1941-42 Philippines - Strategic Command WW2 Pacific Theater

The Battles of the Philippines was the invasion of the Philippines by Japan in 1941-42 and the defense of the islands by Filipino and United States forces. Although the result was a Japanese victory, the perseverance of the defenders delayed Japanese attacks on other areas and assisted Allied counterattacks in the South West Pacific theater, from late 1942.

The defending forces outnumbered the Japanese invaders by 3:2, but were poorly trained and equipped, while the Japanese used their best first-line troops at the outset of the campaign. The Japanese 14^th Army also concentrated its forces in the first month of the campaign, enabling it to swiftly overrun most of Luzon.

The Japanese high command, believing this had won the campaign, made a strategic decision to advance their timetable of operations in Borneo and Indonesia, withdrawing their best division and the bulk of their airpower in early January 1942. This, coupled with the decision of the defenders to withdraw into a defensive holding position in the Bataan Peninsula, enabled the Americans and Filipinos to successfully hold out for four more months. (Stock Scenario)