Bataan Death March 2024

The Bataan Death March was a brutal forced march of Filipino and American prisoners of war (POWs) during World War II. It took place after the surrender of American and Filipino forces to the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines in April 1942, following months of intense fighting in the Battle of Bataan.

The march occurred between April 9 and April 15, 1942, when approximately 75,000 Filipino and 12,000 American soldiers were forced to march about 65 miles (105 km) from the Bataan Peninsula to a prison camp in Capas, Tarlac. The prisoners were subjected to extreme conditions, including intense heat, inadequate food and water, and brutal treatment by their captors. Many were beaten, shot, or bayoneted if they stumbled, fell behind, or attempted to escape. Thousands died from exhaustion, starvation, disease, or execution during the march.

The Bataan Death March is considered one of the most infamous atrocities of World War II, symbolizing the cruelty of the Japanese occupation in the Philippines and highlighting the suffering of soldiers and civilians under wartime conditions. The event has been memorialized and remains a significant chapter in the history of the Philippines and the United States.