[Cannoneer No. 4]

Your understanding of history was superior to mine. MacArthur did not ask for any more tanks.

After some hours of thought, Eisenhower returned to the Chief of Staff with his answer. He admitted that there was little chance that the garrison in the Philippines could hold out for long, but declared that everything possible should be done to support it. The risks and the money involved should not deter the United States from making a determined effort to help the Philippine Commonwealth. The trust and friendship of the people of Asia were important to the United States; failure might be excused, but never abandonment. To aid General MacArthur, Eisenhower believed, it would be necessary to convert Australia into a military base from which supplies might be ferried northward to the Philippines.

[colorado tanker]

Thanks for the interesting link. The defense of Bataan and Corregidor is sure a sad chapter in our history. We knew they would be lost but given the situation in early 1942 there wasn't a darn thing we could do about it.

I have to admit I had some inside scoop on this particular episode of military history. I visited the Eisenhower Library in Abilene, Kansas a year ago, where there is an extensive treatment of his World War II experience. Ike's work on the Phillipines problem is discussed and one of his original memos is displayed.

If you enjoy military history you might get on SAMWolf's ping list for the FReeper Foxhole, where there's a new military history post each day with interesting threads to go with them. Like most stuff around FR it can be addictive.