248 ENDGAME AND AFTERMATH 1944–1955
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Mindanao
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Bataan Peninsula
3rd
Fleet
7 th
Fleet
6thArmy
8thArmy
1 4th Area
Army
35th Army
South-West PacificArmy Group
Puerto Princesa
General Santos
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Zamboanga
Tuguegarao
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Fernando
San Carlos
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San Pablo
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Tacloban
Lingayen
Batangas
Pagadian
Bacolod
Ozamis
Legazpi
Surigao
Ormoc
Tagum
Davao
Manila
Calumpit
Nasugbu
Mariveles
San Fernando
Roxas
San Miguel
Aparri
San Jose
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US attacks on Mindoro, Dec 13, 1944Area under US occupation, Jan 1, 1945
THE BATTLE OF MINDORO
DECEMBER 13, 1944–JANUARY 1, 1945As a prelude to the invasion of Luzon, troops
from the US 6th Army landed on Mindoro on
December 13. The 1,000 or so Japanese troops
on the island were quickly overcome with the help of Filipino guerrillas. The Americans immediately began to build airfields for fighter planes supporting the planned invasion of north Luzon, and for bombers operating over the South China Sea.
1
MACARTHUR’S RETURNGeneral MacArthur’s promised return to the Philippines plunged thousands
of US troops, supported by Filipino guerrillas, into a protracted battle with the Japanese soldiers occupying the islands, which lasted over six months. KEY
US forces
TIMELINE^1234 DEC 1944
FEB 1945
APR
JUN
AUG
OCT
5
△
MacArthur on Luzon
General Douglas MacArthur lands at Lingayen Gulf just five hours after the first-wave assault on the beach.
Dec 15, 1944
Work begins
on air bases for
the invasion
of Luzon.
Feb 4, 1945
San Jose falls to US forces.Feb 3–Mar 3, 1945
More than 100,000 Filipino civilians are massacred by the Japanese during the Battle of Manila.
Oct 20–Dec 25, 1944
The last Japanese are cleared from Leyte two months after the initial US landings.
US amphibious landings, Jan 9–31, 1945US advance to Feb 11, 1945Concentrations of Japanese forces, Feb 1945Clark Air Base
INVASION OF NORTH LUZON
JANUARY 9–FEBRUARY 11, 1945Following a naval bombardment of Japanese positions onshore, the US 6th Army landed on Luzon at Lingayen on January 9. While part of the 175,000-strong force moved on San Jose, the rest headed for Manila. Fierce fighting at the Clark Air Base held them up, but by January 31 they could move on Manila. US forces entered Manila from the north on February 3 and the south on February 11.
2
Japanese forces
Oct 1944–Sep 1945 General MacArthur’s command group controls operations.
Jan 2–9, 1945
The US 7th Fleet and
3rd Fleet strike Japanese
defenses to prepare the way
for an invasion of Luzon.
US_248-249_Retaking_the_Philippines.indd 248 24/05/19 1:17 PM