Chapter 22 Use people forward, don't use people backward

When Benma said not to fight, he didn’t mean to win. On the contrary, he lost so badly that he could only give up temporarily: no matter the front or the side, every battle was extremely bad, so bad that there was no bottom line, it was simply deep. Bottomless. The defeat of the Japanese army in Bataan was the first serious setback encountered by the Japanese army in a land offensive since the beginning of the Pacific War.The Japanese did not know how long MacArthur could resist in Bataan. Compared with the gains and losses on the battlefield, they were obviously more afraid of the spiritual role and influence of the Bataan defensive battle.

Honma's 14th Corps headquarters has been surrounded by joy since the Manila entry ceremony was held. At this time, like a frost-beaten eggplant, it fell back into the zombie atmosphere before the landing, and the atmosphere has changed compared to the original More tense and depressed. For the allies, Bataan resistance is like a shot in the arm.Roosevelt expressed his gratitude for the resistance of the Philippines and promised to use all the human and material resources of the United States to regain their lost freedom for the Philippines. But what Roosevelt promised was not the present, but the future.The US aid is completely reduced to a blank check, but the consumption of ammunition and food on the island is increasing day by day.Because of the unbearable hunger and thirst, most soldiers can only eat sugar cane to satisfy their hunger.

Hunting and fishing have become a major "sideline" of the US-Philippines.Even the American soldiers who are not used to Filipino food do as the Romans do. They used to not even touch dog meat and monkey meat, but now they don’t care about this taboo, and they just need to use it to satisfy their hunger.An American soldier who is used to eating "delicacy from mountains and seas" said: "As long as it is not a human being, I can eat anything." After fighting for such a long time, the military uniforms of the soldiers had been torn to the point where they could no longer be worn, and each one was dressed in rags, as if they had just walked out of a gang of beggars.

There are still ways to overcome all of these, but what is difficult to overcome is the trouble of disease.Mosquito bites are indispensable in the jungle, but when retreating, very few people remember to bring mosquito nets.Long-term malnutrition weakened people's physique and resistance to diseases naturally, and malaria began to spread, and quinine, a special drug that can treat malaria, was about to run out. One of the 14th Army's intelligence items "poor health of officers and soldiers" was fulfilled at this time, and the combat effectiveness of the troops was greatly weakened.By mid-February, the non-combat attrition of the US-Philippines was close to 50%, which is a very alarming figure.

People's disappointment gradually spread, and soldiers began to curse and insult not only the enemy, but also the American government.They chalked a "V" on their helmets, not for victory, but for cannon fodder. A ballad that most shaken the morale of the army in World War II spread like wildfire: "We are the bitter soldiers of Bataan, the illegitimate children of Bataan, we have no father, no mother, and no Uncle Sam." The soldiers humming these songs would grin and laugh, but that kind of laughter was uglier than crying, like a dying sleep. Looking at the emaciated bodies and desperate expressions of the soldiers, MacArthur was heartbroken, but his powers were limited, and there was no other better way to change this situation.

One person finally couldn't bear it-Philippine President Quezon. People are not strong, and they are not secure, or in other words, if you want to seek political independence of the country, you can't expect to rely on other countries to protect you.As a politician, Quezon may not understand this truth, he just doesn't have the ability. Quezon once asked MacArthur face to face: "Do you think the Philippines will have the ability to defend itself after ten years of independence?" MacArthur said affirmatively: "I don't think it is possible. Unless you can spend five million dollars a year within ten years to form an army of considerable size."

The Philippines is so poor, where can they get so much money?So Quezon took another path. He invited MacArthur to the Philippines as a military adviser to help him build a Swiss-style reserve army. Before the Philippine army was successfully formed, the Japanese army came to fight.At the juncture of national ruin and family destruction, Quezon was overwhelmed with worries, and what stimulated him most was listening to the radio speeches from the United States.He could clearly tell that the U.S. government was always most concerned about the war in Europe rather than the war with the Japanese. Correspondingly, the U.S. aid here was nowhere to be seen, and the arms were continuously being shipped to the other side of the Atlantic.

