MacArthur and the war against Japan by Filipiniana Online

MAcARTHUR AND THE

WAR AGAINST JAPAN BY

FRAZIER HUNT

****

NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1944

! COPYRIGHT,

1944,

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Printed in the United States of America

THIS BOOK IS MANUFACTURED UNDER WARTIME CONDITIONS IN CONFORMITY WITH ALL GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS CONTROLLING THE USE OF PAPER AND OTHER MATERIALS

To JOHN J. PERSHING,

General of the Armies of the United States, this volume is dedicated with affection and gratitude.

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA 18 lIay 1944

PREFACE

I FmST MET FRAzmR HUNT MORE THAN TEN YEARS AGO WHEN I was an instructor at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was visiting Army friends there and spent much of his time talking war with student officers and members of the faculty. He displayed an unusual grasp of military affairs. His thirst for military knowledge was eager-almost insatiable. Frazier Hunt, as war correspondent, was at the front during four of the five major campaigns of World War 1. After the War, he was the first American to see the great revolution in Russia. He has talked to Lenin and many of the early Red leaders. From the start, he predicted the Red Revolution would succeed. After he came out of Russia, he joined General Graves in the Far East. Few writers have a greater understanding of the Orient than has Frazier Hunt. He was the first American to interview Gandhi. He knew Sun Vat-sen. He knows Chiang Kai-shek. His close friendship with Manuel Quezon began in the Philippines in 1920. He has known Admiral Togo and many other leading Admirals and Generals of Japan, including the soldier-priest, General Araki. All his life, Frazier Hunt has searched for truth and human understanding. He has studied deeply the undersurface, revoluVll

tionary ferment among underprivileged people. The picture of our restless world and its great persqnalities which he has brought to American readers through his books, articles and radio talks represents the best in journalism. Frazier Hunt has followed World War II from its genesis to the beaches of Hollandia. In 1940, he was an observer in the Middle East, then he saw the German war machine break the frontier and overrun the Low Countries. In January, 1944, he joined the Pacific Fleet and took part in the operations against the Marshalls. He came to the Southwest Pacific area in February, 1944Since coming here, he has had frequent and long talks covering every phase of the operations with officers who have lived the Pacific War from Bataan to Biak. He has had access to the historical data available at this Headquarters. His analyses of the campaigns are accurate. His point of view, although frank and rugged, is always sincere. Frazier Hunt returns to America with the affection and respect of all those who have known him in this Command.

C. A. WILLOUGHBY, Brigadier General, U.S A , Chief; Mil. Intell. Section, General St G.H.~, Southwest Pacific Area.

V111

MAcARTHUR AND THE

WAR AGAINST JAPAN

INDEX Adelaide, South Australia, 72, 81, 90 Admiralty Islands, 47, 109, II2, II8, 140, 152; surprise attack on, 14214 6 Agloloma Bay, 56, 57 Agoo, 37 Aguinaldo, General, 25 Ah Chuh, 89 Aitape, 154, 156 Akin, Colonel Spencer, 26; General, 69 Alice Springs, 71 Anzio, 164 Aparri, 24, 36, 38 Arawe, II 0, II8, 137 Asiatic Fleet, the American, 24, 43 Atimonan, 37, 38 Atlantic Charter, the, 17 Australia, 65, 71, 72, 166; U. S. forces in, 72, 73; defense of, 81 if., 91 if. Australian Army, 73, 81, 82, 84, 90, 96, 98, 99, II6, 132 Australian Broadcasting Co., 75 Australian War Council, 76, 132 Australians, loyalty to MacArthur, 77 Bagnio, 30, 31 Baker, Newton D., 8 Balinaug, 44 Bamboo Fleet, the, 62 Barbey, Rear Admiral, II 9, I 52, 155 Bataan, 23, 24, 32, 38, 40, 44, 45, 50 if., 60, 87 Bataan Heights, 51 Batchelor Field, 7 I Bena-Bena, II7 Biak, II 9, 159 Bismarck Sea, the, I 12, I 13, 126, 136, 137, 140-146, 147

