Professor Greg Jackson

A retirement that ended as the looming threat of war with Japan brought him back to the U.S.

Army in July 1941 as commander in the Far East.

And I'd say that gets us up to speed on the Commonwealth of the Philippines, its relationship to the United States, and Douglas MacArthur's past and current role on the archipelago when the Japanese landed that devastating blow against Doug's still-on-the-ground planes on December 8, 1941.

I'm sure you recall that initial attack from Episode 194, and with this background, we're now ready to continue the tale of the fight for the Philippines.

That same December day, the Japanese spread throughout the archipelago.

They hit the island of Luzon and the Davao region of the island of Mindanao.

But Doug insists that, despite the destruction, his combined American and Filipino forces will face any Japanese invasion.

On December 10th, Japanese General Homa Masaharu's troops land on the island of Luzon, just north of the Philippines' capital city of Manila.

General Jonathan Skinny Wainwright and his American North Luzon Force, or First Philippine Corps, fall back.

Meanwhile, General George Parker's Second Philippine Corps is also pressed to withdraw.

Both forces are moving southward as air power is virtually destroyed.

In fact, by December 19th, remaining B-17s flee across the skies to Australia.

Meanwhile, more Japanese troops arrive north of Manila on December 22nd.

General Douglas MacArthur, Philippine President Manuel Quezon, and all of their families and staff headquartered in the capital recognize that it's time to fall back.

They do so on December 24th, Christmas Eve, and on December 26th, Doug declares Manila an open city, meaning that the Japanese will encounter no resistance.

Under international law, that means the Japanese should occupy the city peacefully, and they do.

Walking under banners raised over the streets that declare no shooting, the Japanese freely take Manila.

But make no mistake, our American general and Philippine president haven't given up.

Lacking a better or more updated path, they're abiding by a plan that predates Pearl Harbor, War Plan Orange, which means using delay and defense tactics while awaiting the Pacific fleet.

The combined American and Filipino force prepares to hold a mountainous and heavily forested peninsula on the western side of Luzon, just across the bay from Manila.