World War II
Episode105
February 06, 2023
Digging In at Corregidor
In this episode, the 4th Marines move from Olongapo to Corregidor, just as the Japanese close in on Manila. What follows is a scramble to destroy U.S. naval bases, build up beach defenses, and dig in for a siege. We'll break down the geography of Corregidor, the fractured command structure, and the brutal reality of jungle survival. As Japanese air raids intensify and supplies dwindle, Marines rely on improvisation, grit, and foxholes to hold their ground. This is the start of one of the hardest chapters in Marine Corps history—the long, slow fight for the Philippines.
References
- Bell, W.F. (1999). The Philippines in World War II, 1941-1945: A Chronology and Select Annotated Bibliography of Books and Articles in English. (1999). United Kingdom: Greenwood Press.
- Commager, H. S., Miller, D. L. (2010). The Story of World War II: Revised, Expanded, and Updated from the Original T. United Kingdom: Simon & Schuster.
- Edmonds, W. D. (1951). They Fought With What They Had: The Story of the Army Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific, 1941-1942. United States: Little, Brown and Company.
- History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II.: Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal, by F. O. Hough, V. E. Ludwig and H. I. Shaw, Jr. (1958). United States: Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.
- MacAuthur, D., Staff, M. G. (2016). Reports of General MacArthur: Japanese Operations in the Southwest Pacific Area . (n.p.): St. John's Press.
- Miller, J. M. (1997). From Shanghai to Corregidor: Marines in the Defense of the Philippines. United States: History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.
- Morton, L. G. (1960). The Decision to Withdraw to Bataan. United States: Center of Military History, U.S. Army.
- Morton, L. (2016). The Fall of the Philippines. (n.p.): St. John's Press.
- Netzorg, M. J. (1977). The Philippines in World War II and to Independence (December 8, 1941-July 4, 1946): An Annotated Bibliography. United States: Southeast Asia Program, Department of Asian Studies, Cornell University.
- Report on Need of Additional Naval Bases to Defend the Coasts of the United States, Its Territories and Possessions, House Document No. 65, 76th Cong., 1st sess., 27 December
- Sixth Annual Report of the United States High CommissionerTo the Philippines covering the Fiscal Year July 1, 1941 to June 30, 1942
Explore the battles from this episode
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