Manila evacuated: Japanese move in
December 31, 1941
On December 31 American and Filipino forces faced with overwhelmingly
superior numbers of enemy troops, backed by tanks and dive
bombers, were forced to evacuate Manila and Cavite and fall back to
shorter lines. The island fortress of Corregidor, at the entrance to
Manila Bay, continued to hold out. Japanese forces entered the capital
(above) at 3 p.m., where they found all military stores destroyed.
Below the city of Intramuros, the old section of Manila, ablaze after
an air attack.
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The crown colony of Hong Kong surrenders
December 25, 1941
On Christmas Day, after resisting Japanese attacks for seven days, and
rejecting three demands to surrender, the British colony of Hong Kong
capitulated. Under the leadership of Sir Mark Young, the Governor, the
garrison of British, Canadian and Indian troops, had fought heroically
against overwhelming odds and continual artillery and air bombardment.
The decision to surrender was only taken after important reservoirs
had fallen into enemy hands and there was one day's supply of water
left.
big gun on Corregidor replies to the jAPAN invaders
December, 1941
----
big guns on Corregidor, the fortified rock in Manila
Harbor, which inflicted severe damage on the Japanese before the
gallant defenders succumbed to the constant pounding of the enemy.
American and Filipino forces continued to resist the invader from this
fortress long after Manila was evacuated but outnumbered and exhausted
were forced to surrender on May 6, 1942.
The Philippines feel the fury of the Japanese
December, 1941
=======
Japanese bombs were
swept the Intramuros, Manila's famous walled city, w was bombed On the morning of December 10 the capital was
twice raided by Japanese bombers and attacks were made and
considerable damage done to Nichols airfield and Fort William
McKinley, headquarters of the American Army on the island
Pasay areleveled by Japanese bombs, while (below),
residents of Cavite are evacuating the town after the raid of
December 10 in which 200 bombs were dropped and thirty persons were
killed
The smoking ruins of the town of San Pablo, 35 miles from Manila, bear
testimony to the effectiveness of Japanese bombs, while below, a group
of wounded Filipinos are shown as they awaited medical attention in a
dressing station speedily set up by volunteers
WORLD WAR 2
BATTLE OF LUZON AND MINDANAO
Japanese invade the Philippines in force
December 22-25, 1941
After the failure of their initial attempt to gain control of the
Philippines, the Japanese, on December 22, landed a force of about
100,000 men, together with tanks, in the Lingayen Gulf area of Luzon.
Landings were also made on Mindanao, the second largest island of the
group, where fighting took place in the Davao area. On this day, too,
the small garrison of 400 Marines at Wake Island, the U.S. naval base,
3,000 miles to the north-east, surrendered after an heroic defense
lasting fourteen days. The pictures above show ruins of San Pablo,
near Manila, after a severe raid on Christmas Day.
WORLD WAR 2 STORY
Japanese effect a landing in the Philippines
December 10, 1941
----
At daybreak on December 10 strong Japanese forces, with heavy naval
and aerial protection, attempted landings on the west coast of Luzon,
in the Philippines, between Vigan and San Fernando, but were repulsed
by American and Filipino troops, and three enemy transports were
destroyed by U.S. Aircraft. Some parachutists who had been dropped
near Vigan were rounded up. Later in the day, however, fresh Japanese
troops, in considerable force, established themselves at Aparri, on
the northern tip of the island, and attempted to push southwards,
heavily engaged by the defenders. During the day Manila, the chief
town of Luzon and capital of the Philippine Islands, was twice raided
by waves of Japanese bombers; attacks were made on the Nichols
airfield and Fort William McKinley, and considerable damage was done
at the naval base of Cavite, on Manilla Bay, eight miles south-west of
the capital, where 200 bombs were dropped, killing thirty and injuring
300 persons. Above: the water front ablaze after a raid
WORLD WAR 2
JAPANESE LAUNCH ATTACK ON MALAYA
On December 8 a fleet of Japanese transports, with strong naval support,
approached the mouth of the Kelantan River, North-East Malaya, and
landings were carried out north of Kota Bahru. On the same day a British
Naval force which was steaming to intercept the enemy convoy was heavily
attacked with bombs and torpedoes by a strong force of Japanese bomber.
The Prince of Wales and the Repulse were hit several times and sunk.
At the time of the attack the ships were without aerial protection
owing to enemy attacks on the airfields from which their land-based
aircraft operated. Casualties amounted to 595 officers and men, among
whom was Admiral Sir Thomas (Tom Thumb) Phillips. The picture by the
British artist, Frank Mason, shows the height of the attack.
