Skip to main content

"The Battle of Bataan: The Bataan Death March"

 

            The Battle of Bataan happened during the World War II, began on January 6, 1942 and ended on April 9, 1942 as the Bataan troops surrendered. After the Filipino and American Bataan troops surrendered to the Japanese troops, the Bataan Death March happened.  Most of the prisoners(Bataan troops) began the long walk in Mariveles, at the tip of Bataan, and had to march the full 66 miles to the rail head; others joined along the way. The Japanese brutalized their captives during the march north to the trains that would take them to a prison camp. They beat them incessantly, sometimes to move them along, sometimes just for sport. Many of the prisoners were battle worn and incapable of keeping up the grueling pace of the march, especially in the tropical heat and with little water. Those who dropped from exhaustion or sickness, fell behind, broke ranks to fetch water, or tried to escape were bayoneted, shot, or beheaded.

 

            No one knows how many people died as a result of the march and subsequent detention. Approximately 500 Americans and 2,500 Filipino soldiers were killed along the path of the main march. Perhaps 26,000 Filipino soldiers and 1,500 Americans died of famine and sickness at Camp O'Donnell. Only roughly 15,000 of the 22,000 Americans captured by Japanese forces on the Bataan Peninsula returned to the United States, indicating a fatality rate of more than 30%.

  

            The Filipinos in Bataan as well as the Americans did fight for the democracy of our country as much as they can. The surrender doesn’t mean a whole defeat because after all, they tried to fight for the countries freedom, they dedicated their lives to free the country during World War II. Filipinos showed their nationalism or love for the country by fighting for the countries democracy.  Many Filipinos from the past fight and died for the democracy of this country, they sacrifice their lives to free the country from attacks and occupation of the conqueror countries. We are now living freely because of our past heroes, the Filipinos, so we need to use our freedom properly. Use our freedom for the betterment of the Philippines, be a responsible and wise Filipino, stop abusing the freedom that Filipinos from the past had fight and sacrifice for.

 

 

Reference:

Online and Image Source:

Norman, E. M. and Norman, Michael (2021, April 2). Bataan Death March. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Bataan-Death-March retrieved on March 12, 2022

 

 

 

 

Labels:

Comments

  1. RandelMarch 31, 2022 at 3:02 PM

    Hello there, Justine! I like this well-written and informative blog of yours. The Araw ng Kagitingan is a special day that all Filipinos commemorate to honor the brave war veterans who fought for peace and freedom. It is a history that has been coined to every Filipinos' spirit; a historic day that we have been commemorating for many decades.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"New Chapter: Realizations and Changes"

          New year, new me. I always encounter good and bad experiences every year but with those experiences, I'm learning something. Something that can make me a more better person, good and ideal man to everyone. There is no perfect person in this world, mistakes always happen, but that doesn't mean we will let ourselves keep on making mistakes but not learning anything from it. Through out the year 2021, I had encounter my ups and downs, my happy and sad moments, my tough and hard moments but thanks to this moments, I am now becoming stronger and better person.            New year is coming, it means new chapter of our life, new life experiences and encounters will come. Realization of things that happened this year will make us ready for next year's challenges. We all do fast flashbacks on what are the things we did this year, and what should we do to change or maintain those thing for next year. And by that, we will ...
2 comments
Read more

Kannawidan: Celebration of Culture and Tradition of Ilocano

          Kannawidan Ylocos Festival is being celebrated every month of February. This celebration is relevant to Ilocano's as It is a festival in the Province of Ilocos Sur commemorating the separation of the two Ilocos provinces in 1818. This festival is a showcase of indigenous performances, religious rituals, as well cooking demos featuring the best of Ilocano dishes. It is the Ilocanos’ way of giving thanks to the Almighty not only for the bountiful blessings but also for the rich heritage of the province, including the close family ties among the Ilocanos. With this festival, you can also learn the culture and tradition of every Ilocano's in different municipalities and cities of Ilocos Sur.      Main events like mini-concerts, dancing competition and different activities usually happening in the Tamag Grounds, Vigan City. You can also see here different food stalls and product sellers from different towns of Ilocos Sur. Carnival is als...
Post a Comment
Read more

Viva Vigan: Festival of the Arts

Viva Vigan Festival of the Arts is being celebrated every first week of May. It was started in 1993 by the Save Vigan Ancestral Homes Association, Inc. to promote awareness of the value of the historic town, which was hoped to strengthen resolve to preserve and protect this heritage site. It is a festival promoting the culture, arts and tradition of the Ilocano people living in the historic town of Vigan, and to the whole Ilocandia.  The festival starts on May 1, when the whole country celebrates Labor Day and Vigan remembers its own Isabelo de los Reyes, who founded the country’s first federation of labor. The catholic faithful also remembers on this day St. Joseph, patron saint of workers. The first day of the festival is followed by the Binatbatan Festival which includes and highlights the street dancing competition. Binatbatan dancing portrays the Vigan’s abel Iloco craft. The dance depicts how cotton pods are beaten with bamboo sticks to release the cotton fluff called batbat ...
1 comment
Read more