WW13 Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey (Bataan Death March)

By rgen77

(While the picture was taken with an obvious intent for irony, the rest of the post gives the content the gravity to which it is due. )

The picture  above is a Bataan Death March Marker which commemorates the forced journey  of 76,000 Filipino and American WWII prisoners of war over 128 km (80mi) with limited food and water.  The road from Mariveles, Bataan to Capas, Tarlac is peppered with these markers (see map below).

The Bataan Death March started on April 10, 1942, a day after the Fall of Bataan. Bataan is a province Northwest of Manila and, with the island of Corregidor, was the last defense of Manila against the Japanese during World War 2. The surrender of these two defense posts forced the United States to surrender the Philippines completely to the Japanese.

The Bataan Death March was intended to transfer the surrendering soldiers from Bataan to a Japanese war camp in Tarlac. The Japanese did not anticipate the number of surrendering prisoners after the 3 month battle for Bataan, and did not have enough capacity on freight trains. The journey was fraught with sickness, heat, and cruelty to the prisoners, and thus earning a spot on the Japanese War Crimes list. Only approximately 50,000 soldiers survived the march.

More history on the Bataan Death March and World War II in the Philippines in the links below. The YouTube video on the Last Broadcast from Corregidor will give you goosebumps.

Route taken during the Bataan Death March. Sec...

Surrender on Bataan

Surrender on Bataan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The March of Death. Along the March which thes...

The March of Death. Along the March which these prisoners were photographed, they have their hands tied behind their backs. The March of Death was about May 1942, from Bataan to Cabanatuan, the prison camp. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

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6 thoughts on “WW13 Weekly Photo Challenge: Journey (Bataan Death March)”

  2. It’s a wonder how anyone survived this march and you have to wonder what type of shape the minds of the survivors were in. Reading about these types of horrors we commit against each other is chilling. I went and watched the youtube video you mentioned and you’re right, it gave me goosebumps.

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    • I like the comment you made, it changed my perspective from the amount of people who died to the quality of people who survived this hardship and continued to live good lives. I harbor no ill will against the torturers. Its war that’s the enemy.

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  3. Fascinating … TY fr shring thta one. 😉
    I’m finally catching up but will have to come back and comment later on other posts. Thanks for your patience! 🙂

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