Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia

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11/5/2017 Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia

Philippines Campaign (1944–1945)

The Philippines campaign, the Battle of the Philippines or the Liberation of the Philippines Philippines Campaign (1944– (Filipino: Kampanya ng Pilipinas, Labanan sa Pilipinas & 45) Liberasyon sa Pilipinas), (Operation Musketeer I, II, and III) (Filipino: Operasyon Mosketero I, II, at III), was the Part of the Paciﬁc Theatre of World American and Filipino campaign to defeat and expel the Imperial Japanese forces occupying the Philippines during War II World War II. The Japanese Army overran all of the Philippines during the first half of 1942. The liberation of the Philippines commenced with amphibious landings on the eastern Philippine island of Leyte on October 20, 1944. United States and Philippine Commonwealth military forces were progressing in liberating territory and islands when the Japanese forces in the Philippines were ordered to surrender by Tokyo on August 15, 1945, after the dropping of the atomic bombs on mainland Japan and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria.

General Douglas MacArthur, Contents President Osmeña, and staff land at Palo, Leyte on October 20, 1 Planning 2 Leyte 1944. 3 Mindoro Date October 20, 1944 – 4 Luzon 5 Finishing up the campaign September 2, 1945 6 Casualties Location Philippines 7 See also 8 Notes Result Allied victory 9 References Territorial 10 Further reading Second Philippine Republic changes deposed

Planning Liberation of the Philippines

By mid-1944, American forces were only 300 nautical miles from Japan (560 km) southeast of Mindanao, the largest island in the Restoration of the southern Philippines – and able to bomb Japanese positions there using long-range bombers. American forces under Commonwealth Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz had advanced across the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945) 1/10 11/5/2017 Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia Central Pacific Ocean, capturing the Gilbert Islands, some of Later, the establishment of the Marshall Islands, and most of the Marianas Islands, bypassing many Japanese Army garrisons and leaving them the Third Philippine

behind, with no source of supplies and militarily impotent. Republic (1946)

Aircraft carrier-based warplanes were already conducting air strikes and fighter sweeps against the Japanese in the Belligerents Philippines, especially their military airfields. U.S. Army and United States Japan Australian Army troops under the American General

Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Commonwealth Second Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations, had either overrun, or else isolated and bypassed, all of the Japanese Army on of the Philippines Philippine Republic New Guinea and the Admiralty Islands. Before the invasion Australia (air and naval of the Philippines, MacArthur's northernmost conquest had support) been at Morotai in the Dutch East Indies on September 15– Mexico (air support) 16, 1944. This was MacArthur's one base that was within Non-government militias bomber range of the southern Philippines.

U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Army as well as Australian Hukbalahap and New Zealand forces under the command of Admiral Nimitz and Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. had isolated the Commanders and leaders large Japanese South Pacific base at Rabaul, New Britain, by Douglas MacArthur Tomoyuki Yamashita capturing a ring of islands around Rabaul, and then building Sergio Osmeña José P. Laurel air bases on them from which to bomb and blockade the Japanese forces at Rabaul into military impotence. Chester W. Akira Mutō Shigenori Kuroda With victories in the Marianas campaign (on Saipan, on Nimitz Guam, and on Tinian, during June and July 1944), American Soemu Toyoda forces were getting close to Japan itself. From the Marianas, Walter Takeo Kurita Jisaburō Ozawa the very long-range B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers of the Krueger U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) could bomb the Japanese home islands from well-supplied air bases – ones with direct William Sanji access to supplies via cargo ships and tankers. (The earlier Halsey, Jr. Iwabuchi † B-29 bombing campaign against Japan had been from the end of a very long and tortuous supply line via British India Thomas C. and British Burma – one that proved to be woefully Kinkaid inadequate. All B-29s were transferred to the Marianas during the fall of 1944.) George C.

