*** World War II -- Philippines prisoners of war POWs civilian internees








Japanese Treatment of World War II POWs: Philippines Camps

Japanese detention camps in the Philippines
Figure 1.--Bilibid was a prison built by the Spanish in Manila during colonial times. The Japanese converted it into a POW camp. The men taken on Corregidor were held there. Many were moved to work camps. By the time the Americans liberated the Philippines, there were also women and children held there. Here we see them 2 weeks after liberation. The press caption read, "Free from Japs: These american women and children, the later born during the three years their mothers were held interned by the Japs were among the 500 civilians freed from Bilibid Prison in Manila alomg with 800 military prisoners. Ronnie Barz, 2 yrs. son of Mr. Mrs. Harvey Barz of Lead, S.D. wearing the helmet of PFC H.S. Coxen, of Marim, Ohio." The photograph was taken February 14, 1945.

Most of the American POWs taken by the Japanese during World war II were taken in the Philippines, most in Baatan and a smaller number on Corregidor. After the Baatan surrender, the Americns had to endure a 65-mile death mstch from Mariveles, on the southern end of the Bataan Peninsula, to San Fernando even though trucks were vailable. the starving, disease-weakened Americans were forced on a ??-mile death march to Camp O'Donnel. Stranglers and those who collapsed along the way were kliiled, many bayoneted. [Groom] The Japanese soldiers conducting the march randomly beat the POWs. They were denied food and water for several days. The lack of water in the tropical heat was especially harrowing. Food that was provided was inadequate. The POWs were allowed a few hours tgo sleep, but under conditions that made real rest difficult. Finally the POWs were cramed into suffocating box cars. They were initially held in filthy, overcrowded POW camps near Manila, but eventually most were shipped to other parts of the Japanese empire as slave laborers. The Japanese opened several camps, mostly using existing facilities. Most of them were eventually deported to work camps on Hell Ships. The conditions in these camps and on the Hell Ships were incredibly bad, primarily because of the decesion by Imperial Army commanders that most of the men should die and because of brutality of camp commanbders and guards. . The Japanese camps in the Philippines included: (Los) Ba�os, Bilibid Prison, Cabanatuan, Davao Prison and Penal Farm, (Camp) Holmes Internment Camp, (Camp) John Hay, (Camp Manganese--Guindulman Bohol, (Camp) Malolos--Bulcan, (Camp) O'Donnell, Palawan, Puerto Princesa Prison Camp, Santo Tomas Internment Camp. The larger camps like Los Ba�os and Cabanatuan are well known. As a result of the conditions in the Japanese camps, some 40 percent of the American POWs died, but many died after being transported from the Philippines. Many were actually mirdered, most died from abuse, inadequate food, unsanitary conditions, and lack of medical care.

Capture

Gen. MacArthur miscalculated the strength of the Japanese. When after Pear Hsrbor they invasded, herealizedtghst theexisting defense plan was impossible. Hedevcidedto move hisforcesinto the Baatan Peninsula east of Manila. He got tghe men there, but itwas impossible to move the supplies with them. The memn sucessfully resustedtheJsopsnese for 4 months, but when supplies were exhsusted, themen had to surrender. Most of the American POWs taken by the Japanese during World war II were taken in the Philippines, most in Baatan and a smaller number on Corregidor, a small islzndoffthecoast ofBaatan.

Baatan Death March

After the Baatan surrender, the Americns had to endure a 65-mile death march from Mariveles, on the southern end of the Bataan Peninsula, to San Fernando even though trucks were vailable. the starving, disease-weakened Americans were forced on a ??-mile death march to Camp O'Donnel. Stranglers and those who collapsed along the way were kliiled, many bayoneted. [Groom] The Japanese soldiers conducting the march randomly beat the POWs. They were denied food and water for several days. The lack of water in the tropical heat was especially harrowing. Food that was provided was inadequate. The POWs were allowed a few hours tgo sleep, but under conditions that made real rest difficult. Finally the POWs were cramed into suffocating box cars.

Final Destination

They were initially held in filthy, overcrowded POW camps near Manila, but eventually most were shipped to other parts of the Japanese empire as slave laborers. The Japanese opened several camps, mostly using existing facilities. Most of them were eventually deported to work camps on Hell Ships. The conditions in these camps and on the Hell Ships were incredibly bad, primarily because of the decesion by Imperial Army commanders that most of the men should die and because of brutality of camp commanbders and guards.

