Japanese Occupation of the Philippines

During Word War II

On December 8, 1941, Japan invaded the Philippines. Clark Air Base in Pampanga
was first attacked and also Nichols Field outside Manila was attacked, then on
December 22, The Japanese forces landed at the Lingayen Gulf and continued on to
Manila. General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila an open city on the advice of
commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon to avoid its destruction. Manila was
occupied by the Japanese on January 2, 1942. MacArthur retreated with his troops to
Bataan while the commonwealth government withdrew to Corregidor island before
proceeding to the United States. The joint American and Filipino soldiers in Bataan
finally surrendered on April 9, 1942. MacArthur escaped to Corregidor then
proceeded to Australia. The 76,000 captured soldiers were forced to embark on the
infamous "Death March" to a prison camp more than 100 kilometers north. An
estimated 10,000 prisoners died due to thirst, hunger and exhaustion.
The Huks
In the midst of fear and chaos, some farmers of Pampanga banded together and
created local brigades for their protection. Luis Taruc, Juan Feleo, Castro Alejandrino,
and other leaders of organized farmers held a meeting in February 1942 in Cabiao,
Nueva Ecija. In that meeting, they agreed to fight the Japanese as a unified guerrilla
army. Another meeting was held the following month, where in representatives from
Tarlac, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija threshed out various details regarding their
organization, which they agreed to call "Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon" or
HUKBALAHAP. Taruc was chosen to be the Leader of the group, with Alejandrino as
his right hand man. The members were simply known as Huks!
The Philippine Executive Commission
In accordance the instructions of President Manuel Quezon to Jorge Vargas, the Filipino
officials in Manila were told to enter into agreements and compromises with the Japanese to
mitigate the sufferings of the people under the iron-clad rule of the Japanese. On January
23, 1942 the Philippine Executive Commission was established, with Vargas as chairman.
the following was appointed as department heads: Benigno Aquino, Sr., interior; Antonio de
las Alas, finance; Jose P. Laurel, justice; Claro M. Recto, education, health, and public
welfare; and Quintin Paredes, public works and communication; Jose Yulo was named Chief
Justice of the Supreme court.

The following month, an election was held for members of The Preparatory Commission for
Philippine Independence (PCPI). The purpose of PCPI is to draw up a constitution for a free
Philippines. Jose Laurel became its head. Against the will of the PCPI delegates the new
Constitution was finalized on July 10, 1943. Two months later it was ratified by
the KALIBAPI, which was the only political party allowed to exist at that time. KALIBAPI is
the acronym for "Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas".

The new constitution, which noticeably lacked a bill of rights contained 12 articles lifted from
the 1935 constitution that fitted the wishes of the Japanese. It was meant to be in effect
only temporarily, while the Philippines still in chaos. After the war, a new constitution would
again be drafted for the new Philippine Republic.

The Second Republic

On September 20 1943, the KALIBAPI- under the leadership of its director general, Benigno
Aquino Sr. held a party convention to elect 54 members of the National Assembly. The
Assembly was actually made up of 108 members; but half of this number was composed of
incumbent governors and city mayors. Jose P. Laurel was elected as president of the second
republic (the first republic was Aguinldo's Malolos Republic) and both Benigno Aquino Sr. &
Ramon Avancena as a vice-presidents. The new republic was inaugurated on October 14
1943 on the front steps of the legislative building in Manila. The Philippine flag was hoisted
as the national anthem was played. Meanwhile, the Japanese started using propaganda to
gain the trust and confidence of Filipinos who refused to cooperate with them. They hung
giant posters and distribute their materials that contains such slogans as "the
Philippines belong to the Filipinos." they also used newspapers, movies, and others to
publicize the same idea. Promoting Japanese propaganda was one of the main objectives of
the KALIBAPI, but still Japanese failed to gain the trust of the Filipinos.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur Returns

From Australia, Allied forces slowly advanced toward the Philippines, bombing several
Japanese strongholds until they regained control of areas previously occupied by the enemy.
The bombings began on September 21 1944, and barely a month later, on October 20,
1944, the Americans landed triumphantly in Leyte. Once a shore, General Douglas
MacArthur said; "I have Returned."

Sergio Osmea was Part of MacArthurs group. He had taken over Manuel L. Quezon as
president after the latter past way at Saranac Lake, New York on August 1944. From
October 23 to October 26, 1944 the Americans engaged Japanese forces in the Battle of
Leyte Gulf. Consider as the biggest naval battle in World History, this historic encounter
almost destroyed the entire Japanese fleet and rendered in incapable of further attack. The
US victory in the battle of Leyte Gulf is said to have signaled the beginning of Philippine
liberation from the Japanese.

By mid-December, the American soldiers had reached Mindoro. The Japanese, meanwhile,
secured other area where their thought other American units would land. Nevertheless, US
liberation forces successfully docked at Lingayen Gulf on January 9, 1945. The
news alarmed the Japanese. Lt. Gen.Tomoyuki Yamashita, supreme commander of the
Japanese troops in Manila, mobilize his kamikazes (Japanese suicide pilots); but they failed
to stopAmericans. The Japanese also deployed MAKAPILI units to defend Manila but neither
succeeds.

On December 8, 1944, President Laurel and his cabinet moved to Baguio upon orders of
Yamashita, who is also known as the tiger of Malaya. The Japanese forces retreated to
Yamashita line a jungle battlefront stretching along the Sierra Madre Mountains from
Antipolo, Rizal to Appari Cagayan.

The Japanese in Manila would not give up easily. In fact, it took 3 weeks of intense fighting
before they finally surrendered on February 23. Gen. MacArthur continued to liberate other
parts of the country. And finally proclaim general freedom from the Japanese on July 4,
1945.