Except that Siberia won't run out of trees in that timeframe; Japan will run out of supplies to count.
Eisenhower in the Pacific: Part 1 The Shoestring Warriors of Luzon
- Thread starter galveston bay
- Start date
Except that Siberia won't run out of trees in that timeframe; Japan will run out of supplies to count.
The Fall of Bataan (part 1)
Bataan Defense Force (King) April 19, 1942
II Corps (Parker) (24,000)
51st Infantry Division (PA) (51st PA, 52nd PA) (7,000 men)
21st Infantry Division (PA) (21st PA, 25th PA) (7,000 men)
11th Infantry Division (PA) (11th PA, 12th PA)(no artillery) (5,000 men)
47th Infantry Regiment (PS) (1,000 men)
corps troops (4,000 men)
I Corps (Weaver) (23,000)
1st Infantry Division (PA) (1st PA, 2nd PA)(no artillery)(4,000 men)
12th Infantry Division (PS/PA)(13th PA, 53rd PA) (7,000 men)
23rd Infantry Division (PS/PA) (91st PA, 92nd PA) (7,000 men)
57th Infantry Regiment (PS) (1,000 men)
corps troops (4,000 men)
reserve (2,500)
4th Coast Artillery (PA)(1,000 men)
3rd Coast Artillery (PA) (1,000 men)
6th Cavalry Brigade (US/PS) (500 men)
Rear area troops (3,000 men)
hospitalized (too sick to fight or move, or ambulatory helping care for others) (9,000 men)
Total Force: 61,500
civilians: 10,000 remain who could not be evacuated due to lack of space
At the start of the Bataan campaign USAFE Bataan had 112,000 men and there were around 12,000 civilians. Nearly 18,000 have been evacuated, of which 4,500 were moved to southern Luzon, 7,000 were captured by the Japanese in the final medical evacuation convoy, and the remainder went to Australia including nearly all US and Philippine Army Air Force and Navy/Coast Guard personnel. Another 5,000 US Army, US Army National Guard, US Marine Corps, Philippine Scouts and Philippine Army troops went to Corregidor (and were replaced by 3,000 Philippine Army troops). Nearly 2,000 civilians were successfully evacuated to the central Philippine islands as well. Another 3,000 wounded and sick military personnel were evacuated and 1,000 of these made it to Australia, the rest were captured during the Fall of Cebu.
Casualties to date, not including those listed as hospitalized above, number approximately 30,500, including 3,000 Americans and roughly 25,000 of these are dead or missing (almost certainly dead). Around 90% of those dead are Filipino military personnel, the rest American.
There are only around 5,000 American military personnel remaining on Bataan as of April 19, of which 1,000 are assigned as advisers or commanders of Philippine Army/Philippine Scouts, another 400 are assigned to the 6th Cavalry Brigade, and the rest are rear area personnel (usually specialists of some sort) or in the hospital (about 1,000).
April 20
Furious that the Navy has let the Americans break out two nights in a row, the Japanese Army orders every available bomber to concentrate on Mariveles and any vessels and boats that can be found. Embarrassed, the Navy also commits its full air strength in theater to the same task. With ammunition supplies running lower and lower, the 3rd and 4th Philippine Army Coast Artillery Regiments defend as best they can, and indeed inflict significant losses on the Japanese but cannot prevent the effective destruction of every building, every pier and a lot of the trees that are in Mariveles. Months of campaign and bombing have encouraged the American and Filipinos there to dig deep, so personnel losses are relatively light, but by night fall the entire area is masked in smoke and flame. Only a few fishing vessels survive until nightfall, mainly as they were hidden in caves and dugouts, but none of the remaining vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard have survived aside from a handful of motor launches hidden in caves and tunnels on Corregidor.
That night, aware that no more chances are likely, King sends the remaining men of the 6th Cavalry Brigade to Corregidor except for the 100 survivors of the 194th Tank Battalion, which mans the few remaining working combat vehicles and will have the task of ensuring their destruction when it is time to surrender. The other troops (200 each in the 112th and 26th Cavalry, 100 from the 192nd Tank Battalion) are formed into a weak battalion that will act as the reserve on Corregidor.
