Corregidor
| Corregidor | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Waters | Manila Bay | |
| Archipelago | Philippines | |
| Geographical location | 14 ° 22 '59 " N , 120 ° 34' 34" E | |
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| surface | 9 km² | |
Corregidor is an island that belongs to the Philippines .
It is located at the entrance to Manila Bay , about 48 kilometers west of Manila . Administratively, however, Corregidor belongs to Cavite City . Corregidor has the shape of a tadpole , the area of the island is about 9 km².
history
Spanish time
The island was probably populated by fishermen even before the Spanish rule over the Philippines. In the days of the Spaniards, there was a signal station that lit fires to notify Manila of returning ships. In 1795 a naval station was built on the island, followed later by a naval hospital and in 1836 a lighthouse was built. The small town of San Jose on Corregidor was the seat of government on the island.
American time
After the United States took over the Philippines (1898), the island was designated as a US military area in 1907 and the local army post was named Fort Mills. Due to its location very suitable for the defense of Manila Bay, Corregidor was fortified with artillery from 1909, concrete positions and bunkers were built and a network of roads was laid out. In 1912 the island had become a military bastion. Due to the rocky nature and the fortifications, Corregidor was also just called "The Rock".
During the Japanese invasion, the Battle of the Philippines , from December 1941, the island was the headquarters of the US naval forces under General Douglas MacArthur . Despite sea sieges and heavy bombardments, Corregidor was able to withstand for a long time and relieve Bataan as the last possible retreat for the Philippine and US armed forces .
General MacArthur was recalled to Australia in March 1942 . Even after Bataan fell on April 9, 1942, the fortress on the island held out for 27 days. An air-backed attack by 2,000 Japanese, which began on May 5, led to the defenders surrender the following day. During the Japanese occupation, around 300 Japanese soldiers and around 500 prisoners of war remained on the island.
During the reconquest of the Philippines by the USA in 1945, the prisoners of war were transported away. US forces eventually faced over 5,000 defenders on Corregidor when they attacked the island on February 15, 1945. The fight for the island lasted twelve days and claimed almost 900 victims on the American side, on the Japanese almost all defenders were killed.
today
Today Corregidor is mainly a historical monument. With the still visible military facilities like the Malinta tunnel, but also the old lighthouse and many parks, Corregidor is one of the biggest attractions for tourists in the Philippines.
