Evening star., 1942-01-03
Manila and Correqidor

MQnIIQ ono NOIIe9lOOT
The evacuation of Manila by the
American Filipino forces is, by itself,
more important politically than
strategically. The city was not de-
fensible by nature, and the almost
uncontested air superiority of the
japanese invaders would have re-
suited in great destruction to its in
flammable buildings and its 100000
inhabitants. The nearby naval base
at Cavite was similarly open to lands
and air attack, and has been
properly evacuated
From a military point of view,
General Macarthur has done well in
consolidating his slender forces and
retreating to the wild and noun
famous Batan Peninsula, which in
closes the broad waters of Manila
Bay from the northward. Here. his
army stands good chance Of offer
ing protracted resistance on a mar
row front. The japanese will have
to blast their way down almost
twenty-five miles of difficult terrain
before they can evict Macarthur
from his peninsula stronghold.
Even then, the japanese would not
have attained their ultimate goal,
which is the island fortress of Cor
regidor. This tadpole shaped island,
three miles long and about a mile
wide at its blunt extremity, is the
Philippine Gibraltar, elaborately
fortified with guns ranging up to
12-inch, and with ample anti-air-
craft batteries. With the exception
of it's sand-spit tail, it is mass OF
rock, camouflaged with masses OF
tropic foliage to obscure the gun pits
and emplacements. Corregidor acts
as the cork in the bottleneck en-
trance of Manila Bay. So long as its
guns can fire, the Japanese cannot
use this splendid harbor as a naval
base.
Lying as it does fully two miles
from the Batan Peninsula and in
deep water, Corregidor is safe from
attack by land as long as the pen
insula is in friendly hands. which
is now the case. Only after the
Japanese have mastered those noun
famous heights and installed heavy
artillery upon them could Corregidor
be assailed by plunging fire. Fur
thermore, the main fortress is but
tressed by three smaller fortified is
land lying between it and the south
ern entrance to Manila harbor. This
trio-Caballo, Ell Fraile and Carabao
may be expected to put up stout
resistance to Japanese attacks di-
rected from the mainland on that
side.
In the days before the develop
ment Of aircraft, and especially Of
the dive bomber, Corregidor might
have been deemed almost impreg-
nable. It's long-range coast defense
guns certainly could have kept any
hostile feet at a respectful distance,
while it's lighter batteries could have
rendered any landing by boat-borne
troops impracticable. However, the
dive bomber has put its impregnabil-
ity in question. The fierce Japanese
air attack of a few days ago ad-
mittedly inflicted heavy casualties
and may have caused damage to the
big guns, which operate from open
pits. If the Japanese are willing to
pay the price of repeated dive at
tacks in face of whitening anti-air-
craft fire, there is little doubt that
the surface batteries could in time
be put out of commission. That, in
turn, would enable japanese war
ships to close in and join in the
bombardment. Yet many guns fire
from embrasures cut in the solid
rock and protected against the
heaviest bombs. The magazines and
food stores are likewise well pro.
tected, and there is an ample supply
of water from springs. So Corregidol
will be hard nut to crack and may
put up a prolonged defense.
From now on, Corregidor and tht
Batan Peninsula will form joint
fortress fighting a delaying siege
which should immobilize large par
of the Japanese Army landed or
Luzon. Not until that stubborn re-
sistance has been broken should an.
large part of the invading forces b.
able to withdraw for action agains
Singapore or other fronts. Ever
though General Macarthur and hi
gallant little army should ultimatel.
succumb, they will thus have per
formed a notable service to tn
Allied cause.