The arrival of the USS Seawolf that night is also seen as a good opportunity to evacuate several Filipinos whose fate upon capture is viewed as certain death, included Carlos Romulo as well as the surviving members of the 2 PT boats (including Commander Andrade). Room is also found for several members of the Bataan Aviation Detachment who were operating the airfield.
These are the last American and Filipino personnel evacuated from Bataan. Remaining boats are retained on Corregidor and the other harbor islands for communications duties along with their crews.
April 21-28
Daily air raids continue to focus on the rear area of the USAFE, attacking likely looking areas hoping to hit supply dumps, artillery positions, headquarters and reserve positions. While little damage is done, it does result in a steady stream of casualties into the already crowded hospitals. However on April 27, a raid of 27 Japanese Army bombers drop their entire bomb load on Hospital Number 2. This kills nearly 800 wounded along with 50 medical personnel and civilian volunteers, and is the worst raid in terms of casualties since the start of the war. Post war investigation determines that this was not purposeful, merely poor bombing, as haze from numerous fires from the attacks over the previous few days resulted in the Japanese bombing too early instead of their planned attack on an identified supply dump nearby. Filipinos and Americans are certain however this was a deliberate atrocity for the entire rest of the war.
By the end of April 28th, antiaircraft ammunition has been nearly exhausted, and the remaining guns and their crews are moved that night to positions held by Philippine Scout regiments to beef up the backstop line. The remnants of the 192nd Tank Battalion takes over local security for General King's headquarters.
The raids over the previous few days since April 19 have added another 2,000 wounded to those already in the hospital while also killing 1,000 people.
But the worst is about to begin.....
II Corps (Parker) (24,000)
51st Infantry Division (PA) (51st PA, 52nd PA) (7,000 men)
21st Infantry Division (PA) (21st PA, 25th PA) (7,000 men)
11th Infantry Division (PA) (11th PA, 12th PA)(no artillery) (5,000 men)
47th Infantry Regiment (PS) (1,000 men)
corps troops (4,000 men)
I Corps (Weaver) (23,000)
1st Infantry Division (PA) (1st PA, 2nd PA)(no artillery)(4,000 men)
12th Infantry Division (PS/PA)(13th PA, 53rd PA) (7,000 men)
23rd Infantry Division (PS/PA) (91st PA, 92nd PA) (7,000 men)
57th Infantry Regiment (PS) (1,000 men)
corps troops (4,000 men)
reserve (2,500)
4th Coast Artillery (PA)(1,000 men)
3rd Coast Artillery (PA) (1,000 men)
6th Cavalry Brigade (US/PS) (500 men)
Rear area troops (3,000 men)
hospitalized (too sick to fight or move, or ambulatory helping care for others) (9,000 men)
Total Force: 61,500
civilians: 10,000 remain who could not be evacuated due to lack of space
At the start of the Bataan campaign USAFE Bataan had 112,000 men and there were around 12,000 civilians. Nearly 18,000 have been evacuated, of which 4,500 were moved to southern Luzon, 7,000 were captured by the Japanese in the final medical evacuation convoy, and the remainder went to Australia including nearly all US and Philippine Army Air Force and Navy/Coast Guard personnel. Another 5,000 US Army, US Army National Guard, US Marine Corps, Philippine Scouts and Philippine Army troops went to Corregidor (and were replaced by 3,000 Philippine Army troops). Nearly 2,000 civilians were successfully evacuated to the central Philippine islands as well. Another 3,000 wounded and sick military personnel were evacuated and 1,000 of these made it to Australia, the rest were captured during the Fall of Cebu.
Casualties to date, not including those listed as hospitalized above, number approximately 30,500, including 3,000 Americans and roughly 25,000 of these are dead or missing (almost certainly dead). Around 90% of those dead are Filipino military personnel, the rest American.
There are only around 5,000 American military personnel remaining on Bataan as of April 19, of which 1,000 are assigned as advisers or commanders of Philippine Army/Philippine Scouts, another 400 are assigned to the 6th Cavalry Brigade, and the rest are rear area personnel (usually specialists of some sort) or in the hospital (about 1,000).