WORLD WAR 2
STORY OF PEARLHARBOR
Tension between the United States and Japan, ascendant since 1940, had reached the critical stage. The U.S. State Department was
demanding two explanations from Japan. Specifically, why she was
massing troops in French Indo-China and, generally, what was her
future policy regarding China. Special Japanese envoy, Saburo Kurusu
came to the United States in mid-November with a portfolio full of
replies.
t
he real answer came on Dec. 7, the "day of infamy", when 200
aircraft carrier-borne planes attacked the American fleet and
installations at Pearl Harbor. Simultaneously, Japan struck at the
Philippines, Hong-Kong, Thailand, and the Malay States. Japan's entire
campaign in the Pacific was based on crippling the U.S. fleet at
Pearl Harbor. Judged strictly on its military merits, the "sneak
attack" was entirely successful. One battleship was lost and seven
others so severely damaged that they were out of service for months to
come.
Japan's early progress was rapid. On Jan. 2, 1942, Manila fell, and
General Douglas MacArthur's forces retired to the Bataan Peninsula to
begin their historic delaying tactics. The battle for Malaya was won
on Feb. 15 when Singapore surrendered. By March 1, the Netherlands
Indies, with Sumatra, Borneo, and Celebes gone, were still carrying
on with Java as the last stronghold. Japan had already invaded Burma,
capturing Moulmein, Feb. 1, and then Rangoon, the entry port of the
Burma Road, March 9.
At dawn on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, a force of about 150
Japanese bombers and torpedo-carrying planes launched a surprise
attack Pearl Harbor, the chief U.S. Naval base in the Pacific. Hits
were scored on several naval craft lying anchor in the harbor and two
battleships, the Oklahoma and the Arizona were sunk. Other military
objectives on the island, including Hickam Field, U.S. Army air base,
were attacked and considerable damage was done. The casualties
amounted to 4,500, of which 2,300 were fatal. It was not until later
in the day the formal declaration of war against America and Great
Britain was made.
========
DESTRUCTION ON A SUNDAY MORNING
Japan's entry into the war, although sudden, was not unexpected. Ever
since the previous October when the direction of Japan's foreign
policy had fallen into hands of the military clique under the
leadership of General Tojo, that country's relations with United
States and Britain had steadily grown worse. The new premier had
demanded a free hand to liquidate the "China Incident" once and for all,
and had declared that until America and Britain refrained from supplying
arms to China and recognized Japan's leadership in the Western Pacific
no peaceful settlement was likely to be reached. On November 14, however,
a special envoy, Saburo Kurusu, arrived in Washington to aid Admiral
Nomura, Japanese Ambassador, in the latter's talks the United States
government. Three days later General Tojo announced a three-point
program upon which, he said, the success of these negotiations depended.
The points were: (1) Third powers must refrain from obstructing the
successful conclusion of the China affair; (2) countries surrounding
Japan must refrain from presenting a military menace to the empire and
must end all economic blockades and (3) must exert their utmost
efforts to prevent an extension of the European war to East Asia. On
December 6 President Roosevelt sent a personal note to the Emperor of
Japan, but before any reply was received, and while the Washington
talks were still proceeding the attack on Pearl Harbor announced that
Japan had entered the war in true Axis fashion by striking first and
declaring war afterwards. Testifying to the extent of the Japanese
attack on December 7, as shown in the first picture, left to right, the
U.S.S. West Virginia, severely damaged, U.S.S. Tennessee damaged and
the U.S.S. Arizona sunk. In the second picture, alongside of the
U.S.S. Oklahoma (far right) which capsized, the 31,500-ton U.S.S.
Maryland was damaged slightly and was one of the first ships to rejoin
the fleet after the Japanese attack. In addition to the damage to
warships, Hickam Field, the Army Air Field outside of Honolulu, and a
large floating drydock were blasted to wreckage. On the same day the
Japanese occupied the International Settlement at Shanghai.
The U.S.S. California settles into the mud of Pearl Harbor. Clouds of
smoke conceal all but the hull of the capsized U.S.S. Oklahoma, far
right. The next day, Monday, December 8, United States and Great
Britain formally declared war on Japan. In the United States President
Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress after which a resolution
was introduced in both houses and adopted with one dissenting vote.
Three days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States and
on the same day the challenge was accepted by the American people.
The jumbled mass of wreckage in the foreground of the drydock are U.S.
destroyers Downes (left) and Cassin (right). The battleship in the
rear is the U.S.S. Pennsylvania, flagship of the Pacific fleet, which
suffered relatively light damage from the Japanese attack. Main and
auxiliary fittings of the Downes and Cassin are being transferred to
new hulls.