Although Japan was obviously losing the war, the Japanese Kenney Government, and the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy, Basilio J. showed no sign of capitulation, collapse or surrender. Valdez There had been a close relationship between the people of Ramon the Philippines and the United States since 1898, with the Philippines becoming the Commonwealth of the Philippines Magsaysay in 1935, and promised their independence in mid-1946. Luis Taruc Furthermore, an extensive series of air attacks by the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945) 2/10 11/5/2017 Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia American Fast Carrier Task Force under Admiral William F. Units involved Halsey against Japanese airfields and other bases on the Philippines had drawn little Japanese opposition, such as Sixth Army Fourteenth Area interceptions by Japanese Army fighter planes. Upon Army units include: Admiral Halsey's recommendation, the Combined Chiefs of I Corps Staff, meeting in Canada, approved a decision to not only 1st Infantry Division move up the date for the first landing in the Philippines, but 10th Infantry Division also to move it north from the southernmost island of 6th Infantry Division Mindanao to the central island of Leyte, Philippines. The 43rd Infantry Division 19th Infantry Division new date set for the landing on Leyte, October 20, 1944, was two months before the previous target date to land on 23rd Infantry Division Mindanao. XIV Corps 26th Infantry Division The Filipino people were ready and waiting for the invasion. 103rd Infantry After General MacArthur had been evacuated from the 37th Infantry Division Philippines in March 1942, all of its islands fell to the Division 40th Infantry Division Japanese. The Japanese occupation was harsh, accompanied by atrocities and with large numbers of Filipinos pressed 105th Infantry into slave labor. From mid-1942 through mid-1944, X Corps Division MacArthur and Nimitz supplied and encouraged the Filipino guerrilla resistance by U.S. Navy submarines and a few 2nd Tank Division parachute drops, so that the guerrillas could harass the 1st Cavalry Division 1st Special Forces Japanese Army and take control of the rural jungle and 24th Infantry Division mountainous areas – amounting to about half of the Division archipelago. While remaining loyal to the United States, many Filipinos hoped and believed that liberation from the XXIV Corps 68th Infantry Brigade Japanese would bring them freedom and their already- 55th Mixed Brigade promised independence. 7th Infantry Division 58th Mixed Brigade The Australian government offered General MacArthur the 96th Infantry Division use of the First Corps of the Australian Army for the Liberation of the Philippines. MacArthur suggested that two 35th Army Australian infantry divisions be employed, each of them Sixth Army attached to a different U.S. Army Corps, but this idea was 16th Infantry Division not acceptable to the Australian Cabinet, which wanted to Reserves have significant operational control within a certain area of 30th Infantry Division the Philippines, rather than simply being part of a U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division Corps.[14] No agreement was ever reached between the 100th Infantry Australian Cabinet and MacArthur – who might have 11th Airborne Division wanted it that way. As a result, the Australian Army played Division virtually no part in the Philippines. However, units from the 102nd Infantry Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal Australian Navy, 158th Infantry Division such as the heavy cruiser HMAS Australia, were involved. Regiment 54th Mixed Brigade During the American re-conquest of the Philippines, the 13th Armored Group guerrillas began to strike openly against Japanese forces, carried out reconnaissance activities ahead of the advancing 6th Ranger Battalion 41st Army https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945) 3/10 11/5/2017 Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia regular troops, and took their places in battle beside the Eighth Army 9th Artillery HQ advancing American divisions.[15][16] XI Corps 8th Infantry Division Leyte 39th Mixed Brigade On October 20, 1944, the U.S. Sixth Army, supported by 23rd Infantry Division 65th Infantry Brigade naval and air bombardment, landed on the favorable eastern 31st Infantry Division shore of Leyte, one of the islands of the Visayas island group, Aerial elements: northeast of Mindanao. The Japanese miscalculated the 41st Infantry Division relative strength of the naval and air forces, and they Fourth Air attempted to destroy the landing. This brought about the 93rd Infantry Division massive sequence of battles called the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Army 503rd Infantry fought on October 23 through October 26. This decisive victory by the U.S. Navy, its Fast Carrier Task Force, its Regiment 6th Air Division surface fleet, and its submarines effectively destroyed the Philippine remainder of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), which had 7th Air Division Commonwealth Military already lost all of its effective aircraft carrier forces. The IJN had four of its carriers sunk (ships with depleted air Philippine squadrons – which were used only as decoys), numerous 1st Naval Air battleships and heavy cruisers, and a large number of light Commonwealth Fleet cruisers and destroyers. The IJN was never able to fight a Army major battle after this. 2nd Naval

