Very sad news in the Tribune on Bataan. The Japanese offensive has been intensified. The U.S. War Department said that “the outlook for the forces in the Philippines is very dark. We have very dim hopes of holding our positions in the face of a superior and overwhelming enemy with a great number of soldiers and an abundance of war supplies.”
Bataan is a battle between veteran soldiers and young recruits. The mystery so far is how the USAFFE boys have been able to stop the advance of the Japanese forces. Every day of delay is a great loss to the Japanese. I can imagine the bloody carnage that will take place when and if the USAFFE lines break. When a dam is shattered, the destruction is great. I hope the Lord protects my son.
Mr. Kobatake of the Purchasing Division requested an investigation of all owners of flour warehouses to determine the available stock. Assigned Baldemor for this work.
Mr. Kobatake also wanted to know the stocks of corn or corn-rice in Manila. Told Kobatake that outside of the NARIC, no one else has corn, because this is not the corn season. Of course, in the south like Cebu, they have corn.
Col. Uzaki, Supervisor Noya and Mr. Tanco left for Pampanga to survey conditions. Tanco gets along fine with the Japanese.
Another clerk slapped. This is an abuse and must be stopped or I’ll order the Filipinos to slap them back. I am ready to answer for the consequences. Rizal was right: “There are no tyrants where there are no slaves.”