70th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War
“With the formal surrender of the Japanese Empire today, September 2, 1945, the long and terrible war is at an end. President Truman, speaking on behalf of all the United Nations, has proclaimed this day as V-J Day. The surrender of Japan marks the turning point for us and for the peoples of all the United Nations.”
— Message of President Sergio Osmeña to the Filipino people on V-J Day, September 2, 1945
TIMELINE
Key events during the World War II in the Philippines
PHOTO GALLERY
Original scans of historical photographs taken during the Second World War
ARCHIVAL VIDEOS
View footage of some scenes of World War II in the Philippines
COMMONWEALTH
On November 15, 1935, the Filipino people took the penultimate step to independence with the inauguration of the Commonwealth of the Philippines
FALL OF BATAAN
On April 9, 1942, officials in command of Bataan—where Filipino and American forces maintained the main resistance in the war against the Japanese—formally surrendered
FALL OF CORREGIDOR
On May 6, 1942, Corregidor Island, the island fortress at the entrance of Manila Bay, fell to the Japanese Imperial Army
SECOND REPUBLIC
The Second Philippine Republic was established on October 14, 1943 with Jose P. Laurel as President
LEYTE LANDING
On October 20, 1944, American forces landed on Red Beach in the municipality of Palo, roughly 14 kilometers from Tacloban
BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF
The Battle of Leyte Gulf is the largest naval battle in the Pacific, and the largest naval battle in recorded history
BATTLE OF MANILA
The battle for the liberation of Manila—waged from February 3 to March 3, 1945, between Philippine and American forces, and the Imperial Japanese forces
REPUBLIC DAY
Every year, on July 4, we commemorate the foundation of the Republic of the Philippines
RESOURCES
Statements by President Osmeña on the end of the Second World War
Acknowledgments
The Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office and the Presidential Museum and Library would like to thank the following for their invaluable help and assistance in this project: Mr. Jose Custodio, Dr. Benito J. Legarda Jr., Dr. Ricardo T. Jose, Mr. Paulo Alcazaren, Mr. Robert Hudson, Ambassador Juan Jose Rocha, Mrs. Sylvia Lichauco de Leon, Mr. John Tewell, Mr. Lou Gopal, Mr. Jun Dagmang, Mr. Manuel Angelo Carreon II, Mr. Daniel Enrique Ladioray, Mr. Ted Estacio, Ms. Lorelei Stewart Mayer, Javier Family, ITS Seattle Pacific Flickr, StudioBob Flickr, British Pathé, Manuel Roxas Foundation, Gerry Roxas Foundation, Philippine Republic Stamps Blog, Department of National Defense, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, National Museum of the Philippines, The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (LtGen. Ernesto G. Carolina AFP (Ret) and Mrs. Maria Juanita S. Fajardo-Rivera), Araw ng Kagitingan and Philippine Veterans Week Technical Working Committee, Memorare Manila 1945 Foundation, Tiger Films Productions, Filipinas Heritage Library, Lopez Museum and Library, Ortigas Foundation Library, Mario Feir Filipiniana Library Heritage, Conservation Society, National Parks Development Committee, TIME Inc., Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, VCRT MacArthur Forum, Inc., and the Battle of Manila Online website.
Recommended Readings and Related Documents
Republic Day, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
70th anniversary of the Battle of Manila, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
70th anniversary of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, on the Presidential Museum and Library
70th anniversary of the Leyte Landing, on the Presidential Museum and Library
The Commonwealth of the Philippines, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
70th anniversary of the Second Philippine Republic, on the Presidential Museum and Library
Birth anniversary of President Jose P. Laurel, on the Presidential Museum and Library
Anniversary of the Battle of Manila, on the Presidential Museum and Library
Araw ng Kagitingan 2012, on the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office
Araw ng Kagitingan 2013, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Araw ng Kagitingan 2014, on the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office
Audio: “To the People of the Philippines,” Field Marshal Douglas MacArthur’s speech, October 20, 1944, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines Soundcloud.
Audio: Bataan Has Fallen, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines Soundcloud
Essay: Dr. Jose P. Laurel as President of the Second Philippine Republic, by Dr. Ricardo T. Jose
Essay: The KALIBAPI (Association for Service to the New Philippines) during the Japanese Occupation, by Dr. Ricardo T. Jose, December 27, 2001
Timeline: World War II in the Philippines, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Profile: Manuel L. Quezon, on the Presidential Museum and Library
Profile: Sergio Osmeña, on the Presidential Museum and Library
Profile: Jose P. Laurel, on the Presidential Museum and Library
Document: The 1943 Philippine Constitution, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Briefer: History of the Philippine Flag, on the Presidential Museum and Library
Briefer: Origin of the Symbols of our National Flag, on the Presidential Museum and Library
Briefer: Jose Abad Santos: Counselor of the Nation
Briefer: The Execution of Jose Abad Santos
Report: Fifth Annual Report of the United States High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands November 12, 1942, United States Government Printing Office, 1943
Report: Report of the Philippine Executive Commission to Director, Japanese Military Administration by Chairman Jorge B. Vargas, 1943
Report: Army Service Forces Manual M354-18C Civil Affairs Handbook Section 18C: Japanese Administration of Occupied Areas — Philippine Islands, Headquarters Army Service Forces, July 31, 1944
Report: Possible Developments Resulting from the Granting of Amnesty to Accused Collaborators in the Philippines by the Central Intelligence Agency April 28, 1948
Speech: Message of President Osmeña to Field Marshal Douglas MacArthur on the surrender of Japanese forces, September 3, 1945, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Speech: Sergio Osmeña, State of the Nation Address, June 9, 1945, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Speech: Memorial Day Address of President Roxas at the National Cemetery in Capas Tarlac, November 30, 1946, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Speech: Address of President Roxas at the Convention of the Confederation of Filipino Veterans, February 5, 1947, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Telegram: President Quezon to President Roosevelt, December 9, 1941, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Telegram: President Roosevelt to President Quezon, December 11, 1941, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Telegram: President Roosevelt to President Quezon regarding his letter to Field Marshal MacArthur, January 30, 1942, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Telegram: President Quezon to President Roosevelt, February 8, 1942, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Telegram: President Quezon to President Roosevelt, February 10, 1942, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Telegram: President Roosevelt to President Quezon, February 11, 1942, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Telegram: President Quezon to Field Marshal MacArthur, March 17, 1942, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Letter: President Quezon to Field Marshal MacArthur, January 28, 1942, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Letter: President Quezon to Field Marshal MacArthur, January 28, 1944, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Letter: President Quezon to Field Marshal Douglas MacArthur, February 20, 1942, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines
Photoset: Battle of Manila, on the Presidential Museum and Library Flickr
Photoset: The Japanese Occupation of the Philippines, on the Presidential Museum and Library Flickr
Photoset: President Manuel L. Quezon, on the Presidential Museum and Library Flickr
Photoset: President Sergio Osmeña, on the Presidential Museum and Library Flickr
Photoset: President Jose P. Laurel, on the Presidential Museum and Library Flickr
Features: World War II, on the Presidential Museum and Library Tumblr
Video: Battle of Manila 1945, on the Official Gazette of the Philippines Youtube
PGH 1945: Days of terror, nights of fear by Miguel P. Avanceña
World War II in the Philippines: The lasting effect on the Filipino people by Alfonso J. Aluit
Malacañan memoirs, February 28, 1949 by Ernesto T. Bitong
