Eighty Years Ago: Asia Pacific, Dec 25 – 31, 1941

Dec 25, 1941: British-led forces in Hong Kong surrender to the Japanese Army

Dec 26, 1941: Philippine capital of Manila is declared an open city, indicating it will not be defended militarily, amid US hopes it will escape destruction at the hands of the Japanese invasion force

Dec 27, 1941: Lieutenant General Sir Henry Royds Pownall is named British Commander-in-Chief Far East

Dec 28, 1941: US Navy Rear Admiral Ben Moreel requests authority to create Naval Construction Battalions, later known as ‘Seabees’

Japanese forces advance across Philippine main island of Luzon towards Bataan peninsula

Dec 29, 1941: US-led coalition announces establishment of China Theater with Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek as supreme commander

Japanese planes attack fortified island of Corregidor at entrance of Manila Bay for the first time, dropping 60 tons of bombs

Dec 30, 1941: As Japanese forces push on towards the Philippine capital of Manila, the US-led North Luzon Force withdraws to positions at Bataan peninsula

Dec 31, 1941: American M3 Stuart tanks clash with Japanese Type 89B tanks in the town of Baliuag, marking the largest armored battle of the Philippine campaign

Categories: War

Leave a Reply