Corregidor Island, Philippines.

The island fortress of Corregidor, located within Manila Bay Philippines, served to protect the bay from possible invaders and was established during the Spanish rule. It was equipped with numerous long range guns and mortars to protect Manila Bay.

During World War II, just a few hours after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they then invaded what was then the US Colony of the Philippines. Their goal was to control the islands and to take control of Manila Bay, one of the best natural harbors in the world, to use for their continued expansion through Southeast Asia and eventual as a staging ground to invade Australia. Their goal was to sweep through and control the Philippines before the emperor's birthday in February. They almost succeeded. However due to the heroic resistance of poorly equipped Filipino and American troops at Bataan and Corregidor Island, their conquest was delayed at a significant cost. Troops at Bataan held out until April 3, 1942 and then surrendered, leading to the infamous Bataan Death March. US and Filipino forces at Corregidor Island held for another month until May 6, 1942.

While the city of Manila Fell quickly to Japanese forces, they were not able to use the bay as a staging point while Filipino and US forces still held Bataan and Corregidor. The Japanese expended so many resources and troops in the taking of Bataan and Corregidor that they could not immediately resume there planned conquest of the Pacific. This gave the US and its Allies time to rebuild and reorganize their forces and to launch counter-attacks. During the liberation of the Philippines, Japanese forces also held out on Corregidor, for a time, delaying the Allied liberation.

What ensued from 1942 to 1945 is what can be generally be called the battle of the Philippines, to include the invasion and conquest of the Philippines by Japanese forces, and the eventual liberation of the Philippines by Gen McArthur and US and Allied forces, including all related, land, air and sea battles. This battle is estimated to have cost more then 65,000 US lives, 300,000 Japanese lives, and more then 1 million Filipino lives.

The Philippines, an island nation with more then 7,100 islands, about 65% of which are inhabited, was a colony of Spain for 333 years. Finally getting their freedom in 1896, they were then, without their input, ceded to the United States by Spain in the treaty of Paris in 1898 and became a US Colony. In 1946, they finally became once again an independent nation free of foreign rule.

Prior to World War II, the City of Manila had been known as the "Pearl of the Orient" due to its beauty, international flavor and the hospitality of Filipinos.

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• world war II
• corregidor
• island
• Philippines
• manila
• bay
• american
• japanese
• filipino
• battle
• fortress

[davidwendelrobinson]

@gardenhacks Thanks, I appreciate that.

[gardenhacks]

that is a nice landscape and great pictures,,, great work