Camps in the Philippines

The Japanese opersted many camps in the Philippines. Therewereabout10 masjorcamps, most located on Luzon. They included: (Los) Ba�os, Bilibid Prison, Cabanatuan, Davao Prison and Penal Farm, (Camp) Holmes Internment Camp, (Camp) John Hay, (Camp Manganese--Guindulman Bohol, (Camp) Malolos--Bulcan, (Camp) O'Donnell, Palawan, Puerto Princesa Prison Camp, Santo Tomas Internment Camp. The larger camps like Los Ba�os and Cabanatuan are well known. They included both POWs and civilians often mixed together. They were primarily for Americans (POWs andcivilians internees and Filipino Scouts). Some 20,000d Filipinos and 1,500 Americans are believed to have perished there. Most died from disease and inadequate food, but there were also summary executions and murderous beatings. Davao Prison Davao was built in 1932 by the Americans. There was an attached penal farm. It was a prison for both criminals and anti-American guerrillas. The Japanese used it as the Army�s official garrison. POWs were intened there. The Japanese officers in charge of the camp were known to amuse themselves by beheading selected prisoners with therir personal swords. Puerto Princesa on Palawan was one of the smaller camps, never more than a few hundred prisoners. As the Allies approached the Philippines, the Japanese marched the American POWs to their own camp and then forced them into a trench, poured in gasoline, and lit it. They shot the men who tried to escape. It is known as the Palawan Mascacre. As with the Baatan Death Msrch, there were a few who escaped and reported what had happened. When the Americas invaded and began the liberstion of the Phiippines, resucuing the POWs and internees before the Japanese could kill them became a high priority. Santo Tomas was a universuty in Manila. The Japanese converted it into a prison for mostly civiliasns. Thousands of mostly civilasns were confined with their families in the camp. gey were mostly Americans, but there were also some British, Dutch, and other civilians. Conditions were terrible, especially the lack of food. The Japanese did allow the prisoners a community garden. Bilibid in Manila was a prion built by the Spasnish (1865). The Americans built a new pridon (1936). It was infamous for being the processing camp for the POWs put on Hell Ships reansports to labor camps thoughout the Japanese Empire. Some civilians were detined there, but it was a rare camp that was not notable for brutality. Los Ba�os was another university converted into an internment camp. Conditions were livable for the first 2 years of the War (1942-43), but as the war turned against the Japanese and mismanagement of Philippines economy created food shortages, food became a real problem. And the Japanese guards more brutal. Los Ba�os is best known for the rescue mission undertaken by Filipino and American special forces. Baguio Internment Camp wasopened at Camp Holmes/Camp #3. It was located in the Luzon highlands and was a populsr vacation spot before the War. The elevation meant that it was heathier location and conditions there werereltively good. It mostly held missionaries, women, and children. Camp John Hay was another relatively benign camp. There was no forced labor. Msny of the internees were women and children. It was also situated in the highlands with faviorablehgealth conditions. The camp was built by the Americans in 1903. It was a vacation spot with facilitiesfor about 60 people. The Japanese crowded some 500 mostly civilians into the camp. Conditions gradually deterirated. TheAmerican and other internees were moved to Baguio. And John Hay was used for Filipinos who resisted the occupation. Bacolod Internment Camp was located on Negros. Civilians internees wereheld there. It only operastedfor afew months. The internees were moved to Santo Tomas in Manila. Cabanatuan Prison Camp on Luzon is surely the most notorious of the vasrious camps. Cabanatuan becameknown as the 'Zero Ward'. There was no chance of escaspe. Forced slave labor was part of the camp routine. Starvation, malnutrition torture, and beatings were common. The healthier prisoners were selectedfortransport on 'hell ship' for hard labor. Filipino guerrillas and American special forces rescued the POWs on the same day the the Americans recaptured Camp O�Donnell.

Survival

As a result of the conditions in the Japanese camps, some 40 percent of the American POWs died, but many died after being transported from the Philippines. Many were actually murdered, most died from abuse, inadequate food, unsanitary conditions, and lack of medical care.







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Created: 2:36 AM 4/21/2016
Last updated: 2:46 AM 2/5/2019