More planes appear to be coming in, possibly released from the Singapore campaign. A few days ago rumors crested that the USAFFE wouldn't last a week. This time the Tribune said MacArthur told Washington they were at the end of their resources. Manilans, for once, didn't laugh it off as propaganda.

Fanatical Spaniard, Paco Gutierrez, came into the store and irritated me with his comments on Bataan: The 31st Division has been completely wiped out; Filipinos in Bataan are ready to slip away at the first opportunity; food and ammunition are just about exhausted.... Even Japanese sympathizers wonder about Gutierrez.

A Tabacalera man from Tarlac confirmed that MacArthur preserved his troops for the stand at Bataan. They came into his sugar mill and gave him two hours to evacuate, if he wanted to, as the Japanese were coming and the USAFFE was retreating. "And Holy Smokes," he said, "the Japanese were 60 kilometers away. I know because a friend telephoned me then from the north."

So with wounded spirits and hurt pride, our troops followed orders to retreat and retreat, occasionally outfighting the Japanese when they got too near, until MacArthur gave the stop sign at Bataan. And boy did they make up for it then! Whatever the deficiencies of our lightly trained and poorly equipped army, the Philippine Scouts more than made up for it.

I'm reminded of what the British say about Burma: "Our forces are taking positions" — but always further back. Fact is, no one was really prepared when the Japanese struck hard, wide and fast. It'll take time for the allies to assemble sufficient forces to turn the tide — time the defenders of Bataan and Corregidor don't have.