April 20
Furious that the Navy has let the Americans break out two nights in a row, the Japanese Army orders every available bomber to concentrate on Mariveles and any vessels and boats that can be found. Embarrassed, the Navy also commits its full air strength in theater to the same task. With ammunition supplies running lower and lower, the 3rd and 4th Philippine Army Coast Artillery Regiments defend as best they can, and indeed inflict significant losses on the Japanese but cannot prevent the effective destruction of every building, every pier and a lot of the trees that are in Mariveles. Months of campaign and bombing have encouraged the American and Filipinos there to dig deep, so personnel losses are relatively light, but by night fall the entire area is masked in smoke and flame. Only a few fishing vessels survive until nightfall, mainly as they were hidden in caves and dugouts, but none of the remaining vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard have survived aside from a handful of motor launches hidden in caves and tunnels on Corregidor.
That night, aware that no more chances are likely, King sends the remaining men of the 6th Cavalry Brigade to Corregidor except for the 100 survivors of the 194th Tank Battalion, which mans the few remaining working combat vehicles and will have the task of ensuring their destruction when it is time to surrender. The other troops (200 each in the 112th and 26th Cavalry, 100 from the 192nd Tank Battalion) are formed into a weak battalion that will act as the reserve on Corregidor.
The arrival of the USS Seawolf that night is also seen as a good opportunity to evacuate several Filipinos whose fate upon capture is viewed as certain death, included Carlos Romulo as well as the surviving members of the 2 PT boats (including Commander Andrade). Room is also found for several members of the Bataan Aviation Detachment who were operating the airfield.
These are the last American and Filipino personnel evacuated from Bataan. Remaining boats are retained on Corregidor and the other harbor islands for communications duties along with their crews.
April 21-28
Daily air raids continue to focus on the rear area of the USAFE, attacking likely looking areas hoping to hit supply dumps, artillery positions, headquarters and reserve positions. While little damage is done, it does result in a steady stream of casualties into the already crowded hospitals. However on April 27, a raid of 27 Japanese Army bombers drop their entire bomb load on Hospital Number 2. This kills nearly 800 wounded along with 50 medical personnel and civilian volunteers, and is the worst raid in terms of casualties since the start of the war. Post war investigation determines that this was not purposeful, merely poor bombing, as haze from numerous fires from the attacks over the previous few days resulted in the Japanese bombing too early instead of their planned attack on an identified supply dump nearby. Filipinos and Americans are certain however this was a deliberate atrocity for the entire rest of the war.
By the end of April 28th, antiaircraft ammunition has been nearly exhausted, and the remaining guns and their crews are moved that night to positions held by Philippine Scout regiments to beef up the backstop line. The remnants of the 192nd Tank Battalion takes over local security for General King's headquarters.
The raids over the previous few days since April 19 have added another 2,000 wounded to those already in the hospital while also killing 1,000 people.
But the worst is about to begin.....
Last edited:
authors notes:
This should give a good idea of what the cost has been and what is left on Bataan. Ammunition is down to a few rounds per gun, a few hundred rounds per machine gun and a few clips for infantry shoulder arms (or less) Medical supplies are running low including basics like bandages and pain relief, and nearly 80% of the troops that are not in the hospital would be at least on the sick list in a normal peace time situation due to low grade fevers, or recovering from fevers or from having diarrhea. But the troops are reasonably well fed, having had full rations the entire siege and while line combat troops are a bit underfed (its tough to bring food up in combat conditions) they are not starving, just somewhat underweight.
This is a massive difference from the situation in OTL
The last stand is about to begin... but probably later this weekend as its a holiday and there are family expectations.
The historical Fall of Bataan was April 9, so not massively longer than OTL but still a significant departure. Japanese losses have been nearly 3 times the historical losses suffered so far in this campaign.
