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Title
A Less Peaceful Christmas
Description
The Japanese had landed at Lingayen Bay with 43,000 troops composed mostly of the 48th Division which had been activated in 1940 on the island of Formosa and which had not yet seen battle. Using landing craft and powered sampans, the Japanese landed in several waves and on 22 …
Publisher
Date
1941-12-25
Scenario#
S076
Scenario Description
The Japanese had landed at Lingayen Bay with 43,000 troops composed mostly of the 48th Division which had been activated in 1940 on the island of Formosa and which had not yet seen battle. Using landing craft and powered sampans, the Japanese landed in several waves and on 22 December advanced in tank-infantry columns. The American-Filipino force reacted quickly but was soon forced to retreat whereupon they established a series of defensive lines further south to withdraw in order. The forces under General Wainwright, commander of the North Luzon Force, ahd been badly disorganized over the previous days' fighting at the landing sites, and the first defensive line ("D-1") was simply a line on the map where he could reform his troops. While most of the line did reorganize and withdrew to "D-2" under the safety of screening forces by 25 December, the 11th Division had a less peaceful Christmas Day. The 11th dug in around the small village of Urdaneta where they met the 1st Formosan Regiment.
Location
Urdaneta, Luzon
Battle Narrative
The Philippines campaign, also known as the Battle of the Philippines or the Fall of the Philippines, was from December 8, 1941 to May 8, 1942 the invasion of the Philippines by the Empire of Japan and the defense of the islands by United States and the Philippine Armies during World War II. The Japanese launched the invasion by sea from Formosa, over 200 miles north of the Philippines. The defending forces outnumbered the Japanese 3-2 but were a mixed force of non-combat experienced regular, national guard, constabulary and newly-created Commonwealth units. The Japanese used first-line troops at the outset of the campaign, and by concentrating their forces, they swiftly overran most of Luzon during the first month. The Japanese high command, believing that they had won the campaign, made a strategic decision to advance by a month their timetable of operations in Borneo and Indonesia and to withdraw their best division and the bulk of their airpower in early January 1942. That, coupled with the defenders' decision to withdraw into a defensive holding position in the Bataan Peninsula, enabled the Americans and Filipinos to hold out for four more months. Japan's conquest of the Philippines is often considered the worst military defeat in US history. About 23,000 American military personnel, and about 100,000 Filipino soldiers were killed or captured.
Combatants
Japanese
Filipino
Additional Information
Scenario Type = Starter Kit

Geolocation