‘Battling bastards of Bataan’

Raul Ilogon .

NO mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam, no aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces, no pills, no planes, no artillery pieces. And nobody gives a damn about the “battling bastards of Bataan.”

The defenders of Bataan were ordered to hold the line for as long as they can until reinforcement arrived from America. But none came. Yet they continued to fight, whatever the odds. Hence, they were called the “battling bastards of Bataan.”

America’s focus was to help Britain in European war while leaving the Philippines to its fate. There was no intention to reinforce the Philippines. President Quezon reportedly remarked that America was worried about his cousins in Europe but did not give a damn about his daughter being raped in the backroom.

The American and Filipino defenders fought hard with anything they had. Ill-equipped and with no supplies coming in, the defenders were dying not only from bullets and bombs but from diseases as well. Food was rationed. Horses were sacrificed to feed a starving army. However, the “battling bastards” continued to hold out for as long as they could.

Maj. Gen. Edward P. King, commander of doomed allied forces in Bataan, realized the hopelessness of the continued resistance. In the dawn of April 9, in complete disregard of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Jonathan Wainwright’s standing order, he surrendered to the Japanese.

Quoted in part is the surrender announcement broadcast inside Malinta tunnel in Corrigedor. The night of April 9, the announcement, written by Captain Salvador P. Lopez and read in somber tones by 3rd Lt. Norman Reyes,  made the Philippine nation cry.

“Our men have fought a brave and bitterly contested struggle. All the world will testify to the most super endurance with which they stood up until the last in the face of overwhelming odds.

“The flesh must yield at last, endurance melts away, and the end of the battle must come.”

The Philippines surrendered much longer than expected. Gen. Homma, commanding general of Japanese forces, predicted that the Philippines would fall in 50 days. But the “battling bastards of Bataan” held out for five months, outperforming other countries in Asia which fell one after the other in the face of Japanese conquering army. While the Philippines held out for five months, other countries surrendered much earlier. In fact, sooner than expected like Thailand that fought only for a day. Hongkong fell after seven days. Malaysia gave up in eight days. Singapore in 16 days. Indonesia surrendered 36 days after the Japanese invasion.

The stubborn resistance of the “battling bastards of Bataan” delayed the Japanese war timetable for Asia, including Australia. Troops intended for other countries were diverted to the Philippines. It gave enough time for Australia to build a strong defense against the coming Japanese invasion.

“Bataan has fallen, but the spirit that made it stand – a beacon to all the liberty-loving peoples of the world – cannot fail.”