JAPANESE OCCUPATION

OVERVIEW

Japan’s undeclared war with China forces US to impose and embargo

on oil and scrap metal exports to Japan and also froze Japanese
assets
Formation of Axis Powers
 PREPARATION FOR WAR
Appointment of Douglas MacArthur as
Field Marshal of the Philippine Army
Implementation of the Preparatory Military
Training and Reserve Officers Training
Course
Not enough equipments and ammunitions
Poor preparation prompted Quezon to seek
neutrality from Britain . Formed Dept.
of National Defense
USAFFE was established
 OUTBREAK OF WAR
Attack on Pearl Harbor – Dec 7, 1941
Attacks on Batanes, Baguio, Tarlac,
Zambales and Pampanga
No action from MacArthur for a pre-
emptive strike against Japan
Withdrawal of US defenses
Open City
War Plan Rainbow-5 – Bataan and
Corregidor
Dec 24, 1941- Quezon and Osmena
evacuated to Corregidor.
Jan 2, 1942- Veterans from the Phil
Revolution and civilians welcomed
Gen. Homma and the Japanese
forces in Manila
March 1942- Quezon’s family fled to
Australia
April 9, 1942 –Death March (Fall of
Bataan)
May 7, 1942 – Fall of Corregidor
 POLITICAL COLLABORATION
Philippine Executive Committee served as the
government of the Philippines operating under
Japanese supervision (Philippine Executive
Commission)
Vargas submitted a response to Gen. Misami Maeda
assuring cooperation of Filipino political leaders
Philippine executive commission was given
executive and judicial power. Japanese Military
Administration exercised the legislative branch.
Japanese interference in government works
Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas
(KALIBAPI)- Benigno Aquino Sr. as secretary
general. Filipino unity . Only political party
allowed
Katabataang Kalibapi became Kabataang pangarap
ni Rizal (KAPARIZ); Kabataang Maghahanda- 7-
15 yrs old; Kabataang Katulong- 16-18 yrs old;
Preparatory Committee for
Philippine Independence –
drafting of the constitution
1943 Constitution
Laurel was elected as president
Philippine Flag flew alone
 MILITARY COLLABORATION

Ganaps-Benigno Ramos
Palaaks- armed with bamboo spears
Pampars-Pambansang Pag-asa ni Rizal
Malayang Kalipunan ng mga Pilipino
(MAKAPILI)- founded by Artemio Ricarte
 DEPRIVATIONS AND ATROCITIES

Too much banknotes (Mickey Mouse

Money) caused hyperinflation
Rice grains for coffee
mango and avocado tea leaves,
banana catsup,
Comfort Women/ Gay
 RESISTANCES
Local government officials led resistance groups
(Ablan-Madamba unit-Ilocos; Vinzons’guerillas-
Camarines Norte; Montelibano Government of
Free Negros- Negros Occidental
Hukbo ng bayan Laban sa mga Hapon
(HUKBALAHAP) – anti- landlordism. Founded by
Lusis Taruc, Juan Feleo, Casto Alejandrino, Lava
Bros.
The Huks fought with the Wha Chi (Chinese
guerrillas)- liberation of UP Los Banos
Several guerrilla groups followed including
Americans
Some of them were loyal to the Philippine
Commonwealth, personal reasons, victims of
the Japanese
Many fought each other over prestige, territory,
authority and arms
 CULTURAL
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere –
Asia for Asians, Phils. For Filipinos,
moral values
Opening of primary, secondary, vocational
and trade schools, normal schools,
medicine, fisheries and agriculture
Teaching of Filipino and Nippongo, values,
Philippine History
Philippine Literature blossomed
(Liwayway- Arturo Tolentino, Lope K.
Santos)
Filipino Theater- bodabil shows
 LIBERATION
Oct 20, 1944 – MacArthur, Sergio Osmena finally returned. Commonwealth re-
established at the Leyte Provincial Capitol
Guerilla units cleared the way for the Americans for liberation
Feb 3, 1944- 3000 internees from UST was liberated (Miguel Colayco)
The Japanese defenders began to kill, rape burn their prisoners
Gen Tomuyuki Yamashita escaped to Northern Luzon to fight till the end
June 1945- Battle of Ippo Dam; All-out liberation in Panay, Negros and
Mindanao
Pres. Laurel was taken to Tuguegarao and later to Japan
Other officials including Benigno Aquino Sr., Camilo
Osias, Claro M. Recto etc escaped to American
Lines where they were arrested
August 6, 1945 – atomic bomb was dropped over
Hiroshima killing over 130,000 Japanese followed
by another in Nagasaki on August 9 killing 70,00
more
August 15, 1945 – Japanese Emperor finally
surrendered unconditionally; Laurel dissolved the
republic on Aug. 17
Sept 2, 1945 – Japan finally signed the document of
unconditional surrender aboard USS Missouri
Yamashita and Homma finally surrendered, was tried
and executed for war crimes (Homma- death
march –firing squad; Yamashita- Battle of Manila-
hanged)