may 8, 1942 - Fall of Philippines to the Japanese
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On May 8th, 1942 American and Philippino troops surrendered to the Japanese at the Bataan Peninsula. Towards the end, food was so scarce, troops had to eat cavalry horses and mules. Diseases such as malaria, scurvy, and dysentery. Women that were in the Army Nurse Corps lived in very poor conditions, and the injured/sick had to sleep in the open air.
When leaving, General Douglas Macarthur, said: "I will be back." This proved significant because he later re-captured the Philippines.
Japan used the Philippines as a way to control the Southern Pacific, and try to invade Dutch, British colonies, along with Austalia.
Though Japan captured the Philippines, it proved to be significant that the US would have to change their approach to the Japanese. American soldiers were being slaughtered by the Japanese. This showed how unprepared the American soldiers were to fighting in these climates, unlike the Japanese, who were.
The Japanese capture of the Philippines showed the public, that Japan was much stronger than they would have thought.
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