This should give a good idea of what the cost has been and what is left on Bataan. Ammunition is down to a few rounds per gun, a few hundred rounds per machine gun and a few clips for infantry shoulder arms (or less) Medical supplies are running low including basics like bandages and pain relief, and nearly 80% of the troops that are not in the hospital would be at least on the sick list in a normal peace time situation due to low grade fevers, or recovering from fevers or from having diarrhea. But the troops are reasonably well fed, having had full rations the entire siege and while line combat troops are a bit underfed (its tough to bring food up in combat conditions) they are not starving, just somewhat underweight.
This is a massive difference from the situation in OTL
The last stand is about to begin... but probably later this weekend as its a holiday and there are family expectations.
The historical Fall of Bataan was April 9, so not massively longer than OTL but still a significant departure. Japanese losses have been nearly 3 times the historical losses suffered so far in this campaign.
Driftless
Donor
I back-tracked a bit and found this nugget that I missed on Post #1221 - The Final Lull on Bataan
The Fall of Bataan (part 2)
The Emperors Birthday Offensive April 29, 1942
Japanese Forces – Final Bataan Offensive
20th Army (Major General Siechi commanding)
Eastern sector
38th Infantry Division – 3rd, 228th, 229th Infantry Regiments, 38th Mountain Artillery Regiment (48 x 75 mm guns)
attachments: 4 medium artillery battalions (48 x 105 mm guns), 6 engineer battalions, 2 tank regiments (64 tanks), 2 heavy mortar battalions (36 heavy mortars), 2 heavy artillery battalions (24 x 150 mm guns), 1 heavy artillery battalion (12 x 240 mm guns)
61st Infantry Brigade Group (drawn from 4th Infantry Division) - 61st Infantry Regiment, 4th Reconnaissance Regiment, 4th Field artillery regiment (all motorized)
Central sector
4th Infantry Division – 8th, 37th Infantry Regiments
attachments: 2 heavy mortar battalions
Western sector
16th Infantry Division – 9th, 20th Infantry Regiments, 22nd Field Artillery Regiment (36 x 75 mm guns, 12 x 105 mm guns), 16th Reconnaissance Regiment, 16th Field Engineer Regiment
attachments: 3 engineer battalions, 1 tank regiment (40 tanks), 2 heavy mortar battalions, 2 medium artillery regiments (24 x 105 mm guns), 1 heavy artillery battalion (12 x150 mm guns)
General Reserve
33rd Infantry Regiment (from 16th Infantry Division)
1 engineer bridging battalion
(both fully motorized)
0400 Hours April 29
After a 15 minute bombardment from heavy mortars, the two regiments of the 4th Division slip infiltrators past forward positions of the 21st and 11th PA Divisions using the darkness, jungle and rugged terrain as cover while taking positions bypassed under heavy fire with light and knee mortars and machine gun fire, pinning the Filipino troops in place. By first light, both PA Divisions find themselves under attack all along the line and a growing number of Filipino soldiers are making their way to the rear.
It is now that the realities of combat exhaustion are really hitting the Filipino troops who have been holding the line for the last 4 months. Unrelenting stress, lack of sleep, rations hurriedly gulped down, diarrhea from bad water, food served in marginally sanitary conditions, and finally the gradual wearing down of mental energy from the fear that is the norm in combat means that the defending troops are well past experienced to worn out Many of the men holding the line now were drawn from support units cannibalized to provide infantry replacements and thus inadequately trained compared to the troops who started the battle. A growing sense of despair and hopelessness as it is obvious no more help is coming and there is no chance of escape any longer completes the picture.
While many of the Filipino troops hold in place, all too many begin seeking escape to the rear or in the case in the fighting around Mount Bataan, hiding in the jungle and ravines further back from the line. However enough men hold their ground that while the Japanese are penetrating their positions, they have not yet broken through, and vicious close range combat rages all morning. As the battle continues the Filipino troops begin to reach the limit of their ammunition reserves and steady trickle soon becomes a flood of Filipino soldiers heading for the rear.
First Light 0615 Hours
The Japanese open fire with every available artillery piece and mortar on the positions held by the 51st Infantry Division in the west, and on the 12th and 22nd Divisions in the east, with the heaviest fire falling on the 22nd. The bombardment lasts nearly an hour, cutting communications lines, forcing the troops to hide in the holes as deep as they can, and wiping out most of the forward artillery positions that had been identified by careful Japanese reconnaissance over the last few days by air and infiltrators. The dry conditions over the last few weeks also mean that most of trees and foliage catches fire and dense smoke and intense heat forces some Filipino units to retreat to save themselves from asphyxiation.