Philippine Air Fleet The U.S. Sixth Army continued its advance from the east, as the Japanese rushed reinforcements to the Ormoc Bay area Constabulary (from Naval elements: on the western side of the island. While the Sixth Army was 1944) continually reinforced, the U.S. Fifth Air Force was able to

devastate the Japanese attempts at air attacks, and also Philippine Army 2nd Fleet provide much support to the Army's ground troops. Air Corps (from 3rd Fleet The Filipino guerrillas also performed valuable service in 1945) 5th Fleet maintaining public order and in keeping the roads and highways free of congestion. After the American beachheads Resistance and were established, the Leyte guerrilla groups were attached Irregular Forces directly to the Sixth Army corps and divisions to assist in scouting, intelligence, and combat operations.[17] With the Recognized initial U.S. Sixth Army landings on the beaches at Tacloban Guerrilla Unit and Dulag, Colonel Ruperto Kangleon's units went into action. They dynamited key bridges to block Japanese Hukbalahap displacement toward the target area; they harassed enemy patrols; and they sabotaged supply and ammunition depots. Information on enemy troop movements and dispositions Fifth Air sent from guerrilla outposts to Kangleon's Headquarters was Force dispatched immediately to Sixth Army.[18]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945) 4/10 11/5/2017 Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia During many torrential rains and over difficult terrain, the 201st Fighter advance continued across Leyte and onto the major island of [1] Samar, just north of Leyte. On December 7, 1944, the U.S. Squadron Army units made another amphibious landing at Ormoc Bay Naval elements: and, after a major land and air battle, the landing force cut off all Japanese ability to reinforce and resupply their troops on Leyte. Although fierce fighting continued on Leyte for Third Fleet months, the U.S. Army was always in control. Seventh Fleet Mindoro Task Force The U.S. 6th Army's second major target to attack was Mindoro. This large island is directly south of Luzon and 74 Manila Bay, and MacArthur's main goal in taking it was to be able to construct airfields on it for fighter planes that could dominate the sky over the most-important island of Strength Luzon, with its major seaport and capital city of Manila.[19] 1,250,000 529,802[3] The Seventh Fleet's large invasion convoy from Leyte to 260,715 Mindoro came under strong attack by kamikazes, but they (1945)[2] could not delay the American invasion of Mindoro.[20] Mindoro was only lightly occupied by the Japanese Army, Casualties and losses and much of it was held by Filipino guerrillas, so Mindoro was quickly overrun. U.S. Army engineers set about rapidly American Japanese constructing a major air base at San Fabian. Besides being Manpower: Manpower: ~430,000 all- close to Luzon, Mindoro has another advantage: good flying causes[12] (80% from weather nearly all the time, because this is a part of the Army: 16,043 dead starvation or disease)[13] Philippines that is relatively dry – quite unlike Leyte which receives torrential rains most of the year, not only giving it and missing, Material: poor flying weather, but making it very muddy and difficult 55,531 wounded[nb 1] to construct airfields. 93+ ships sunk Navy: 7,270+ dead San Fabian was also the location of another breakthrough: 1,300 [nb 2] the first appearance during the War in the Pacific of USAAF and wounded aircraft[7][10] squadrons flying the fast, long-range P-51B Mustang fighters Tens of thousands – far superior to anything that the Imperial Japanese Army or Navy had. hospitalized due to

Mindoro was a major victory for the 6th Army and the disease[9] USAAF, and it also provided the major base for the next Total: 79,104+ dead and move of MacArthur's 6th Army: the invasion of Luzon, wounded especially at Lingayen Gulf on its western coast. Material:

Luzon 33+ ships sunk On December 15, 1944, landings against minimal resistance 95+ ships damaged were made on the southern beaches of the island of 485+ aircraft[7][10] Mindoro, a key location in the planned Lingayen Gulf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945) 5/10 11/5/2017 Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia operations, in support of major landings scheduled on Filipino Luzon. On January 9, 1945, on the south shore of Lingayen Gulf on the western coast of Luzon, General Krueger's Sixth Unknown, but Army landed his first units. Almost 175,000 men followed high[11] across the twenty-mile (32 km) beachhead within a few days. With heavy air support, Army units pushed inland, taking Clark Field, 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Manila, in the last week of January.

