Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-09-11
CHAPTER w.


ping limitations precluded the early
dispatch of large bodies of ground
troops.
In February, 1912, Gen. Mac
Arthur was instructed by the War
Department to proceed to Australia
to assume command of the newly
designated Southwest Pacific Area.
His directive from the Combined
Chiefs of Staff included the mission
OF holding Australia, checking the
enemys advance along the Melane-
sian Barrier. protecting land, sea
and air communications with the
Southwest Pacific and maintaining
our position in the Philippines. 1t.
Gen. Jonathan M. Wainwright, sue
ceeding Gen. Macarthur as COM
mander of the forces in the Philip
pine Islands, continued the gallant
defense which has become an epic
in American history.
On March 81 the Japanese initi-
ated the anticipated general assault
on the Bataan position, an attack
relentlessly maintained during the
next seven days AS our lines were
finally penetrated and field hospi-
tails were shelled by japanese artil-
lery, it became apparent that the
courageous but exhausted defenders
could no longer avoid disaster.
The Loss of Bataan.
An April the following radio was
received from Gen. Wainwright on
Corregidor:
Shortly after flag of truce
passed through the front line
this morning, hostilities ceased
for the most part in Bataan. At
about 10 o'clock this morning
Gen. King was sent for, to confer
with the Japanese commander.
He has not returned, as of 7
o'clock pm, nor has result of
conference been disclosed. Since
the fall of Bataan the hostile air
force has renewed its attack on
Corregidor. This island was
heavily bombed this afternoon
but has suffered no damage of
military consequence"
Despite Bataan's loss, Corregidor.
Fort Drum and Fort Hughes Gall
island fortifications) continued to
resist enemy attacks with counter
battery and antiaircraft fire for
nearly a month. On April 10 and IA
a squadron of American bombers
from the south successfully attacked
Japanese installations and shipping
in the Philippine area.
On May S, after week of inten-
sive bombardment which buried
many of the shore defenses under
landslides, the enemy made a land
ing on North Point of Corregidor.
The shattered defenses were unable
to dam the Japanese tide. The fol-
lowing day the exhausted and de-
pleted forces were overwhelmed and
finally surrendered.
Beaten But Unashamed.
The final spirit of Gen. VAIN
wright's heroic command is indi-
Gated by the extract from a letter
written by him just before Corregi-
dor FELL, z-'S
GAS I write this we are sub
jected to terrific air and artillery
bombaroment and it is unreason-
able to expect that we can hold
out for long. We have done our
best, both here and on Bataan.
and although beaten we are still
unashamed."
Conveniently with the campaign
to reduce the Philippines, the enemy
had exploited his successes on the
Malayan Peninsula to bring the err
tire Netherlands East Indies under
his domination. Concentration of
japanese forces there and in the
Bismarck Archipelago and Solo
mon Islands constituted a direct
threat to our lines of communfea-
ton in the Pacific and to the north
coast of Australia.
These initial japanese successes
were due to Allied lack of military
means, especially in aircraft and its
supporting warning and mainte-
nance services, to oppose an ad-
versary whose preliminary strategic
deployments permitted successive
concentrations of overwhelming SUI
perlority in land, sea and air forces
on selected detectives.
Bataan Not in Vain,
The effects of the desperate re-
sistance offered by the Philippine
Army and United States forces on
Bataan, holding as they did a siz-
able portion of Japanese strength,
were now being felt. During the
delay thus gained men and mate
rails were dispatched to Australia,
New Caledonia and other Pacific
islands. The growth of power of the
United Nations in the Southwest
Pacific was presaged by our air
forces which were now performing
long-range bombing missions
against Japans newly acquired
bases in the Bismarcks and New
Guinea, and were also making JAP
anese attempts to bomb Port Mores-
by and Northern Australia increas-
ingly costly, The bombing of Japan
by our planes commanded by 1t. Col.
(now major generaD James H. Doo-
little was a heartening event in a
generally somber picture. Despite
heavy losses in men and materials
sustained by the Allies in Malaga,
the Netherlands East Indies and the
Philippines, the military balance was
approaching an equilibrium. The
initiative was no longer completely
in enemy hands.
TOmorrow-Japs Threaten Aus
tralia-Coral Sea and Midway
Battles-Yanks Attack on Qua
dalcanal-Allied Air Superiority.