December 1947 - The Rebellion Begins
It was a last desperate gamble but the Philippine Government was running out of options. Halfway through December the order was given and as many thousands of Filipinos (8 brigades of militia) took up arms in Northern Luzon in an attempt to surprise the Japanese invaders.
Despite some initial successes the Filipino guerillas are no match for the well trained Japanese divisions. Several brigades flee to mountainous provinces in the hope of resisting for as long as possible - but are relentlessly hunted down.
December 1947 - Manila Breakout
Unwilling to sit on their hands and do nothing whilst their fellow countrymen died in droves in the North, The Philippines Army launched an attack of its own on a neighbouring province - but was immediately counter-attacked by the Japanese.
December 1947 - The Last Victory
Filipino, Dutch and Australian troops in Clark and Manila managed to successfully fend off the Japanese counter-attack and two divisions managed to break through to claim the neighbouring province. This was the last Filipino victory of the war.
January 1948 - Surrender
With the failure of the guerrila offensive the Philippines Government finally realised that continued resistance was futile and surrender was agreed with the Japanese in 1948. After 6 years of war the ravaged Philippines was finally at peace.
At this point Japan controlled all of Eastern Australia, all of British India, all the Pacific Islands as far East as Hawaii and pretty much everything in between.
The Germans had trounced the Soviets - enforcing the Bitter Peace upon them. Only in Africa had the Allies successfully resisted the Axis.
The stout defence of the Philippines eventually cost the Japanese between 15 and 20 divisions destroyed and captured, as well inflicting significant shipping losses and manpower losses. But this had done nothing more in the grand scheme of things than inconvenience the Japanese.
NOTE: This was the state of the Allied Navies at the end of the war. Take a look at the Brits:
