quote:
from what i understand, there wasn't a whole lot of fighting. he could have routed the Japanese while they were assaulting the Pillippinnes, or at least not stayed in Australia for 3 or 4 years...
well since im from the Philippines, and just took up my "formal" history lesson in college. you could say that AMERICANS did try to help the Philippines against the Japs however lost because of few men and weapons. they tried to protect and help the Philippines but lost in thier last stand against the Japs in some island (i forgot). in turn, the death march was placed against the Americans and the Philippine solders who fought against the Japs. America was halfway around the world (look at the world map), thier current technology then could not be able to move aircraft carriers right away , did not have enought military power because of pearl harbor, and was on the defensive side and the PHilippines was "secondary" since we were just a colonize country of the US. it was said that the AMericans agreed to let the PHilippines have thier independence right away. the PHilippines (under american rule) if captured by the japs, would be a humiliation to the americans that is why they wanted to let us have independence right away so the US would have no ties in the Philippines when the Japs captured us (my history teacher taught me that)