Two more major landings followed, Japanese leaﬂet designed to one to cut off the Bataan Peninsula, discourage the landing American and another, that included a troops. parachute drop, south of Manila. Pincers closed on the city and, on February 3, 1945, elements of the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division pushed into the northern outskirts of Manila and the 8th Cavalry Regiment (organized as infantry) passed through the northern suburbs and into the city itself.

The four engagements As the advance on Manila continued from the north and the south, the Bataan comprising the Battle of Leyte Peninsula was rapidly secured. On February 16, paratroopers and amphibious Gulf units simultaneously assaulted the islet of Corregidor. It was necessary to take this stronghold because troops there can block the entrance of Manila Bay. The Americans needed to establish a major harbor base at Manila Bay to support the expected invasion of Japan, planned to begin on November 1, 1945. Resistance on Corregidor ended on February 27, and then all resistance by the Japanese Empire ceased on August 15, 1945, obviating the need for an invasion of the Japanese Home Islands.

Despite initial optimism, fighting in Manila was harsh. It took until March 3 to clear the city of all Japanese troops, and the Japanese Marines, who fought on stubbornly and refused to either surrender or to evacuate as the Japanese Army had done. Fort Drum, a fortified island in Manila Bay near Corregidor, held out until April 13, when a team of Army troops went ashore and pumped Troops of the 185th Inf., 40th Div., 3,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the fort, then set off incendiary charges. No take cover behind advancing tanks while moving up on Japanese Japanese soldiers in Fort Drum survived the blast and fire. positions on Panay Island In all, ten U.S. divisions and five independent regiments battled on Luzon, making it the largest American campaign of the Pacific war, involving more troops than the United States had used in North Africa, Italy, or southern France.

Finishing up the campaign

Palawan Island, between Borneo and Mindoro, the fifth largest and western-most island of the Philippines, was invaded on February 28, with landings of the Eighth United States Army at Puerto Princesa. The Japanese put up little direct defense of Palawan, but cleaning up pockets of Japanese resistance lasted until late April, with the Japanese using their common https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945) 6/10 11/5/2017 Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia tactic of withdrawing into the mountains and jungles, dispersed as small units. Throughout the Philippines, U.S. forces were aided by Filipino guerrillas to find and dispatch the holdouts,[21] the last of whom, Hiroo Onoda, did not surrender until 1974, in the mountains of Lubang Island in Mindoro.

The U.S. Eighth Army then moved on to its first landing on Mindanao (April 17), the last of the major islands of the Philippines to be taken. Mindanao was followed by invasion and occupation of Panay, Cebu, Negros and several islands in the Sulu Archipelago. These islands provided bases for the U.S. Japanese Troops surrender to the Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces to attack targets throughout the Philippines 40th Infantry Division and the South China Sea.

Following additional landings on Mindanao, U.S. Eighth Army troops continued their steady advance against stubborn resistance. By the end of June, the enemy pockets were compressed into isolated pockets on Mindanao and Luzon where fighting continued until the Japanese surrender on August 15, 1945. However, some units of the Japanese Army were out of radio contact with Tokyo, and it was difficult to convince some of them that Japan had surrendered. As at many Pacific Islands, major Japanese officials, including members of the Imperial Family, visited in person to convince the soldiers that they must surrender by order of the Emperor.[22]

Casualties

U.S. Army and Army Air Forces

Location Killed Wounded Total

Leyte[5] 3,602 11,991 15,584

Luzon[4] 10,640 36,550 47,190

Central and Southern Philippines[6] 2,070 6,990 9,060 Total 16,303 55,531 71,834

Other Allies

Australia Commonwealth of the Philippines

Japanese

Location Killed Captured Total

Leyte[23] 80,557 828 81,456

Luzon[24] 205,535 9,050 214,585

Central and Southern Philippines[6] 50,260 2,695 52,955 Total 336,352 12,573 348,925 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_Campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945) 7/10 11/5/2017 Philippines Campaign (1944–1945) - Wikipedia Other Allies

Second Philippine Republic