WW2's Most Evil Comeback

The only order that MacArthur obeyed was to leave the Philippines. But worse than that, he was awarded the medal of honour for doing it but when “skinny” wainwright was nominated for the award, MacArthur made sure it didn’t go through.

I once met an Australian veteran who was captured and interned by the Japanese in the Malay campaign. He was tortured and used as slave labour. However, he told a story that before his capture his unit was retreating to Singapore, the lines were very confused as the Japanese were racing ahead. At one point they came across a clearing in the jungle and the saw around 200 Japanese sitting down and having lunch. Before the Japanese saw them they surrounded the field with Bren guns and opened fire catching the Japanese off guard killing all of them. Many Japanese tried to charge his position. He said the barrel of his Bren was so red hot from firing that when he hit it against a tree to try to an unblock a round or remove the magazine the barrel wrapped around the tree. As such whenever he felt he couldn’t go on in prison he thought to himself there is nothing the Japanese could do that could ‘repay’ that fortunate ambush.

The real crime in the Pacific theater was when the Japanese criminals were tried and convicted their sentences were dismissed. That in and of itself is a slap in the face to the American and Philippino prisoners of war.

I had the honor to meet Glenn McDole at his home in Des Moines, IA, before he passed. He was a Marine POW in the Philippines and one of the very few survivors of the Palawan Massacre. He signed and gave me a copy of his book, "Last Man Out", and the story will chill you to the bone. This would be a very good future topic for this channel.

My grandfather Maj.Luis Gelacio, (+) USAFFE, fought in the Bataan defense lines and was eventually captured. He told me that he survived the Death March by eating grasshoppers, weeds,snails,any protein or carb they can find.He also told of soldiers eating even the leather of their shoes because of starvation.He survived the hellish conditions,as he wants to see my Grandma.I'm proud of his gallantry and steel resolve,his survival is my survival. I would not be writing this if not for his courage to live thru that hell...

My great uncle Timothy Campbell Was captured at Corregidor after the submarine He was an officer on was sunk by a Japanese destroyer off the coast while attempting to bring in supplies during the last days of the siege. He survived the Bataan Death March, years in camp O’Donnell and a horrifying trip on a Hell ship to Japan. He was liberated after Japan surrendered and returned home. My family prayed every night of the war for his return and it was a true Miracle he survived that nightmare.

arrogance + ego = D. MacArthur

MacArthur didn’t have a lapse of judgement he had a huge streak of arrogance

MacArthur should have paid attention to the assessment showing the Japanese were en route. Very sad

My exgf's grandfather survived Bataan and he wrote about it. How anyone could live through that is astounding.

McArthur was seen as a war hero only in his own bluster and propaganda. Dueto his failure to prepare to defend the Philippines, complete lack rain forest and jungle tactics, overall lack of tactical competence, dismissal of any talented subordinates questioning his orders, treatment of Allies' generals and Colonels, refusal to heed pre-invasion warnings, and freezing at the most crucial moment when the first attacks began, McArthur was seen as an inept glory hound by the Filipino, Australian, and New Zealand military. And the US Navy, Army, Marines, and Air Corps as well as any Brit sentenced to serve under him.

My Dad lost 3 uncles during this Japanese onslaught. 1 in Corregidor, 1 during the Bataan Death March and another as a prisoner in Camp O'Donnell (concentration camp). All of them were brothers. I was so moved to see him get emotinal while clutching his uncles' unit colors when we visited the Bataan Heroe's Shrine.

My uncle was at Bataan. He survived the death march but died of beriberi at Cabanatuan P.O.W. Camp

Mt wife's uncle was captured and endured the Bataan Death march. He hated the Japanese until the day he died.

Thanks for the morning history session !

My Grandfather fought in the pacific in WWII. he said "some of the things he saw the Japanese do? Humans just dont do that to humans". and he would shutter and go silent for a few hours.

A high school friend's dad survived the death march and being a POW throughout the war. He never recovered his prewar weight.

I never understood how MacArthur was made out to be a hero after the disgraceful way he led the defense of the PI.

I knew a man who survived the death march. I worked in a library, in a small town, and he opened up to me about his experience. Later, his wife came to me, in astonishment, because she said, "he's never told anyone about those things that happened to him, back then." I think I should have been a priest.

There's a town called Terowie in South Australia, about 200kms north from Adelaide. It was at the Terowie Train Station that the rail guage changed, passengers had to change trains there. The press knew that MacArthur was traveling by train from Melbourne, through Adelaide and then up north to Darwin, but that he had to alight at Terowie. While MacArthur was changing trains at Terowie he first said those famous words as part of a larger speech "I have come out of the Bataan, and I shall return". There's a small plaque on Terowie Train Station commemorating the event, and there's newsreel footage of it also.