Bismarcks, the, 106, 109 Blamey, General Sir Thomas, 120, 121, 132 Boettcher, Sergeant, 104 Bougainville, IIO, 124, 125, 127, 130, 136 Brereton, Major General Lewis H., 20, 24, 26, 33, 61, 62 Brisbane, 81, 89 British Fleet, 82 Brooke-Popham, Vice Air Marshal, 19 Buin-Faisi, II 0, 124, 125, 130 Buka, 110, 130 Bulkeley, Lieutenant, 65-70 Buna, 85, 92, 94, 98, 99; campaign, 100-105, 110 Bunker, Paul, 67 Burma, 166 Cagayan, 38, 70 Columit bridge, 40, 44, 45 Canberra, 75, 76 Casey, Lt. Col. Hugh, 38 if. Casey, Brigadier General Pat, 8286 Casey's Dynamiters, 39 if., 122 Cavite, 43 Central Pacific Fleet, 152, 16o Chase, William c., 142, 145 Chenowyth, General, 70 China, 166, 167, 171, 172; Japanese in, 3,4 Churchill, Winston, 17, 49 Clark Field, 24, 26, 29-34 Clements, Lt. Colonel Jane, 144 Convoys, to Russia, 60 (;oo!idge, the, 2 I ('.('oper, Colonel Marion, 125, 151 Coral Sea, 86, 88

INDEX Corregidor, 5, 21, 23, 24, 43-46, 67; fall of, 88 Crete, 102 Cunningham, Brigadier General, 137 Curtin, Premier John, 76, 132 Cyclops Mountains, 154, 158, 159 Darlan, 17 Davao, 71 Del Carmen, 32 Del Monte field, 24, 30, 65 Department of the Philippines, 4-6 Diller, Lt. Col., 62 Dobadura, 99, 100 Duck, the, 62 Doe, Brig. General Gene, 154 Dutch East Indies, 169 Dutch Guinea~ 156 Eather, Brigadier, 97 Eichelberger, Lt. General Bob, 102, 10 4, 154, 155 18th Japanese Army, 151 Emirau Island, 141 Empress Augusta Bay, 125, 127, 128, 130, 136 Europe, American supplies for, I I, 12, 13, 17 If., 58-60, 63, 80, 107 Exclusion Act, of 1924, 9 5th U. S. Cavalry, 14 2, 143, 145 57th Infantry, 6 Flipinos, loyalty of, 37, 57, 61, 167If., 174 Finschhafen, IIO, II8, 136, 140 First Marine Division, 138, 139 First Philippine Division, 19, 20, 22, 38 First U. S. Cavalry Division, 142, 143 Formosa, 3 Fort McKinley, 9 Fort O 'Donnell, 2 I Fort Selden, 143 41st U. S. Infantry Division, 90, 154, 15 8 45th Infantry, 6 46th U. S. Engineers, 96

4th Marines, 19, 49 Fuller, Horace, 158 Funston, Brig. General Fred, 25 Gasmata, I 10 Geevlink Bay, 159 George, Brig. General Harold H ., 62, 63, 82, 84 Gilberts, the, 141 Gloucester (New Britain), IIO, II8, 137, 13 8 Gona, 92, 99, 102, 105 Goodenough Island, 152 Green Island, 141 Grunert, Major General, 4, 5 Guadalcanal, 106, IIO, 139 Gusap, 121, 122 Halsey, 106, 110, 122-128, 141 Hansa Bay, 147-150, 153, 154 Hart, Admiral, 24, 43 Heath's Plantation, 120 Herring, Lt. General, 102 Hollandia, II8, 150-162 Hong Kong, 4, 44 Hopi Bay, II8, II9 Hulf, Lt. Col. Sidney, 7, 65 Hull, Sec. of State, 20, 21 Humboldt Bay, 150 Huon Peninsula, 140 Iba, 26, 29, 34 India, 166 Indo-China, Japanese occupation of, Inland Sea, the, 13, 14, 51 Ireland, 63 Irving, Fred, 158

Japanese, occupation of Indo-China by, I; aroused by Exclusion Act, 9; reaffirm fact with Axis, 19; attack on Pear Harbor, 27, 29 If.; air force, 35; first landings in Philippines, 35, 36; signalling by fire, 67; dream of world conquest, 80, 81; land at Milne Bay, 95; losses, II 4, 126--128, 136, 154, 162, 163;

INDEX

179

philosophy of, 133, 134, 162; defense, 16o, 162, 163; dIeam of Asiatic conquest, 171 Japanese Grand Fleet, 141, 160 Japanese Navy, 3 Java, 62, 81 Jungle fighting, 128, 130 Kaiapit, 121 Kavieng, 141, 147 Kelly, Captain Colin, 61 Kenney, Major General George, 94, 95, 99-101, 110, 112 fE, 125, 127, 137fE, 150- 153, 15 6 , 157 Kila,84 King, Charles, 143 Kinkaid, Vice AdIniral, 145 Knox, Secretary of Navy, 17 Kokoda, 91, 94, 97, 9 8, 99 Kolombangara, 124 Konoye, Prince, 4 Krueger, Lieut. GenI. Walter, 137, 154, 155 Kurusu, 20 Lae, 47, 8o, 91, 110 fF., 136 Lae-Salamaua campaign, 86, 112 if. Lamon Bay, 36, 37 Lamer, Ed., 113 Lawton, Henry, 143 LCI's, 116 Legaspi, 24, 36 Lehary, Mick, 117 Lehrbas, Col. Larry, 2, 142, 143 Lingayen Gulf, 23, 31, 32, 36 , 37 LitvinofF, 21 Los Negros, 142 LST's, 117 Luzon, 17, 21-23, 26, 31, 35 fF., 87, 166, 167; MacArthur's total forces on, 22, 23 MacArthur, 69, 89 MacArthur, 25, 133, MacArthur,

