Raid at Cabanatuan
After the Attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan on December 7, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan and its allies. At the same time the Japanese also attacked the American bases at Guam, Wake Island and the Philippines. While Guam and Wake Island soon fell, Filipino and U.S. forces resisted in the Philippines until early May 1942.  By this time, the Japanese controlled nearly all of Southeast Asia. The Bataan peninsula and the island of Corregidor were the only remaining Allied strongholds in the region. On April 9, 1942 about 11,800 American, 66,000 Filipino and 1,000 Chinese-Filipinos surrendered to the Japanese. They were starving, sick and fatigued, yet were forced to march 60 miles (97 km) with many dying along the way. This was the infamous Bataan Death March. Many also escaped and joined guerrilla forces hiding in the mountains. About 79,000 survived and were imprisoned at Camp O'Donnell. The American and Filipino forces on Island of Corregidor surrendered on May 6, 1942. The approximately 79,000 forces captured on Corregidor were not a part of the Death March. They were loaded onto cargo ships and taken to Manila. There they were marched through the streets as a celebration of the Japanese victory. They were then sent to Cabanatuan camp number 1 near Cabanatuan city. They were joined by other American prisoners from Camp O'Donnell.