Out of the smoke the Japanese launch their assault, spearheaded by tanks and engineers armed with satchel charges and flamethrowers, backed by knee mortars and light machine guns. The 2 regiments of the 22nd are overrun and destroyed within by 0900, with fleeing survivors in panicked flight south, while the 12th is pushed back toward Mount Limay and in the west the two regiments of the 51st Division both break and run after suffering devastating casualties. Unlike in previous battles, there is no well directed artillery fire from the Filipino-American rear area, no reserves, and almost no machine gun ammunition after the first few minutes of combat. A few brave gunners who survived the bombardment manage to knock out a few tanks but they too run out of ammunition all to quickly.
By noon, Japanese troops have overrun the rear area of the 51st and 22nd Divisions and both divisions have effectively ceased to exist except for a few hundred fleeing survivors moving as fast as they can south. Only the 1st Infantry Division still holds its positions, mainly because it has not been attacked, and the combat effectiveness of the 11th, 12th and 23rd Divisions is at best marginal and all three are retreating hurriedly as their flanks and rear are threatened.
Meanwhile Weaver and Parker are both attempting to get a picture of the scope of the attack as late as 0900, at which point it is clear that disaster is at hand. Again careful Japanese preparation shows itself to advantage as air and artillery attack have severed primary telephone links to USAFE headquarters while further Japanese bombing and shelling quickly silence many radio transmitters. Japanese fighters strafe anything they spot on the roads, resulting in the loss of many couriers and also bringing casualty evacuation to a halt. Many of the retreating fugitives that survived the Japanese assault are killed or wounded by strafing aircraft as well. It is not until after noon that General King has a clear picture of the scale of the collapse of his front and there is little left for him to do. His remaining reserves consist of the Philippine Scouts and attached flak guns holding positions in the rear as a final stop gap, the remnants of the tank battalion guarding his headquarters, and the 1st Division, which he has only finally heard from. He orders it to launch a counterattack after dark to try and slow down the Japanese.
As night falls, the Japanese have overrun the rear areas of I and II Corps, cut off the 11th, 12th and 23rd Division which are organized groups of survivors instead of combat forces, and are rapidly approaching the final defense lines. He sends a radio message to Australia asking for permission to surrender at 2100 hours. Eisenhower has no choice but to grant that permission at King's discretion.
Meanwhile on this disastrous day for the Philippine and US Armies, Japanese troops are taking few prisoners. Bitter after months of fighting and repeated defeat, angry over continued existence in a tropical hell hole, the Japanese infantry are savage in the assault. When positions are overrun the wounded are usually killed out of hand and even battalion and regimental aid stations are scenes of massacre. Men who try to surrender are generally shot or bayoneted or executed by swords and pistols at the hands of officers almost right away. It is estimated postwar that 3,000 Filipino and 200 American soldiers are killed this day, many as they lay wounded. Another 2,000 Filipino troops are missing in action, their deaths never confirmed aside from the occasional discovery of remains in the decades after the war. The assault by the 16th Division, a unit that was part of the Rape of Nanking and which still have officers and NCOs serving who were there for that slaughter is the worst area for battlefield murder but the other 2 Japanese divisions make their own considerable contribution.
