The US military in the Philippines is mainly concentrated in Manila and Subic Bay naval bases. At this time, MacArthur had about 27,000 US troops and about 110,000 Philippine colonial troops, of which about 22,000 US troops were distributed in Luzon, and the rest were distributed.
There are about 5,000 US troops.
After the declaration of war between China and the United States, the Republican army began to conduct slow infiltration operations from Kalimantan to the Philippines, gradually controlling Palawan, Mindanao and Leyte, and siege the entire Luzon.
Fear of being bombed, the US Asian fleet retreated to the Bay of Bale in eastern Luzon early. Apart from about twenty submarines, the entire Luzon area has no maritime power.
With the order to begin the "Battle of Luzon", the Republican Army began to carry out large-scale landing operations on Luzon from both north and south.
The Luzon Battle was much smaller than the Japanese landing operations. The Republican Army used only the 2nd and 5th armies and four marine divisions, and was equipped with more than 1,000 combat aircraft on the land and more than 600.
The escort mission is undertaken by the East China Sea Fleet and the South China Fleet escort fleet. There are 5 aviation warships and 5 battleships, and 12 cruisers form two escort fleets in the north and south.
Before the battle began, the Republican Air Force began bombing the US air bases in Krabi and Clark. MacArthur nominally owned more than 350 combat aircraft, but in fact, less than 200 fighter jets could be used for combat.
In the first wave of the Republican air force, most of these fighter jets were destroyed. The U.S. naval and air force around Luzon has become insignificant.
The 5th Marine Division, which departed from Taiwan, first landed in Apari, northern Luzon. The Republican Army basically encountered no resistance here. Later, the 5th Marine Division advanced south along the Kagayan River.
The 13th Land Division landed in Weigan. In this area, there was about a regiment of US-Philippine coalition forces defending. However, under the attack of the Republican aviation forces, the US-Philippine coalition forces quickly gave up their positions and began to retreat south.
On the southern line, the 3rd Division of Land and forced its way across the San Bernardino Strait from Leite Island. It landed successfully in the area of Legaspi, while the 4th Division of Land and successfully occupied Mindulo Island.
Immediately, the 2nd Army, the main force of the Republican Army landing troops, was in Lingayan and the 5th Army landed in Batangas.
General Luo Bingnan, commander-in-chief of the Luzon Battle, came ashore in Batangas with the 5th Army. The resistance encountered in the entire Luzon Battle was much smaller than expected. Most of the US-Philippine coalition was composed of Filipinos, of which about five were
One in one of the people is also of Chinese descent. These Philippine troops have no fighting spirit, but instead feel that the Republican army is closer than the Americans.
During the march, the Republican Army only occasionally encountered some mild resistance. Most of the time, the Philippine army was voluntarily surrendering to the Republican Army.
In Batangas Port, some heavy equipment from the Republican Army is being nervously unloaded from landing ships and transport ships to the docks or beaches. Tanks, armored vehicles, heavy artillery, excavators, bulldozers, trucks, light off-road vehicles, etc. are on the shore after getting ashore.
It is constantly starting to advance towards Manila.
The republican officers and soldiers who had landed even talked and laughed during the march, as if they were on an easy journey. So far, everything went smoother than expected, and the resistance of the US-Philippine coalition was very fragile.
"Sir, the 5th Division successfully landed in Lingayan two hours ago and only encountered slight resistance. At present, the vanguard troops have begun to advance in depth, and the 6th Division has also begun to land in Port San Fernando, before that
The 37th Marine Brigade has occupied the port." The combat staff reported to General Luo about the landing of the 2nd Army.
"Very good. The 13th Division, which has landed, will immediately march towards Manila, pay attention to maintaining the speed of propulsion and avoid unnecessary losses!" Luo Bingnan issued the latest combat order to the troops. Judging from the current situation, the entire Lu is the whole of him.
The Battle of Song will end within 15 days.
Meanwhile. Manila Bay.
The noon sun shines over the bay, and the war has spread to the gateway of Luzon. The harbor is full of bombed ships, with oil stains floating everywhere. There are streams of black smoke. The wooden trestle at the pier is also
It was blown up, leaving only some blackened wooden stakes.
MacArthur was patrolling the situation in the harbor. The progress of the battle made the originally ambitious American general very upset. The US and Philippine troops fled in front of the Republican army, which was simply vulnerable, which made the "Philippine Marshal"
A glimmer of hope was completely shattered.
The Republican Army destroyed more than half of the Philippine Air Force fighter jets at the beginning of the war. Without the air force, the navy had already been ready to escape, which made him unable to do anything.
If it weren't for the bad road conditions on Luzon, it might take less than three days for the Chinese to reach the city of Manila.
"General, please arrive at the airport as soon as possible, leaving a B-17 waiting for you!" At this time, the adjutant came over and urged MacArthur to set off as soon as possible. Roosevelt found a step for MacArthur and appointed him as the commander-in-chief of the US Army stationed in Australia.
After all, if a US military general is caught by the Chinese, it will really make the entire Pentagon unable to explain to the people.
Although he would "swear to live and die with the entire Philippines" before the war, MacArthur was not a fool or a reckless man. But he could brag in front of the reporters and say something big, but he should not take it seriously.
If the Chinese really catch it, it would be embarrassing.
Even MacArthur himself believed that the chance of being captured alive seemed to be much greater than the chance of being beaten to death.
The unlucky Major General Wainwright became MacArthur's scapegoat. The American Major General took over the command of the entire US-Philippine coalition from him. According to the scheduled plan, the US-Philippine coalition will retreat to the Bataan Peninsula and carry out the final stubborn resistance.
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MacArthur was not very anxious. Anyway, the b-17 dared not take off in broad daylight. There was still half a day left, which was enough for him to pretend to be calm and carefully study the combat plan with Wainwright, and encourage a very depressed morale.
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The sun finally set to the bottom of the mountain, and MacArthur finally reluctantly boarded the b-17 bomber heading to Bian Island, and left Manila Airport under the escort of the only three remaining air force fighters.
The American colonial rule in the Philippines for more than 40 years ended.
"I will come back with the troops!" Before boarding the plane, the US military general still couldn't change his bragging habit, but could he really do it?
At least Major General Wainwright, who saw him off, had no illusions about this.
Manila became an unguarded city, and the Chinese would soon occupy it, and it was not easy to drive them away.