On April 9, 1942, 12,000 American soldiers surrendered for the Japanese in the tip with the Bataan Peninsula, which juts into Manila Bay within the Philippines. For pretty much five months, the troops had fought ferociously against overwhelming odds until they ran away from food, medical supplies and ammunition. As prisoners of war (POWs), they and 1000s of Filipinos were come to a camp run from the Japanese army. This grueling number of marches are now referred to as Bataan Death March. The 60th anniversary of the tragic event is going to be commemorated during PBS' 2002 National Memorial Day Concert. Following are a handful of compelling - information about the March.
During The second world war, there were approximately 78,000 Allied soldiers stationed in Bataan including 12,000 Americans and 66,000 Filipinos. The poorly trained Filipinos, the majority of whom had not fired ammunition, were thrown into frontline combat against experienced Japanese troops. Americans from non-combatant outfits, including air corpsmen, as well as in some instances even civilians, were also formed into provisional infantry units.
Following a surrender, japan army assembled the captive Fil-American soldiers inside the various sectors in Bataan, but mainly at Mariveles, the southernmost tip with the Peninsula. Although American trucks were accessible to transport the prisoners, japan decided to march the soldiers for their destination.
The Death March really was a series of marches, which lasted from five to nine days. The length a captive were required to march was based on the point at which he soon began on the trail. The entire route was 55 miles long from Mariveles, Bataan, to San Fernando, Pangpanga. At San Fernando, the prisoners were place into cargo trains and transported to Capas, Tarlac, a distance close to 24 miles. These folks were then marched another six miles with their final destination, Camp O'Donnell.
It's estimated that about 24,000 men died throughout the March because the tired, sick and starving troops were repeatedly beaten and denied water and food. Many of the soldiers lost their lives to dehydration and also heat exhaustion. Those that tried to stop for water or accept food from your local people were also killed.
Approximately 1,600 Americans died within the first 40 days in Camp O'Donnell. Almost 20,000 Filipinos also lost their lives inside their first four months of captivity within the same camp. O'Donnell was without the sanitation sub-structure or water supply required to hold a lot of men where there was little medicine accessible to treat the dysentery and beriberi that has been common one of the POWs. An inadequate diet also led to the high death rate.
During The second world war, there were approximately 78,000 Allied soldiers stationed in Bataan including 12,000 Americans and 66,000 Filipinos. The poorly trained Filipinos, the majority of whom had not fired ammunition, were thrown into frontline combat against experienced Japanese troops. Americans from non-combatant outfits, including air corpsmen, as well as in some instances even civilians, were also formed into provisional infantry units.
Following a surrender, japan army assembled the captive Fil-American soldiers inside the various sectors in Bataan, but mainly at Mariveles, the southernmost tip with the Peninsula. Although American trucks were accessible to transport the prisoners, japan decided to march the soldiers for their destination.
The Death March really was a series of marches, which lasted from five to nine days. The length a captive were required to march was based on the point at which he soon began on the trail. The entire route was 55 miles long from Mariveles, Bataan, to San Fernando, Pangpanga. At San Fernando, the prisoners were place into cargo trains and transported to Capas, Tarlac, a distance close to 24 miles. These folks were then marched another six miles with their final destination, Camp O'Donnell.
It's estimated that about 24,000 men died throughout the March because the tired, sick and starving troops were repeatedly beaten and denied water and food. Many of the soldiers lost their lives to dehydration and also heat exhaustion. Those that tried to stop for water or accept food from your local people were also killed.
Approximately 1,600 Americans died within the first 40 days in Camp O'Donnell. Almost 20,000 Filipinos also lost their lives inside their first four months of captivity within the same camp. O'Donnell was without the sanitation sub-structure or water supply required to hold a lot of men where there was little medicine accessible to treat the dysentery and beriberi that has been common one of the POWs. An inadequate diet also led to the high death rate.
On June 6, 1942, japan transferred all Americans to Cabanatuan, north of Camp O'Donnell, leaving 500 as caretakers as well as for funeral details. They consequently were delivered to Cabanatuan on July 5, 1942. The Filipino prisoners were paroled, from July 1942.
Cabanatuan, for the majority of prisoners, turned into a temporary POW camp. Japan had a policy - in direct violation from the Geneva Convention - that prisoners may be used being a source of labor. Most were provided for various other camps within the Philippines, China, Korea and japan, where these folks were used as slave labor. Some worked in mines, others in farms and factories, while yet more unloaded ships in port areas, through out the war.
Most Americans failed to find out about the atrocities that occurred in Bataan until January 28, 1944, if the U.S. government released some pot report in the Army and Navy. This is compiled from your sworn statements of officers who survived the March and POW camps.
Bataan Day is really a national visit to the Philippines when large sets of its citizens solemnly re-walk areas of the death route and pay homage for the victims with the March. The battleground of Bataan has become a national shrine. Inside the U.S., the Bataan Memorial Death March happens each year at White Sands Missile Range, Boise state broncos. More than 3,000 marchers from throughout the U.S. and from overseas tackle a 26.2-mile route through high desert terrain honoring those who served.
