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21 Army Hist. 1 (1991-1992)

handle is hein.milandgov/aryhsy0021 and id is 1 raw text is: ARMY HISTORY TUE PROFESSIONAL BULLETIN OF ARMY HISTORY P4210-924 (No. 21) Washington, D.C. Winter 1911/992 The American Bataan Campaign December 1941 to April 1942 Thomas M. Huber Thus arrtcle Ls derh'ed from a paperbDocwtr fluber ehvered at the March 1990 Co*,eiree r Army If isorans it Washfngran. During the first eight months of the Pacific War, the Philippine Islands were the only place in which the United States was able to engage its adversaries in ground warfare U.S. and Philippine forces faced special challenges in the Philippines, since their con- tact with the United States as a source of supply and reintorcement was almost completely cut off. What methods did U.S forces rely on to cope with this set of circumstances, and how effective were they? Background and Planning The only resistance offered by U.S. ground forces y i the Pacific War was on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippine Islands. Two weeks elapsed, however, between the Japanese landings at Lingayen Gulf on 24 December 1941 and the est ablishment of a de fense line on Bataan by American and Philippine forces. More- over, conditions t1where during these two weeks pt also on BataanJ were greatly influenced by plan- iung decisions made earlier in the Philippines and in Washington. Refore 1935 the defense of the Philippine Islands had rested on the American 10,X-nman garrison, half of which consisted of Philippine Scouts units: that is. units in which the enlisted men were Fihipinos and almost all offcers were Americans. There was also a narve PiLihppine Constabulary crealed in 1401 to maintain law and order. But when - Philppines became a commonwealth in 1935 with full indepen- dence slated for 1946, all parties expected the native Philippine government to take over responsibility for the islands' defense. President-elect Manuel Quezon prevailed on Douglas MacArthur, then retiring as U.S. Ary chief of staff. to become milit ary advise r to the com monwealth govemnment MacArthur formed a small committee at the U.S Army War College that included Maj. Dwight D. Eisenhower and Maj James B. Ord to prepare a plan that would assure Philippine defense by 1946, thedate forindependence. Theirplan called for a small regular army, a system of conscrip- tion, and a ten-yeartraining program of twO classes per year. as well as some air and naval elements, The plan was enacted into law as the National Defnse Act by the new Philippine National Assembly in December 1935 The act specified a standing force of 10,000 troops and reserves of 400,000 by 1946. The regular force was to include the 6.000-man Philippine Constabulary. so there would be some continuity of training and tradition The act also provided for a conscription system and created an academy to train officers at Baguio. Underthe new system 20.0000men were called to the colors in 1937, and the authorities were thus able to create a reserve of 4,800 officers and 104,XX) men hy the end of 1939, Philippine Scouts were used for instruction of the new troops. Some of these were promoted to noncommissoned officers (NCOs) and later to junior officers. A Philippine Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program also provided some native Philippine officers while the lBaguio academy was still preparing its first class While anention was paid to fashioning a new force structure. the Americans alo gave some thought to how those forces would be used. MacAthur, in hi capacity as military advi r. drew up comprehensive plans for the autonomous defense of all the islands and the seven straits, with no reliance on U.S. forces, to be implemented by 1946 when the Philippines became independent. This was the tem innus ad quem at which the estabbshment of the Philippine Army was aimed. Meanwhie, however, the Phi hppines fell wnhtn the sphere of American war planning, especially the R AIN-

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