On this day, 83 years ago, on April 9, 1942 (February 24, 1942 in the lunar calendar), 36,000 Allied troops were captured by the army in the Philippines. 70,000 U.S. and Philippine officers and soldiers struggling with hunger and illness surrendered in Bataan. On April 9, 1942, the Allied troops were at an absolute disadvantage in numbers and trapped by disease and hunger. After four months of fierce fighting on Bataan Island in the Philippines, they were completely defeated by the Japanese army. The U.S. and Philippine defenders under General Wainwright's command could no longer hold on. Almost all of the 36000 defenders were captured or killed under the attack of 200,000 Japanese commandos. Apparently, thousands of Marines could have entered Manila Bay from the top of the Bataan Peninsula and fled to Corregidor Island. The island's fortress is still under Allied control. Army Secretary Stimson said: The US military on the Bataan Peninsula has established "a long and solid line of defense." They have sufficient ammunition reserves, but there is an extreme shortage of food. Since January, the troops have been rationed half of their ration and shared with 20,000 civilians evacuated from Luzon. "I think the current failure is temporary," Stimson said. In order to fulfill its promise, the United States will eventually drive out the invaders.