Bataan Death March

1. The Bataan Death March was a result of General Edward P. King's surrender. Furthermore, after spending 3 years as a POW in various Japanese prisons he was finally released, later he admitted that the surrender was completely a fault of his own. Additionally, King's surrender was a plight for survival he believed that surrendering was the wisest course of action.

2. After spending 3 years in prison General Edward P. King was released, regarded as a hero, and following the war served with the secretary of war's Personal Board. So, King gained more power and faced little repercussion from the incident. The General later died on August 31, 1958 at home in Georgia. Altogether, the short term was he spent 3 years in prison and the long term he was promoted, idled and died at home surrounded by family.

3. The POW's were marched through the Bataan Peninsula over the course of several weeks, many of them dying by either execution, dehydration, or starvation. Even after the prisoners release, they would suffer mentally for years to come. Post traumatic stress disorder was not fully understood at that time and rarely could the survivors relate to their family members. For years the soldiers were unable to adjust to normal life.

4. The US government didn't learn about the Bataan Death March until 1943, when one of the surviving soldiers escaped and reported it. Furthermore, for a short period of time the nation was not aloud to know what had happened. However, in 1944 years after the event actually took place, the truth was finally released to the nation. Additionally, with the release of this news America became stunned and enraged to hear of Japan's brutalities. This outraged unified the people causing even more hostility than before....

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...need to live by an honor code of sorts, no man should surrender an army without first brining together a council of soldiers from different ranks. Furthermore, nations should be willing to sign a POW agreement stating the rights each POW should be granted during their imprisonment. Lastly, international communities should inform and be informed of any and all POWs, so that negations for their release can begin.

Bibliography

-Parts 1 and 2

"Major General Edward P. King, Jr." Defenders of the Philippines. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

Rosenberg, Jennifer. "What Was the Bataan Death March in World War II?" 20th Century History. About.com, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

"The Bataan Death March, 1942." The Bataan Death March, 1942. N.p., 2009. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

Tokudome, Kinue. "The Bataan Death March." The Bataan Death March. N.p., 8 Apr. 2006. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.