fbpx

KidsKonnect

Bataan Death March Facts & Worksheets

The Bataan Death March was when the Japanese forced about 78,000 Filipino and American troops to march roughly 80 miles across the Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 during World War II.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Social Studies /Famous Wars /World War Two (WWII) /Bataan Death March Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Bataan Death March Worksheets
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

In December 1941, Japan invaded the Philippines, defeating Filipino and American soldiers. The Bataan Death March was when the Japanese forced about 78,000 Filipino and American troops to march roughly 80 miles across the Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 during World War II.

See the fact file below for more information on the Bataan Death March or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Bataan Death March worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

INTRODUCTION

  • Beginning on April 9, 1942, the entire distance marched from Mariveles to San Fernando and from the Capas Train Station to Camp O’Donnell is variously reported by differing sources as more than 60 miles.
  • The marchers made the trek in extreme heat and were subjected to harsh treatment by Japanese guards. Thousands perished in what is known today as the Bataan Death March.

BATAAN DEATH MARCH: BACKGROUND

  • After bombing Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Japan began the invasion of the Philippines on December 8, 1941, with the goal of dominating Asia and the Pacific.
  • At that time, the United States of America controlled the Philippines and held important military bases there.
  • As the Japanese troops approached the Philippines, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur moved the U.S. forces from the city of Manila to the Bataan Peninsula, hoping that he could save the city from destruction.
  • After three months of fighting, the Japanese defeated the combined U.S.-Filipino army at the Battle of Bataan.
  • On April 9, 1942, General Edward King, Jr., with his forces being crippled by starvation and disease, surrendered his more than 75,000 troops.

THE PLAN

  • Japanese General Masaharu Homma knew he had to do something with the big army he had captured.
  • The plan was to move them to Camp O’Donnell, about 80 miles away, which the Japanese would turn into a prison.
  • From Mariveles, the prisoners would march north more than 60 miles to a village called San Fernando.
  • From there, the prisoners would ride by train for 25 miles to the town of Capas and then march on foot once more for about 7 miles to Camp O’Donnell, which had been a Philippine army post.
  • The size of the captured army took the Japanese by surprise. The Japanese thought there were only around 25,000 Allied soldiers, but the number was closer to 76,000.
  • They split the army into smaller groups of 100 to 1,000 men, took their weapons, and told them to begin marching.

THE DEATH MARCH

  • The prisoners had to march in intense, hot conditions.
  • They were given almost no food or water along their journey. Because of the extreme thirst, some men took risks, such as trying to drink dirty water from the side of the road.
  • As the prisoners became weaker and weaker, many of them began to fall behind the group, and those that fell behind were beaten and killed by the Japanese.
  • Some exhausted prisoners were run over by trucks and other army vehicles.
  • The exact number is unknown, but it is believed that thousands of troops died due to the brutality of their captors, who starved and beat the marchers and bayoneted those who were too weak to walk.

END OF THE MARCH

  • The march lasted for six days, although it went on for up to 12 days for others.
  • When the soldiers reached the camp, conditions didn’t improve much. Thousands more died at the camp because of starvation and disease over the next few years.

AFTERMATH

  • The Bataan Death March made the Philippines get involved in World War II.
  • The Japanese army had forced marches in different places it had conquered, and it worked thousands of British, Dutch, and Australian prisoners of war to death, but those crimes did not make headlines until later.
  • Even the Bataan Death March was a secret for many years.
  • It was not until January 27, 1944, that the U.S. government informed the American people about the march when they published sworn statements of military officers who had escaped.
  • Shortly, the stories of the escaped officers were emphasized in a LIFE magazine article that sparked outrage in the United States.
  • After the end of World War II, the Japanese officer in charge of the march, General Masaharu Homma, was executed for “war crimes against humanity” on April 3, 1946.

POST WAR COMMEMORATIONS

  • On September 13, 2010, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada gave apologies to a group of 6 former American soldiers who had been held as prisoners of war by the Japanese.
  • The soldiers, their families, and the families of two deceased soldiers were invited to tour Japan at the cost of the Japanese government.
  • Multiple memorials (including monuments, plaques, and schools) dedicated to the dead prisoners during the Bataan Death March exist in the United States and in the Philippines.
  • Several varieties of commemorative events are held to give honour to the victims, such as holidays, athletic events like ultramarathons, and memorial ceremonies held at military cemeteries.

INTERESTING FACTS

  • General MacArthur personally intended to remain and fight at Bataan but was ordered by President Roosevelt to evacuate.
  • When the Japanese first arrested the army, they executed about 400 Filipino officers who had surrendered.
  • The Japanese tried to cover up the event by having the local newspaper report that the prisoners were treated humanely. The truth about the march was revealed when escaped prisoners told their stories.

Bataan Death March Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Bataan Death March across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Bataan Death March worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Bataan Death March which was when the Japanese forced about 78,000 Filipino and American troops to march roughly 80 miles across the Bataan Peninsula in April 1942 during World War II.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Bataan Death March Facts
  • Guess What?
  • Introductory Essay
  • The Three Nations
  • Places in the Philippines
  • Historical Ladder
  • America vs Japan
  • A Soldier’s Poem
  • Fact March
  • Through Painting
  • Propaganda Poster

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Bataan Death March Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 10, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources