The Liberation of the Philippines

The invasion of the Philippines started on December 8, 1941, just ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, then in charge of defending the islands, was unprepared. His lack of action, even after hearing of the disaster at Pearl Harbor, is still questioned by historians. The Japanese quickly overwhelmed the Filipino and American troops defending the island. Consequently, the people of the Philippines would endure three years of brutal Japanese occupation. Eventually, the liberation of the Philippines would be led by the determined U.S. General.

General MacArthur’s Philippine Roots

It is without question that General MacArthur held a deep affection for the people of the Philippines. He had spent a considerable part of his life there, first with his father, and later at the request of the President of the Philippines. His less than glorious escape from the Philippines as the Japanese overwhelmed his forces in 1942, set the stage for his pledge embodied in three simple words “I shall return“.

First, he had to contest with U.S. Navy Admiral Chester Nimitz. Then he had to convince President Franklin Roosevelt to support his pledge. And was it ever supported. On October 20th, 1944 the U.S. landed on Leyte with overwhelming numbers of troops and firepower. In less than one year they would systematically defeat the Japanese on the islands of Leyte and Luzon.

MacArthur’s Pledge to Liberate the Philippines

Upon landing on Leyte in the Philippines, General Douglas MacArthur, famously proclaimed:

“People of the Philippines: I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God our forces stand again on Philippine soil – soil consecrated in the blood of our two peoples. We have come, dedicated and committed to the task of destroying every vestige of enemy control over your daily lives, and of restoring, upon a foundation of indestructible strength, the liberties of your people”.

General Douglas MacArthur, October 20th, 1944.

The 44th General Hospital on Leyte

The 44th General Hospital landed on November 18th, 1944. Initially, they moved inland to the village of Burauen in central Leyte. Soon after landing, the members of the 44th General Hospital become closely intertwined in the lives of the people of Leyte. Over time the Americans and the Filipinos formed tight bonds. They were united in the effort to drive the Japanese Army off the island. Filipino laborers helped set up the hospital facility. They dug trenches and foxholes for the defense of the hospital. Women washed clothing and linens. Additionally, Filipino guerillas provided critical intelligence regarding the movement of Japanese troops in the area.

My Dad’s Admiration for the Filipino People

Years after the War, my Dad never mentioned any Filipino people by name. But, I could tell from his stories and by looking through the photos that he brought back, that he held a great appreciation for the people he met. I could also deduce, from the smiles on the faces of the people he photographed, that the admiration must have been mutual. Granted, I’ll never know the true extent of these relationships.

Filipino Hospitality to the Americans

The Filipinos welcomed the members of the 44th with warm hospitality. For instance, they shared local foods, including tropical fruits and fish. Also, they included the Americans in festivals and local customs. The U.S. servicemen wagered at the cockfights held on Sunday afternoons. Also, the strong family ties and religious traditions of the Filipinos were familiar. It must’ve reminded the members of the 44th of better days back home. In return, the hospital provided needed medicine and care for the civilians. The doctors and nurses of the 44th described making visits to the villages on what “free time” they had.

Photos of Filipino Life

After the War, my Dad and fellow officer Walter Teague each returned with over 200 photos. Something struck me as I browsed through both of their collections. I noticed that the largest percentage of the photographs they took were of the Filipino people. In particular, they captured images of Filipino culture and daily life. They took many photos of families and children. From the photos it appears that life on the islands started to return to normal. It looked like better times before the War. Most significant to me was seeing the smiles on the faces of the Filipino people return. Previously, they had endured much loss and suffering in the years of Japanese occupation.

Restoring Filipino Life on Leyte

“Our soldiers have nobly fought to protect freedom since our country’s birth, and have fought to protect those that could not protect themselves, even in foreign lands when called upon.”

John Linder, United States House of Representatives (Retired), Veteran

The most touching photos to me were of the Filipino children. They had lived their early years in the midst of war and suffering. Tragically, many had been orphaned, their family members killed at the hands of the Japanese occupiers. Admirably, the members of the 44th and other U.S. military units helped restore the lives of these innocent victims of war.

I’m sure that it was gratifying for our troops to see the smiles return to the faces of the children.

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Photos of Filipino Daily Life

Both my Dad and Walter Teague captured intimate glimpses of daily life in the Philippines.

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Transportation on Leyte

There were few cars in use on Leyte during the War. Primarily, the horse and carabao were used for transportation. The carabao was particularly effective in the rainy season for navigating the muddy roads (the Filipino version of 4-wheel drive).

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Filipino Cultural Activities

Occasionally in the midst of war and caring for the wounded, members of the 44th were able to take a break and enjoy Filipino cultural activities.

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Commerce Returns

Many businesses across the Philippines had been destroyed during the War. For example, the Japanese confiscated heavy machinery across the islands, destroyed villages, and shutdown areas of production. But as the tide turned against the Japanese, some of the normal business activity was revived. Many new jobs were created to support the U.S. troops during the liberation of the Philippines. Over time, actions were taken to restore what had been damaged.

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The Final Steps in the Liberation of the Philippines

On December 26, 1944, General MacArthur announced that organized resistance had ended on Leyte. He turned over command of the Leyte operation to General Robert Eichelberger, leader of the 8th Army. MacArthur stated that Leyte and the Southern Philippines would now just be a “mopping up” operation.

Next, Mac set his sights to the north and Luzon, the most populated island with its city of Manila. But it would take Eichelberger and the 8th Army until May of 1945 and an additional 24,000 Japanese killed, to declare the “mopping up” operation complete.

“If there is another war, I recommend that the military and the correspondents and everyone else concerned, drop the phrase “mopping-up” from their vocabularies. It is NOT a good enough phrase to die for.”

General Robert Eichelberger, from the book “Our Jungle Road to Tokyo”

The High Cost of the Liberation of the Philippines

MacArthur’s armies defeated the bulk of the Japanese on Luzon by March of 1945. But pockets of dug-in Japanese would hold out until the surrender in August. With the end of the War the people of the Philippines faced the task of rebuilding after three years of brutal Japanese occupation and massive destruction.

An estimated 527,000 Filipinos, both military and civilians, had been killed from all causes. Over 130,000 of these were killed in seventy-two war crime events. Similarly, the liberation of the Philippines was very costly to both American and Japanese forces. In the Philippines alone, the Americans lost 60,628 men and the Japanese an estimated 300,000.