Japanese Occupation of the Philippines

Japanese Occupation of the Philippines
Part of the Pacific theater of World War II
A Japanese soldier standing in front of an American propaganda poster during the occupation of the Philippines in 1943.
Date 8 May 1942 – 5 July 1945 Location Philippines Result 1941–42: Japanese victory Japan invades the Philippines (1941–1942) and establishes pro-Japan Council of State (1942–1943) Philippine Commonwealth government forced into exile (1942–1945) Japanese puppet state Second Republic established (1943–1945) 1944—1945: Allied victory Allied forces liberate the Philippines (1944–1945) Second Republic is dissolved (1945) and Commonwealth returns (1945–1946) The Philippines become independent from the United States (1946)
Belligerents
United States Philippine Commonwealth	Empire of Japan  Second Philippine Republic	Hukbalahap
		Unaffiliated Moro Muslim insurgents
Commanders and leaders
GA Douglas MacArthur Pres. Manuel L. Quezon Pres. Sergio Osmeña Maj Gen. Basilio J. Valdez	Governor-Generals Masaharu Homma Shizuichi Tanaka Shigenori Kuroda Tomoyuki Yamashita Pres. José P. Laurel	Chairman Luis Taruc Moro leaders Datu Gumbay Piang Salipada Pendatun Sultan of Sulu Jainal Abirin Sultan of Ramain Alonto Datu Pino Datu Busran Kalaw Amer Manalao Mindalano Sultan Mohamad Ali Dimaporo Datu Lacub Datu Dimalaung
Units involved
Armed Forces Philippines Philippine Commonwealth Army Philippine Constabulary (from 1944) Philippine Commonwealth Navy (from 1945) Philippine Army Air Corps (from 1945) United States United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Navy United States Army Air Force Resistance and Irregular Forces Hunters ROTC Markings Filipino-American Guerrillas Other local recognized guerrilla units	Imperial Japan Imperial Japanese Army Imperial Japanese Navy Makapili Second Philippine Republic Bureau of Constabulary (until 1944)	Hukbalahap fighters Moro Juramentados

 United States

 Empire of Japan

Chairman Luis Taruc

Second Philippine Republic

Hukbalahap fighters

The Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred between 1942 and 1945, when the Empire of Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the Philippines during World War II.

The invasion of the Philippines started on 8 December 1941, ten hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. As at Pearl Harbor, American aircraft were severely damaged in the initial Japanese attack. Lacking air cover, the American Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines withdrew to Java on 12 December 1941. General Douglas MacArthur was ordered out, leaving his men at Corregidor on the night of 11 March 1942 for Australia, 4,000 km away. The 76,000 starving and sick American and Filipino defenders on Bataan surrendered on 9 April 1942, and were forced to endure the infamous Bataan Death March on which 7,000–10,000 died or were murdered. The 13,000 survivors on Corregidor surrendered on 6 May.