The Philippines has always considered itself the "daughter" of the United States, and the two sides are very close.But when the crisis comes, this relationship seems to be divided.The impression given to Quezon is that the United States employs people forward instead of backward, and dismisses monks after reading scriptures, which is completely demolishing bridges. Everything can be discounted, but feelings cannot be discounted.Quezon was very angry about this. He said to MacArthur's intelligence officer: "Stop talking about Europe and shutting up about Europe. I can't stand it! The United States is really unreasonable. His daughter (referring to the Philippines) is being raped by mobs, and he turns a deaf ear. Always worried about the fate of a distant cousin (referring to Europe)."

To use a local Filipino saying, the country of Quezon is being "brushed away", that is, marginalized.This sense of abandonment was quickly grasped by the Japanese side.Honma began to fight a heart attack, and the Manila radio station kept playing the song: "No matter how much you wait, the boat will never come." Hideki Tojo also took the opportunity to pass the trick. The director directly transformed into an actor, went to the stage in person, and assured Quezon through the radio that Japan would recognize the Philippines as an independent country in the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere".

Prior to this, the United States had allowed the Philippines to self-govern and become independent, but with a timetable attached.Now Japan does not even have a timetable, and immediately promises to redeem it for free. Quezon then wrote a letter to Roosevelt, in which he suggested that the United States declare the independence of the Philippines, after which the Philippines would maintain a policy of diplomatic neutrality and disband its own military.In this way, the troops of Japan and the United States can be withdrawn. The subtext of Quezon is, life is going on every day, how can we not live it, if there is a fight between powerful countries, why do we have to put us in the middle of the Philippines as a victim?Sorry, I won't play with you anymore!

MacArthur was taken aback when he heard this, and hurriedly persuaded him, but after Quezon explained the original intention of his letter, he stopped talking. Quezon said that he also knows that this matter is unreliable, but isn't it that you, the United States, are not giving aid now?I'm using the aggressive method! In his heart, MacArthur actually had the same complaints as Quezon, especially after thoroughly figuring out what Washington really thought, he was very frustrated.The so-called number one in Europe and the marginalization of the Philippines does not mean that the Philippine battlefield he is in charge of is no longer the center stage?Mai Shuai couldn't stand this, he couldn't help but complained: "The British have a head, we only have a tail." MacArthur not only acquiesced in Quezon's letter to Roosevelt, but also sent a report on the military situation in Bataan to the US Department of War at the request of Quezon. Quezon's personal letter fell like a bomb on Roosevelt's desk.Roosevelt was greatly shocked. He wrote in his private diary: "Quezon is too naive. Will the Japanese army really recognize the neutrality of the Philippines?" Roosevelt categorically rejected Quezon's proposal, and at the same time personally guaranteed that he would take responsibility for the Philippines. As Quezon explained to MacArthur, he did not believe that the Japanese would let the Philippines go. This was done to test Roosevelt to see if he really did not mean what he said and had completely reneged on the promise he had made. Roosevelt's guarantee, which is equivalent to a pledge of eternal love, made Quezon feel relieved.At the same time, Roosevelt also saw the report sent by MacArthur.In the report, MacArthur asked: "My command may be completely destroyed at any time. You must make a decision, should I cater to President Quezon, or continue to fight?" Looking at it like this, it seems that I can't hold it anymore.Roosevelt tentatively authorized MacArthur to allow him to arrange the surrender of the U.S. and Philippine troops. MacArthur just sang with Quezon and intimidated Roosevelt, but he didn't mean to hand in his guns or surrender at all.In order to avoid the president's misunderstanding, he quickly called Roosevelt back: "I plan to fight on Bataan until it is destroyed, and then I will do the same on Corregidor." At this point, it seems too much to say that the United States intends to abandon the Philippines. To be honest, it is not that Roosevelt does not want to provide aid, but that under the fierce attack and blockade of the Japanese army, the aid materials are really difficult. In fact, among the various battlefields of the Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific, Bataan was considered to be the only one that was thriving. There was no other place that was not in danger, and Singapore was even more precarious. It was Homofumi Yamashita, later known as the "Tiger of Malaysia", who attacked Singapore.