127 - Fortress Singapore Stands Alone! - WW2 - January 30, 1942

by Panzer
But he is related to Rommel!
Yeah, Yeah!
Opposite sides! Yeah?
Polish - German, German - Polish.
Okay - Prussian.
Yeah!
Yeah...
Okay
January 30, 1942
American Commander Douglas MacArthur tells Washington that there is no more room for
maneuvers and he is going to fight until complete destruction.
The troops have this to say about their situation:
“We’re the battling bastards of Bataan: No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam,
No aunts, no uncles, no nephews, no nieces, No rifles, no planes, or artillery pieces,
And nobody gives a damn.”
Well, that’s not true- Washington does give
a damn; they just can’t send any relief.
I’m Indy Neidell; this is World War Two.
Last week at a conference in a Berlin suburb,
German leaders decided on their “final solution” to what they call the Jewish Question.
It involves murdering them.
In North Africa, Erwin Rommel launched an offensive that took the Allies by surprise,
the Soviets were advancing but getting orders that took the generals by surprise, and in
Southeast Asia to no one’s surprise, the Japanese continued their advances everywhere.
As they do this week in the Philippines.
On the 24th, the US and Filipino forces in
Bataan Peninsula begin withdrawal from the Abucay Defense Line.
That night, the Japanese land at Port Longoskayan, south of the American defenses.
This is another attempt like that of the 22nd to cut the west coast road.
Fighting is fierce all week, but the Japanese are defeated by the end of the week.
This is also part of the Battle of the Points.
The Japanese have, though, thanks to the thick
jungle, managed to form two pockets behind the Filipino-American lines, and fighting
develops in The Battle of the Pockets as the week rolls along, with a big counterattack
beginning the 29th.
MacArthur's retreating forces reach the Pilar-Bagac
Road the 25th, but the Japanese close in by the 26th.
They are losing faith, however, in a rapid conquest of Bataan and soon pull back to a
better defensive line of their own and ask Manila for reinforcements.