WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk USA - We Have Ways: The Philippines
28 snips
Aug 24, 2023 
John McManus, a renowned expert in US military history, joins Al Murray and James Holland to explore the intricate dynamics of the Philippines campaign during WWII. They discuss the strategic successes and struggles of military leadership, and how guerrilla tactics transformed the battle landscape. The impact of indigenous support is contrasted with European resistance challenges. They also uncover the emotional toll on Japanese forces and the complex legacy of war shaped by racial perceptions and historical narratives.
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Lean Logistics Enabled Rapid Liberation
- Robert Eichelberger ran a lean, highly mobile Philippine campaign by cutting reserve supplies to become nimble.
- That mobility plus expert logistics and staff coordination let him seize initiative across many islands.
Guerrillas As A Division-Level Force
- Eichelberger collaborated closely with Filipino guerrillas, notably Wendell Ferdig's force of roughly 30,000.
- Those guerrillas acted like a quasi-division and were decisive in islands such as Mindanao.
Army-Led Resistance Beats Spy Bureaucracy
- The US army's long experience in the Philippines produced better local intelligence and guerrilla coordination than intelligence services alone.
- That army-led approach made guerrilla cooperation more effective than many Western European resistance efforts.
