A curse, because it gives us the luxury of being able to take a lot of things for granted.
It will only be the most discerning among us who would be able to find the middle ground and determine what there is to be grateful for.
I also took time to honor the heroes of Bataan. Our forbears who suffered in the Death March were indeed very brave. We and the generations to come should never forget them. They suffered for us so that we could live the lives that we live now.
can't imagine life during war...esp. during those times...i salute all those heroes.
but everyday there is war...in our country...war for poverty, for corruption, for politics...
if there's war, there's liberation afterwards...that should be the case...everyone would strive to make a better economy to survive. BUT....the poor gets poorer, the rich gets richer..the corrupt officials get richer every single day.
been busy..sowee for not visiting the past few days. i'd make an update in my blog this weekend.
cheers buddy!
Stories of heroism and cowardice during the last war abound, many have been put into words and yet so many more are yet to be told.
Last year I wrote a piece about my Grandfather's, as well as a family friends' experience during the war as told to me by my Mom, who was only a toddler when the Japanese Imperial Army landed in Bicol. There is still one story though, a funny one, that I haven't started writing yet... wala pa sa mood eh, hehe. :-D
have you been to Corregidor on one of those guided tours? I absolutely loved all the trivia the guide dished out... like after Bataan has fallen, around ten days after... Japanese men surrendered weillingly to the American troops because they got too tired of hiding... :)
was also in Bataan last Holy Week... I only got to see the kilometer markers of the Death March but those gave me chills... especially when I wonder what could have happened if Marcos didn't survive that March...
RJ,
Mabuhay nga ang mga lolo't lola natin. Matindi rin ang hirap na inabot nila dahil sa maraming kakulangan (pagkain, gamot, damit, atbp.) noong mga panahon na iyon. Kung naging mahina ang kanilang mga loob eh malamang wala tayo ngayon o di kaya eh Nippongo ang salita natin.
Jet,
We do have a lot to be thankful for for not having to go through such an experience. However, we have the responsibility to uphold the ideals they fought for and if necessary, fight for them again so that our children and the ones that will come after them could study poetry and music.
Toe,
True. The least we can do to honor our grandparents and parents is to never forget what they went through during that dark period.
Rudy,
Although there were a lot of stories of courage not only from among those who fought but also among the common folk, one very sad thing to come out of the Japanese Occupation was the corruption of our country's moral fiber. There were a lot of stories of collaboration, especially among prominent families of that era. What demoralized a lot of the people was to see a lot of these collaborators go scotfree after the end of the war. A number of them ended up becoming politicans in Congress.
Basically, the corruption of our values during the war was something that our country sadly never fully recovered from.
Fingertalks,
You're right in that we're now fighting a different kind of war. A war that I think is worse because the enemy is from within. Who knows how many Presidents have declared war on Poverty and yet still come up short. The landed interests in our country are so entrenched that it would take a concerted effort by significant sectors within society to topple those families from their pedestals.
It is sad but what we're up against are the same families that have historically sided against every known conqueror (Spanish, American, and Japanese) just to protect their business interests to the detriment of everyone else.
Mec,
The last time I was in Corregidor was back in the mid 70s on a one day tour courtesy of a training class my father had attended. We stayed and toured Corregidor for only a few hours and I must admit that that was not enough. I do want to go back someday and spend at least 3 days just to really see all the sights around the island. One day is way too short.
Going through such historic sites does give one an eerie and at the same time overwhelming feeling. I guess it's the knowledge and thought that decades ago, a lot of people died on the spot you were standing on.
woow, great for you to still reminiscce, and value the lives lost for this democracy and independence - despite being abused and slaved by the government.
great way of thoughts here.
I actually have a great memory but I dont remember the date regarding Bataan, might be absent from school then lol. so thanks for the history lessons =D
I am not a big fan of wars and heroes but I must admit they did shape the nation to what is it and what is it not.
Lethalverses,
Thank you. Although I have a lot of problems with the way our government is run, I still have a very high regard for people in government, especially our soldiers, who were/are willing to risk their lives for our country and more so, for those who gave up their lives.
I also have the highest respect for government employees who have managed to remain honest and who continue to render good public service. I take my hat off to such people.
Mirage2g,
We enjoy the fruits and benefits of democracy because of people who were willing to risk their lives for us. And oftentimes, it's people who come from the poorest sectors of society who risk their lives, and sometimes, even die so that we could enjoy what we're enjoying. Therein lies the irony. People who benefit the least from our society often pay the highest price to maintain such society. Sad.
Thanks for joining me in my moment of reflection. Can I link this post to mine? Yours is highly historical, while mine of course is mostly a personal reflection.
I did avoid going into current politics, including the ones looming over our heads all these decades - the issue of comp for the Philippine veterans.
And I'd have to agree with you totally on your last statement. When united against a common cause, we can really achieve much more as brothers (and sisters).
Sure thing, MegaMom. I'd be honored in fact for the link. Thanks. :)
Like you, I also avoided the politics because in my view, the only politics that mattered at that time was to stand against and defeat the militarist regimes in both Japan and Germany. All the other issues that now trouble us such as comp for the veterans came after the war ended.
How can I forget those heroes of WWII, one of them is my father he is a survivor of death march and become a POW at the Bilibid Prison in Muntinglupa (akala ko tuloy ex-convict ang tatay ko, yun pala it was run by Japanese Imperial Army at that time.)Sayang nga lang he is dead 5 years ago and doesn't received any compensation from the USA.
Ang nakakainis pa nito ang daming pekeng beterano ngayon na nabibigyan ng pensiyon.
Ysrael,
I'm very sorry to hear that your father's no longer around. He and his fellow veterans were true heroes. Malungkot nga lang talaga na may mga taong walanghiya na nilalapastangan ang ala-ala ng mga yumaong beterano.
As for the Veterans Bill that remains stuck in the US Congress, I don't really know as to when that bill will be passed to law. I hate to say this but I think the US Congress is resorting to delaying tactics, waiting for the day when all the veterans would have died out. Sounds awful pero hindi ko maiwasan minsan na paghinalaan sila.
P, remember I wrote about the Veterans Hospital to be relocated? I found out/heard/asked around (though of course I am not that sure if this has been confirmed yet) who is gonna buy or lease the place which is a government property.
Guess...
The Koreans. OMG. They are slowly taking over the country.
T.Julie
Julie,
Thanks for the information. I'm trying to keep an open and objective mind about their presence in our country. However, the things that I've been hearing about them, from both our countrymen and from other expats, is that a number (not all) of these Koreans tend to engage in discriminatory practices not only against Filipinos but all other foreigners.
Although they're welcome to invest in the country, their activities need to be closely monitored.
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