Japanese Powerhouse
After the Japanese attack on the US at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese achieved a long series of military advances. In December 1941 Guam and Wake Island fell to the Japanese, then in the first half of 1942 the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore, and also Burma. Thailand was the only country which remained officially neutral. Only in mid-1942 were Australian and New Zealander forces sent to New Guinea to halt the invading Japanese, and the British forces sent to India to stop the advance west of the world. The Australians, New Zealanders and the British were the able to hold the Japanese at bay.
The Fall of the PhilippiansDec-May, 1941-42
The following day after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, the Japanese unleash huge surprise air attacks on US air bases in the Philippines. From these attacks the Japan had taken out most of the US air power, this lead the US to struggle with their attack. Shortly after the air attacks, the Japanese landed and forced the US and Philippine resistance to retreat. The allied forces retreat to the Bataan Peninsula and were completely cornered by the invading Japanese. The allies waiting for reinforcements from the US, but they were to late. The Japanese captured the troops and made them walk 65 miles. This was called the "The Bataan Death March". This was a brutal and hard march, the enemy would make the troops was up the coast torturing and killing more and more every mile. The Japanese would stand along side poking them with there bayonets and laughing. Over 16,000 allied troop were lost in this march. |