I never understood World War 2 until I went to the Philippines. I will try to explain.
The South China Sea has 4 practical exits. I am aware of a few more but for the most part, they are
- The Straits of Malacca
- The San Bernardino Strait
- The Sirago Strait
- The Taiwan Strait
- There are 2 minor exits otherwise
The San Bernardino Strait and the Sirago Strait are entirely within Philippine waters. The Taiwan Strait is nearly 1/2 in Philippine waters.
Traffic passing north out of the South China Sea (AKA the West Philippine Sea)must for the most part pass east of Taiwan in a mostly island-choked area owned by the Philippines. This is one of the most heavily traveled trade routes on earth. West of Taiwan between there and China suffers from being too shallow to pass big ships easily.
During World War 2 coast watchers could sit on either islands in the Taiwan Strait or on Luzon and see literally across the entire area. They could literally guide and did, US Submarines to pick off Japan’s trade in rubber, tin, and oil. Japan’s war effort died for this fact.
Strategically with Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Philippines as allies China is a landlocked power.
The Philippine people are for the most part ignorant of their strategic importance in the world. They are a very peaceful people who are quite reluctant to be a problem to anyone and they are only now beginning to realize how China, Indonesia and Iran are forcing their hand in this matter.
The people of the Philippines are most of them very much desiring no particular role in world affairs and are finding out that they have a big role to play. Having been an American Colony from 1898 to 1946 they in many ways became the one country on earth most like the US in intentions and behavior. They are rabid about our basketball and our football. They spend much of their time listening to US music.
Update: Too many comments below to answer them all. I left them pretty much alone not because I agree but rather I saw them pretty much as educational on just how completely ignorant of the situation the people in the Philippines are of their situation. Do not mistake me for not knowing, I have spent months in the Philippines. I have dealt with their leaders many of who were family of my now Ex-Wife in Northern Luzon.
I will answer what 5 high officers of their defense corps asked me in 1996. (family) They asked me why the USA wanted to be a big military power and rule the world. I will skip the explanation but underlying this question was the assumption that the big military power of the USA represented a hegemonic warlord loose in their area. It is a complete and utter misunderstanding of the USA and its position in the area. The people there had no idea of our USA position or intents. I apprised them and much good came of this.
Now I understand the point of view of just about all of the parties in the area of the Philippines. I have met the people of the “New People’s Army”. I have met the Marcos power group. I have been in the backcountry. (boondock) I have dealt with the people on extended time. I didn’t say anything about their ignorance of their situation lightly or to be insulting or mean.
I was there on their independence day once. I was shocked at their quiet and null response to the day. I actually told them that they should have celebrated more because that day had been bought by nearly 140,000 dead Americans and was precious. They didn’t know! No it wasn’t Americans fighting the Philippines, it was prying Japan’s awful fingers off their neck.
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