Lesson 20- EVENTS LEADING TO BATAAN FALL

DECEMBER 8, 19412:30 AM

• The Second World War broke out in the Pacific when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor by surprise.

• Pearl Harbor was a strategic military base of the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE)
in Hawaii.

• That same morning, the Japanese attacked the Philippines, specifically Clark and other strategic
locations via air raids.

• On land, the Japanese began a threepincer advance as detachments from Formosa landed in Aparri
and Vigan, while a detachment from Palau landed in Legazpi, Albay; all three headed towards Manila.

DECEMBER 22
• The Japanese 14th Army landed at Lingayen, Pangasinan. Elements of the Philippine Army, even
with the 26th Cavalry Regiment (Philippine Scouts), were outmatched by Imperial forces and failed to
prevent the Japanese advance.

• Air attacks launched by the Far East Air Force on Japanese warships and transports proved to be
insufficient to derail the invasion.

• The Japanese made another landing at Lamon Bay, further aiding the northward advance of the
Japanese detachment in the Bicol area.

• The series of Japanese surprise attacks and landings overwhelmed the defenders.

• The USAFFE was forced to implement War Plan Orange 3, which called for the withdrawal of its
forces into the Bataan Peninsula and to hold out until the arrival of reinforcements

1942
FEBRUARY 20, 1942

• As the tide of the battle went against the USAFFE, preparations were made to evacuate the top
leadership of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.
• President Manuel L. Quezon, together with his family
• Vice President Sergio Osmeña
• Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos
• Colonel Manuel Nieto
• Major General Basilio J. Valdes
• and a few others boarded the submarine USS Swordfish bound for Antique