To Americans' Surprise Japanese Attacked the Bataan With Most Powerful Weapons To Conquer it Quickly

#america #history #japan #audiobook #ww2stories
In 1942, General Masaharu Homma used both air and ground forces to quickly conquer the Bataan Peninsula, a crucial area for the American and Filipino defenders of the Philippines. The Japanese attack was largely due to their air supremacy, allowing them to attack and strafe almost at will. The US troops manned the western part of the line, while the eastern part, protected by II Corps, provided an open approach to Mount Samat. The Japanese bombers and fighters struck targets nonstop, disrupting artillery positions and causing chaos for machine-gun emplacements and infantry concentrations. The Japanese had around 200 weapons for the artillery phase of the invasion, with nearly half being heavy 150mm to 240mm guns. The predicted fight between the Japanese 240mm and American 155mm guns never happened because the Japanese aircraft managed to almost completely neutralize the American artillery. The Japanese restricted their pre-attack artillery concentrations to destroy enemy command posts, communications, and defensive positions, helping conceal the extent and direction of their planned assault on Mount Samat.

The Japanese 16th Division and Nagano Detachment prepared for the main attack on Mount Samat, Philippines, on April 3. They began with a five-hour artillery barrage, targeting the I Corps from its eastern border to the west coast. The attack was accompanied by an intense bombardment, destroying artillery positions and communication connections. The bombardment was the most devastating concentration of enemy fire seen during the Philippine campaign, with the majority of air and artillery bombardment focusing on a single target. The deforestation in the region likely led to Japanese groups withdrewing in groups, causing widespread destruction.

Sector D, the largest sector in the II Corps' area, was defended by the 41st and 21st Divisions of the Philippine Army. The 42nd Infantry Regiment, a division manned by the 42nd Infantry, faced continuous Japanese artillery and plane bombardment. The Filipino soldiers, who were the hardest division on Bataan, retreated to their regimental reserve line, seeking cover in shell holes or abandoned foxholes. The Japanese continued to bombard, causing hundreds of fires to ignite and causing the Filipino forces to retreat. The Japanese also attacked the 43rd Infantry, capturing much of the 43rd, and advancing towards their goal of isolating Mount Samat from the remaining defensive positions.

The Japanese re-attacked Mount Samat and the Allied left wing, causing the Filipinos to retreat. The Japanese blitzkrieg against Mount Samat and the occupation of Trails 429, 6, and 4 halted the Japanese attack. The Japanese had successfully carried out their own blitzkrieg by April 5, and their time was running out. General Homma's conquest of the Philippines was delayed compared to Tokyo's high command's schedule, and he was stripped of command in June 1942. He was executed in 1946 for war crimes related to the Bataan Death March and Japanese rule.

[bertha]

Fine example of a Messerschmitt 262, but Japan didn't use those.

[MrWorf]

How did Japan have jets this early in the war?