Bataan Death March Research Paper

The 60 Mile March of Death: Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was further than a 60 mile march for the American and Filipino prisoners of WWII. The Japanese assembled all their captives to direct them to prison camps. Many prisoners didn’t even make it to the camps before being killed or dying from other illnesses, resulting in a very gruesome and brutal travel. The Bataan Death March was a result from the Japanese attacking the Pearl Harbor in 1942. Although the Japanese were very brutal and cruel to the Americans and Filipinos during WW II they are no longer enemies. Rather, they now stand as allies to one another. Within a month after the bombing of the Pearl Harbor, the Japanese captured the capital of the Philippines, Manila. …show more content…
The men who could not fit on the train car were forced to walk an even longer of a journey until they reached the camp site. Camp O’Donnell was located in Capas, North Central Luzon. The U.S. contacted the Japanese government December 18th informing them that they were breaking the Geneva Convention of 1929. The Convention states the guidelines for prisoners of war and how they must be treated (History.com Staff, 2009). The Japanese showed no interest in what the U.S. had to say. The Japanese tried to cover up how badly they were treating the prisoners in the newspaper by saying that the prisoners were bring well treated. Once the first group of prisoners reached Camp O’Donnell they were introduced to the camp rules. If prisoners disobeyed orders or tried escaping they were to be shot to death. Every prisoner was also required to salute to all officers and soldiers of the Japanese. Captives were forced to do physical work; build water pumps, build airfields and construct hospitals and any other given jobs to help the Japanese. (Capture and Death March, …show more content…
All prisoners in Camp O’Donnell were rescued and freed. After the war the American Military captured Homma Masaharu, the commander of the Japanese invasion. Masaharu was responsible for the Bataan Death March and war crime. He was executed by a firing squad on April 3, 1946 (History.com Staff, 2009). Although the event of the Bataan Death March took place over 70 years the Japanese and U.S. now have an enhanced relationship also with the Filipinos. The two are now alliances and do a lot of trade with one another. Many treaties have been built between the two, allowing the alliance to grow stronger than ever. The Japanese and Americans have come a long way sense the Bataan Death March and WW11 along with the