After shocking the world by assaulting the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese forces quickly moved to conquer the US-controlled Philippines; this was their one chance to seize the ...

March: Japan takes Indonesia and the Dutch East Indies; Rangoon, Burma falls. Japan invades New Guinea. MacArthur leaves the Philippines. April: American and Filipino forces in Bataan surrender.

March: Japan takes Indonesia and the Dutch East Indies; Rangoon, Burma falls. Japan invades New Guinea. MacArthur leaves the Philippines. April: American and Filipino forces in Bataan surrender.