Precious Hours Lost from

American Inaction
Sarmiento, John Kelvin M.
MacArthur anticipated
Japanese aggression as
early as late Nov-Dec
1941 when Japanese
aircraft were seen over
northern Luzon.
Orders were given to
move the 27th
Bombardment Group B-17
bombers southward to
Mindanao, out of range of
the Japanese bombers.
This move was delayed,
however, as the pilots
were invited to a big party
held in the honor of Major
General Lewis Brereton.
When the party ended
at 0200 hours Manila
time, it was 0800 hours
at Pearl Harbor,
Territory of Hawaii
when the first Japanese
aircraft dropped their
torpedoes.
As it was too dark for
coordinated offensive
operations for the
Japanese, the
Americans and the
Filipinos had precious
hours to prepare
defensive air strikes
and strengthen
ground defenses
This opportunity was
forfeited. MacArthur
never gave the order to
attack the invasion
fleet of the Japanese
bases in Taiwan.
MacArthur decided to
approve Breretons plan
to attack the invasion
fleet of Japan in Taiwan
but it was too late.
At 1235 hours, Japanese
Army fighters reached
the airfield at Iba on the
western coast of Luzon,
destroying a flight of P-
40 fighters in the process
of landing.
A short time later, the
Del Carmen airfield to
the southeast was also
attacked, with its
outdated P-35A
fighters forming little
resistance against the
more modern Japanese
fighters. These attacks
would repeat
themselves, within
days destroying
MacArthur's air force.
On 10 Dec, with air
superiority achieved,
General Masaharu
Homma ordered the
invasion to set forth.
Starting on 20 Dec, the
Japanese Army landed
on Mindanao and then
Luzon, quickly capturing
airfields and other key
strategic positions.
The Japanese were
moving swiftly and
winning
victories before
even the Americans
respond with their
forces.
The Japanese
conducted large-
scale landings and
large contingents of
Imperial Army and
Japanese force in
different parts of the
country.
Manila was attacked and
some of the buildings
destroyed were Santo
Domingo Church and the
offices of the DMHM
newspapers.
The Philippines was left
defenseless by the
withdrawal of the
remaining aircrafts to
different countries for
safety.
Manila was declared
an open city to spare
it from further
destruction because it
will be not occupied or
defended by military
force, so it is not
allowed to be bombed
under international
law. But Japan still
continued bombing
the city.
It is the time MacArthur
ordered his army to
withdraw into the
Bataan peninsula.
President Quezon and
Vice President Osmea
evacuated to Corregidor
and leaving some
preventive measures to
the ones who were left
in charge.
The first Japanese
contingent entered Manila.
After the entry of the
Japanese, they declared
that American rule in the
Philippines was ended and
imposed martial law on all
occupied areas.
Many inhabitants fled to
nearby provinces because
of the fear of Japanese
atrocities and later return
proving that their fears
were unfounded. The
Japanese authorities said
that Filipinos should
cooperate with them in
restoring peace and order.
First Filipino-Japanese
Collaboration
The demand of the Japanese
military authorities of the
help of Filipino political
leaders to collaborate with
them was by Filipino leaders
led by Vargas but later
agreed with Laurel and other
leaders. The Philippine
Executive Commission was
formed with Vargas as
Chairman. But it served as
the government of the
Philippines operating under
Japanese supervision.
He was the Japanese General who ordered
the Japanese 14th Army to invade the
Philippines on Dec 10, 1941.

A. General Michinomiya Hirohito

B. General Tomoyuki Yamashita
C. General Masaharu Homma

ANS: C
 Political Events during Authoritarian rule
It was a period of leftist unrest in
the Philippines, composed of a series of
heavy demonstrations, protests, and marches
against the government from January to March
1970.

A. Battle of Manila
B. First Quarter Storm
C. Battle of Tondo
ANS: B