Japanese Forces – Final Bataan Offensive
20th Army (Major General Siechi commanding)
Eastern sector
38th Infantry Division – 3rd, 228th, 229th Infantry Regiments, 38th Mountain Artillery Regiment (48 x 75 mm guns)
attachments: 4 medium artillery battalions (48 x 105 mm guns), 6 engineer battalions, 2 tank regiments (64 tanks), 2 heavy mortar battalions (36 heavy mortars), 2 heavy artillery battalions (24 x 150 mm guns), 1 heavy artillery battalion (12 x 240 mm guns)
61st Infantry Brigade Group (drawn from 4th Infantry Division) - 61st Infantry Regiment, 4th Reconnaissance Regiment, 4th Field artillery regiment (all motorized)
Central sector
4th Infantry Division – 8th, 37th Infantry Regiments
attachments: 2 heavy mortar battalions
Western sector
16th Infantry Division – 9th, 20th Infantry Regiments, 22nd Field Artillery Regiment (36 x 75 mm guns, 12 x 105 mm guns), 16th Reconnaissance Regiment, 16th Field Engineer Regiment
attachments: 3 engineer battalions, 1 tank regiment (40 tanks), 2 heavy mortar battalions, 2 medium artillery regiments (24 x 105 mm guns), 1 heavy artillery battalion (12 x150 mm guns)
General Reserve
33rd Infantry Regiment (from 16th Infantry Division)
1 engineer bridging battalion
(both fully motorized)
0400 Hours April 29
After a 15 minute bombardment from heavy mortars, the two regiments of the 4th Division slip infiltrators past forward positions of the 21st and 11th PA Divisions using the darkness, jungle and rugged terrain as cover while taking positions bypassed under heavy fire with light and knee mortars and machine gun fire, pinning the Filipino troops in place. By first light, both PA Divisions find themselves under attack all along the line and a growing number of Filipino soldiers are making their way to the rear.
It is now that the realities of combat exhaustion are really hitting the Filipino troops who have been holding the line for the last 4 months. Unrelenting stress, lack of sleep, rations hurriedly gulped down, diarrhea from bad water, food served in marginally sanitary conditions, and finally the gradual wearing down of mental energy from the fear that is the norm in combat means that the defending troops are well past experienced to worn out Many of the men holding the line now were drawn from support units cannibalized to provide infantry replacements and thus inadequately trained compared to the troops who started the battle. A growing sense of despair and hopelessness as it is obvious no more help is coming and there is no chance of escape any longer completes the picture.
While many of the Filipino troops hold in place, all too many begin seeking escape to the rear or in the case in the fighting around Mount Bataan, hiding in the jungle and ravines further back from the line. However enough men hold their ground that while the Japanese are penetrating their positions, they have not yet broken through, and vicious close range combat rages all morning. As the battle continues the Filipino troops begin to reach the limit of their ammunition reserves and steady trickle soon becomes a flood of Filipino soldiers heading for the rear.
First Light 0615 Hours
The Japanese open fire with every available artillery piece and mortar on the positions held by the 51st Infantry Division in the west, and on the 12th and 22nd Divisions in the east, with the heaviest fire falling on the 22nd. The bombardment lasts nearly an hour, cutting communications lines, forcing the troops to hide in the holes as deep as they can, and wiping out most of the forward artillery positions that had been identified by careful Japanese reconnaissance over the last few days by air and infiltrators. The dry conditions over the last few weeks also mean that most of trees and foliage catches fire and dense smoke and intense heat forces some Filipino units to retreat to save themselves from asphyxiation.
Out of the smoke the Japanese launch their assault, spearheaded by tanks and engineers armed with satchel charges and flamethrowers, backed by knee mortars and light machine guns. The 2 regiments of the 22nd are overrun and destroyed within by 0900, with fleeing survivors in panicked flight south, while the 12th is pushed back toward Mount Limay and in the west the two regiments of the 51st Division both break and run after suffering devastating casualties. Unlike in previous battles, there is no well directed artillery fire from the Filipino-American rear area, no reserves, and almost no machine gun ammunition after the first few minutes of combat. A few brave gunners who survived the bombardment manage to knock out a few tanks but they too run out of ammunition all to quickly.
By noon, Japanese troops have overrun the rear area of the 51st and 22nd Divisions and both divisions have effectively ceased to exist except for a few hundred fleeing survivors moving as fast as they can south. Only the 1st Infantry Division still holds its positions, mainly because it has not been attacked, and the combat effectiveness of the 11th, 12th and 23rd Divisions is at best marginal and all three are retreating hurriedly as their flanks and rear are threatened.
