13. The culmination of the Japanese conquest of the Philippines, the Battle of Corregidor saw thousands die in a single day and more than ten thousand Allied soldiers become prisoners of war
The largest of four fortified islands protecting the mouth of Manila Bay, Corregidor housed Fort Mills: an extensive reinforced complex comprising fifty-six pieces of coastal artillery, as well as more than seventy anti-aircraft guns, and which had served, until March 12, as the headquarters of General MacArthur. Following the fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942, U.S. Army Forces in the Far East were crippled in its opposition to the invading Japanese forces in the Philippines. The only remaining obstacle to Japanese domination, Corregidor swiftly became the focus of Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma to permit safe access to Manila Bay and its harbor.
Launching a prolonged bombardment upon the approximately fourteen thousand Allied soldiers sheltering within, on May 5 the Japanese launched a final assault encompassing a combined force of seventy-five thousand. Although putting up a strong resistance, fighting hand-to-hand against the attackers, the Allied positions were eventually overrun. Burning the regimental and national flags to prevent their capture, following radioing President Roosevelt to inform him of the loss, on the afternoon of May 6 the Allies were forced to surrender. Suffering almost two thousand casualties – half of which were killed in action – the defeat provided the Japanese with more than ten thousand prisoners of war.