Arthur (son), 46, 59, 65, Lt. General Arthur, 9, 143, 17 1 Douglas, order to mo-

bilize Philippine Army, 1 if.; Superintendent of U. S. Military Academy, 8; supreme commander in Philippines, 9; as Chief of Staff, 9; his dIeam for Philippines, 10 if.; retirement, II; loyalty of Filipinos to, 25, 167 if., 174; his defense of Brereton, 33; resumes rank of full General, 43; at Corregidor, 46 fF.; lack of supplies for, II, 13, 17 if., 59if., 80, 90, 107, 122, 136, 163; and fall of Philippines, 46 if., 87, 88; his gold-embroidered cap, 47, 68, 120, 143, 144, 155; order to leave Corregidor, 63--66; trip from Corregidor to Darwin, 67 if.; expected rescue force in Australia, 71 fF.; speech at dinner, 77, 78; his defense of Australia, 81 if.; takes oifensive in Southwest Pacific, 106 if.; possible candidate for President, 107; in first World War, 109; his philosophy of war, 115, 132, 148, 163, 164; always has air superiority, 122, 150; tactfulness, 132; strategy and timing, 165; inadequate naval support, 160; Christmas message to troops, 138; as the author knows him, 173-176 MacArthur, Mrs. Douglas, 46, 58, 59, 65, 69, 89, 90 Madang, 147-150, 153 Malacanan Palace, 2 Malaya, 57, 58, 78-81, 169 Malta, British, 63 Manchurm, 3, 133 Manila, 10, 19, 23, 32, 38, 40, 43, 44; an open city, 50; Japanese in, 168 Manila Bay, 57 Manus, 142, 145 Mariveles, 52 Markham River, the, 117 Markham Valley, the, 116, 119 if. Marquat, Bill, 14 Marshall, Dick, 2, 5, 72, 73, 83

INDTIX

Marshalls, the, 141, 147 Meigs, the, 18 Melbourne, 74, 75, 81, 87 Mellnik, Captain Steve, 14 Merril, Rear Admiral Tip, 127, 128 Midget Divisions, 22 Milne Bay, 91, 9 2 , 95, 96 Mindanao, 14, 24, 30 1 31, 35, 59, 65, 71, 156 Mindanao Sea, 70 Momote, 142 Moore, Major General George, 46 Morhouse, Major, 65 Moresby, 82, 84, 85, 97 Mt. Mariveles, 24, 51 Mt. Natib, 51 Mubo, 117 Munda, IIO, 124 Murmansk, 60 Nadjab, II 7, II8, 119, 121 Nassau Bay, 117 Netherlands East Indies, the, 61, 78, 80, 166 New Britain, 78, 106, 109, II3, 130, 136, 137, 140, 141, 146, 15 1 New Caledonia, 83 New Georgia, IIO, II6, 141 New Guinea, 80, 82, 84, 85, 139, 140, 144, 146, 153, 157, 159; MacArthur's campaign in, 89 fF., 106 fF.; Japanese defense in, 102 fF., 109, 110 New Ireland, II 2, 130, 140, 141 New Zealand, 83 Nichols Field, 24, 32, 34 Nielson Field, 26 Nimitz, Admiral, 122, 141, 152, 153; his Pacific Fleet, 127, 147, 15 2 9th Australian Division, 118 Nomura, Admiral, 20 North Luzon Force, 20, 22 O'Hare, Butch, 86 Olongapo, 51, 54, 56, 87 194th Tank Battalion, 19