Meanwhile Weaver and Parker are both attempting to get a picture of the scope of the attack as late as 0900, at which point it is clear that disaster is at hand. Again careful Japanese preparation shows itself to advantage as air and artillery attack have severed primary telephone links to USAFE headquarters while further Japanese bombing and shelling quickly silence many radio transmitters. Japanese fighters strafe anything they spot on the roads, resulting in the loss of many couriers and also bringing casualty evacuation to a halt. Many of the retreating fugitives that survived the Japanese assault are killed or wounded by strafing aircraft as well. It is not until after noon that General King has a clear picture of the scale of the collapse of his front and there is little left for him to do. His remaining reserves consist of the Philippine Scouts and attached flak guns holding positions in the rear as a final stop gap, the remnants of the tank battalion guarding his headquarters, and the 1st Division, which he has only finally heard from. He orders it to launch a counterattack after dark to try and slow down the Japanese.
As night falls, the Japanese have overrun the rear areas of I and II Corps, cut off the 11th, 12th and 23rd Division which are organized groups of survivors instead of combat forces, and are rapidly approaching the final defense lines. He sends a radio message to Australia asking for permission to surrender at 2100 hours. Eisenhower has no choice but to grant that permission at King's discretion.
Meanwhile on this disastrous day for the Philippine and US Armies, Japanese troops are taking few prisoners. Bitter after months of fighting and repeated defeat, angry over continued existence in a tropical hell hole, the Japanese infantry are savage in the assault. When positions are overrun the wounded are usually killed out of hand and even battalion and regimental aid stations are scenes of massacre. Men who try to surrender are generally shot or bayoneted or executed by swords and pistols at the hands of officers almost right away. It is estimated postwar that 3,000 Filipino and 200 American soldiers are killed this day, many as they lay wounded. Another 2,000 Filipino troops are missing in action, their deaths never confirmed aside from the occasional discovery of remains in the decades after the war. The assault by the 16th Division, a unit that was part of the Rape of Nanking and which still have officers and NCOs serving who were there for that slaughter is the worst area for battlefield murder but the other 2 Japanese divisions make their own considerable contribution.
authors notes:
Combat exhaustion, sickness, and limited ammunition in the face of the best coordinated Japanese attack to date and relatively massive firepower superiority means that the end is coming suddenly and completely
Combat exhaustion, sickness, and limited ammunition in the face of the best coordinated Japanese attack to date and relatively massive firepower superiority means that the end is coming suddenly and completely
StephenColbert27
Banned
Sad to see them go, especially with the expected murders of POW's and the wounded, but at least here they are well-fed, such that those that go into the camps will have a better chance at making it over the long term.
Just to be clear, not all of the deaths are murder. A good portion are genuine combat deaths. But enough murder occurs to clearly pass the bar into atrocity territory.
except this time, there is a much larger and already organized guerrilla force...I have a feeling that what in OTL was the Bataan Death March will turn out a bit differently
And anger once the Americans find out once they arrive back.
What's going to happen to Corregidor? I assume its gonna hold out for a few more days into May until it surrenders....
I will be treating the Siege of the Rock in detail... in OTL it lasted another month
And with the reinforcement of the Rock, its gonna probably hold out as long.
Did any of the Bataan force manage to retreat to the island? IOTL, only 100 men managed to cross over.
the 31st and 65th Inf Regiments (US) were both moved to the Rock earlier in the campaign (replacing a Filipino light infantry brigade which was sent to Bataan), while the survivors of the 112th Cav, 26th Cav, and 194th Tank battalion were also evacuated (400 men). A sizeable number (about 2,000 men) of personnel from PA, PS and US artillery units were sent to the Rock after artillery ammunition on Bataan was essentially exhausted to fill out the Coast Artillery units and provide machine gun / beach defense companies (as subordinate companies to the Coast Defense Regiments). Also the 1st Marine Battalion (separate) was evacuated to the Rock. The 4th Marine Regiment was evacuated from Luzon pre invasion and is not present.
A full break down of personnel and units will be provided for the Siege
That's much better, considering the entire force on Bataan was wiped out and only a few could get to the Rock. I think that is about a few more thousand men.
How many troops on the rock as of April 30, 1942?