JAPANESE

OCCUPATION
 THE PHILIPPINES OCCUPIES A
STRATEGIC POSITION IN
SOUTHEAST ASIA, AND FOR THIS
REASON, IT HAS BECOME THE
FAVORITE TARGET OF FOREIGN
AGGRESSORS.
THE PHILIPPINES OCCUPIES A STRATEGIC
POSITION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, AND FOR
THIS REASON, IT HAS BECOME THE
FAVORITE TARGET OF FOREIGN
AGGRESSORS.

DURING WORLD WAR II, AS THE THREATS

OF WAR INCHED CLOSER TO THE
PHILIPPINES, THE UNITED STATES
DECIDED TO CALL OUR ARMY RESERVE
TO ACTIVE DUTY THROUGH THE UNITED
STATE ARMED FORCES IN THE FAR EAST
(USAFFE)UNDER THE COMMAND OF GEN.
DOUGLAS MACARTHUR.
 Most of our reserve
units were still under
training or being
organized when
Japanese suddenly
attacked the
Philippines on
December 8, 1941.
THE RESISTANCE
MOVEMENT
The Resistance Movement was conceived before the
Japanese invaded the Visayan island. Pressed by the
problem of lack of arms and ammunition and profiting
from experience of the USAFFE forces in Luzon

Our troops in Visayas immediately saw the wisdom of

engaging in guerilla warfare. However, this plan was
temporarily disrupted by the desire of American to put
up an organized resistance and by Gen. Wainwright’s
order of surrender. Soon after, a good number of
USAFFE officers and soldiers immediately formed their
respective guerilla outfits in all the big island in the
Visayas.
Most of the leaders in the
Visayas were regular officers
of the Philippine army, and
they recruited all able men
in their areas to resist
Japanese occupation.

The guerilla forces in the

Visayas were comparatively
better organized than those
in other parts of the
Philippines.
 They were favored by two crucial factors:
the presence of a fewer number of Japanese
troops on the region and being the first group to
be contacted by the American troops.
hey took good advantage of those favorable
circumstances by continually harassing the
Japanese garrisons in the island to the extent that
the high command in Manila found it necessary to
reinforce their troops in Visayas.
Their fighting spirit was indomitable and they
ultimately defeated the highly trained Japanese
Imperial Army in several encounters through their
guerilla tactics.
REALIZING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GUERILLA
WARFARE IN FIGHTING THE JAPANESE, GEN.
MACARTHUR THOUGHT OF CONVERTING THE
USAFFE FORCE IN MINDANAO INTO GUERILLA
FORCE.

THIS GROUP SOON GAINED CONTROL OF A

CONSIDERABLE PART OF THE ISLAND AND
ACQUIRED MUCH STRENGTH.
An early contact with the
American forces in Australia
enabled the guerilla units in
Mindanao to receive plenty of
equipment and supplies via
submarines. Just like their
counterparts in the Visayas, they
also made good use of the military
aid by engaging the Japanese
force in many operations.
 IN GENERAL, THE RESISTANCE MOVEMENT DURING JAPANESE
OCCUPATION PROVED TO THE WHOLE WORLD NOT ONLY THE
FILIPINOS’ DESIRE AND DETERMINATION TO REMAIN FREE, BUT
ALSO THEIR STEADFASTLOYALTY TO THE IDEALS OF DEMOCRACY.

DUE TO THE SUCCESSFUL GUERILLA OPERATIONS, THEY WERE ABLE

TO RUN AWAY A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF JAPANESE TROOPS,
WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN USED AGAINST GEN. MACARTHUR.
THROUGH THEIR DEMONSTRATED CAPACITY FOR ENDURANCE,
COURAGE, AND OPTIMISM UNDER JAPANESE OCCUPATION, OUR
GUERILLA SOLDIERS WON FOR OUR COUNTRY THE ADMIRATION OF
ALL FREEDOM-LOVING PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!