II2th Cavalry Regiment, 137 128th U. S. Infantry, 99-101 126th U. S. Infantry, 99 Orani, 51 Owen Stanley Mountains, 84-87, 91, 94, 97, 9 8 Oyama, 133 Palau, 147, 153 Pampanga River, 40 Pancake Hill, IF, 158 Papua, 82 . Parachuters, 120, 121 Pearl Harbor, 9, 27, 29 Pershing, John J., 164 Perth, 73 Philippine Army, 1-6, 18, 23, 70, 16 7 Philippine Army Air Force, 18 Philippine Commonwealth, the, 6 Philippine Constabulary, 25 Philippine fleet, 24, 25 Philippine Islal'lds, the, 4, 5, 166; ten Military Districts of, 6, 7; air force, 7, 18; gold reserve, 43; lack of supplies for, II, 13, 17ft, 59 fF., 80, 107, 108; MacArthur's objective, 109, 146, 147, 159, 165, 170 Philippine Scouts, the, 4-6, 14, 19, 20, 22, 25, 38, 42, 52, 53 Pim, 158 Port Arthur, 9, 27 Port Darwin, 65 Port Moresby, 88, 89, 91, 94, 173 Post of Manila, 9 President Coolidge, the U. S. S., 19 PT boats, 7 Queensland, 89 Quezon, President Manuel, 2, 10, 20, 21, 43, 48, 58, 59, 168 Quezon, Mrs. Manuel, 59 Rabaul, 78, 106fF., 125-127, 130, 136 fF., 147 Rainbow Division, the, 8, 94

INDEX Ray, Captain, 65 Rendova Island, II 6 Rockwell, Admiral, 20, 65, 69, 70 Romulo, Carlos, 62 Roosevelt, Franklin D., I I, 12, 17, 18, 63 Rosales, 30 Rowell, Lt. General, 97 Rupertus, Major General Bill, 138 Russia, Japanese war against, 9 Saidor, IIO, II8, 140, 141, 147, 150 Saigon, I Salamaua, 80, 91, IIO if. San Carlos, 37 Sanananda, 92, 99, 102, 105 Sayre, High Commissioner, 43, 48, 58 Scott, the, 2 I "Seven Mile," 84 17th Japanese Army, 151 17th Pursuit Squadron, 29, 32 7th Amphibious Force, 119, 122, 138, IP. Seventh Cavalry, Custer's, 145 7th Division A. I. F., 97 Shanghai, 19 Sharp, General, 70, 87 Singapore, 44, 57, 58, 61, 78, 156, 166 Sixth Army, the, 137, 154 Sixth Division, Australian, 82 Solomon Islands, 83, 106, 109, 110, II6 Solomon Seas, the, 124-130, 136, 137, 145, 146, 151 South China Sea, 169 South Luzon Force, 20, 22 Stevenot, Joe, 26, 34 Stotsenberg, 21 Stubbs, Major Guy H., 14 Subic Bay, 54, 87 Sutherland, Dick, 2, 5, 27, 30, 31, 45, 60, 65, 71, 83 Sverdrup, Colonel Jack, 99, 100, II7 Swift, I. P., 142 Sydney, 81

Tadji, 151, 153 Tanahmerah, 154, 156, 158 ter Poorten, Hain, 20 Thailand, 17 Thayer, Major Sylvanus, 8 3rd Pursuit Squadron, 29, 32 31st U. S. Infantry, the, 5, 19, P. 34th Pursuit Squadron, 32 32nd U. S. Division, 90, 102 T ojo, Admiral, 4, 9, 19, 134 Triangular Division, 22 Trobriands, the, 116 Truk, 141, 147 Tsilli-Tsilli, 116 Twelfth Cavalry, the, 145 20th Pursuit Squadron, 29, 30, 3 I, 32, 33 21st Pursuit Squadron, 32 25th Brigade, 97 24th Field Artillery, 6 24th U. S. Infantry, 154, 158 26th Cavalry, 6, 22, 35, 38, 42 200th Coast Artillery Anti-Aircraft Regiment, 19 U-boats, Nazi, 18 U. S. Air Force, 26, 29 if., 95, 114 if., 150, 152 U. S. Army, in the Philippines, 4, 5 U. S. Army Forces in the Far East, formation of, 2, 4, 12 if. Valdes, Major General Basil, 5 Vandegrift, 128, 138 Vasey, Major General, 97 Vella Lavella, 1I0, 124 Vigan, 24, 35 Vi~yas, the, 70 Vitiaz Straits, 109, IIO, II2, 114, 136 if. Wainwright, Brig. General Jonathan, 19, 20, 65 W'akde, II9, 159 Wanigela, 100 Washington, MacArthur ordered from Corregidor by 63-66; and

INDEX

fall of Philippines, 87, 88; lack of support for MacArthur, II, 13, 17££·, 59££., 80, 107, 108

Wau, 116 WaveIl, 62, 83 West Point, 8 Wewak, 117, 118, 126, 148, 150, 151

Whaling, "Jungle Jim", 139 Whitehead, Major General, 113, 114, 125, 15 1

Willoughby, Brig. General Charles, 52, 56, 148, 150

W oodlark Island, I 16 Zambales Mountains, 87