Stepping Stones to the Philippines

Another in the Crusade in the Pacific series.

The video starts out by talking about problems with climate and terrain in the Pacific. There was lots of water, mud, disease-carrying insects, etc. that were a constant problem for the soldiers, and this doesn't count the heat and humidity that they had to endure.

In talks about New Guinea fighting and how the jungle terrain made it very difficult to spot the enemy.

They have a speech by MacArthur when he was in Australia.

Japanese planes attack a U.S. invasion force.

The video then talks about a group of Native Americans who were used as scouts on Ararwa.

They also functioned as snipers and message carriers.

Then it talks about the coastwatchers and the part they played in the war.

U.S. planes strafe and bomb another part of New Britain.

Again, Marines on foot work closely with a tank to advance on the enemy.(Again, there are closeups of dead Japanese soldiers.)

Rabaul comes under attack.

Rabaul is bombed over and over.

The next targets for attack.

Another speech by another General.

The next target.

Another landing at the same time.

More airfields are taken.

One month later, another attack.

Almost 800 Japanese soldiers are killed in two days in that battle.

Eight days later, another landing.

Then it shows the use of rockets to bombard an area.

Early July, 1944, yet another area is attacked.

Paratroops are used in a botched-up operation, according to the video.

The airfields still managed to get taken by U.S. forces.

Late July, and still another target for attack.

Mid-September and another island is invaded.

The approach to the attack on the Philippines involved a southern attack strategy, and a strategy involving an attack in the central Pacific area.

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