History of the Philippine Army facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Philippine Commonwealth Army |
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Emblem of the Philippine Armed Forces, in use from 1935 to 1946
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| Active | 1935 – 1946 |
| Country |  Philippines |
| Allegiance |  United States of America Philippines |
| Type | Army |
| Garrison/HQ | Camp Murphy, Manila, Philippines |
| Equipment | M1917 Enfield .30 Caliber Bolt Action Rifles
M1918 Browning .30 Caliber Automatic Rifles M1917 Browning .30 Caliber Machineguns M2 Browning .50 Caliber Heavy Machineguns Stokes 3inch Mortars M1935 37mm Carriage Guns QF 2.95inch Mountain Guns M1918 155mm Howitzers French Cannon de 155mm GPF |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Disbanded | June 4, 1946 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Major General Rafael Jalandoni Major General Basilio Valdes Major General Paulino Santos Major General Jose Delos Reyes |
The Philippine Army was created on December 21, 1935. It was known as the Army of the Philippines. Its main office was in Manila, with other groups across the country.
This army was formed under a law called the National Defense Act of 1935. This law officially started the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
From 1941 to 1946, parts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines were controlled by the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). This happened after the U.S. joined World War II.
Why the Army Was Created
Before 1935, the Philippines did not have its own strong defense force. The United States was in charge of protecting the islands. When the Philippines became a Commonwealth in 1935, it needed to defend itself.
The first president, Manuel L. Quezon, asked his friend, General Douglas MacArthur, for help. MacArthur was the top general of the U.S. Army. With President Franklin D. Roosevelt's approval, MacArthur agreed to help build a Philippine national army.
Planning the New Army
General MacArthur had special power to work with U.S. military leaders. He chose Majors Dwight D. Eisenhower and James B. Ord to help him. They planned how to defend the Philippines. The goal was for the Philippines to be ready for independence in 1946.
Their plan included:
- A small regular army.
- Training all men aged 21 to 50.
- A ten-year program to build a large reserve army.
- A small air force.
- A fleet of fast torpedo boats to stop enemies.
Laws and Early Plans
The first law passed by the Philippine National Assembly was the National Defense Act of 1935. This law was passed on December 21, 1935. It planned for:
- A regular force of 10,000 soldiers.
- A reserve force of 400,000 by 1946.
- A military academy like West Point in the U.S.
President Quezon knew there wasn't enough money for a big navy. So, the act created an Offshore Patrol within the army. This patrol would use fast torpedo boats. The plan was to have 36 boats by 1946. The Philippine Army Air Corps would have about 100 bombers. These planes would help protect the coast.
Challenges in Building the Army
Building the army was slow. The year 1936 was spent building camps and training areas. The first new soldiers were called up on January 1, 1937.
A big problem was finding enough officers. Many officers came from the Philippine Constabulary, who were trained in law enforcement. By the end of 1939, the reserve force had 104,000 men and 4,800 officers. The Air Corps had about 40 planes and 100 pilots by 1940.
The Offshore Patrol faced more problems. Only two British boats arrived before World War II in Europe stopped more deliveries. Only one boat was built locally by October 1941. Leaders knew the naval defense was weak against a strong enemy. They hoped the United States Navy would help if the Philippines was attacked.
When the war with Japan began, the Philippine Army was only six years old. It was not yet fully ready as planned for 1946. The U.S. Navy was badly hit at Pearl Harbor. Japanese planes were ready to attack the Philippines from Formosa.
Army History
How the Army Started and Trained
The Army of the Philippines was formed under the National Defense Act of 1935. This law said that officers above a certain rank should be chosen from former U.S. Army reserve officers, or Philippine Scouts and Constabulary officers.
After the Commonwealth was set up, President Manuel L. Quezon asked General Douglas MacArthur to help plan the national defense. On December 21, 1935, the Army of the Philippines was officially created. The law explained how the army would be set up and how soldiers would join.
The army grew slowly. In 1936, headquarters and camps were built. Training groups were formed, and instructors were trained. Many instructors came from the Philippine Constabulary. U.S. Army officers also helped with training and managing the program.
The first group of 20,000 to 40,000 men started training on January 1, 1937. By the end of 1939, there were 4,800 officers and 104,000 men in the reserves. Infantry training happened in camps across the Philippines. Artillery training was near the U.S. Army's Fort Stotsenburg. Special training was at Fort William McKinley.
Getting Ready for War in 1941
As war with Japan seemed likely, a new U.S. command was formed on July 26, 1941. This was the United States Army Forces Far East (USAFFE), led by Douglas MacArthur.
On that day, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered that "all the organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines" join the U.S. armed forces. However, only specific units and soldiers were called into service. These soldiers became part of the USAFFE. The mobilized units trained new Filipino members for defense.
The Philippine Army was made up of many different Filipino groups. This included Christian and Muslim Filipinos, Filipino-Mestizos, Spanish-Filipinos, Chinese-Filipinos, and Moro-Filipinos.
When Japan invaded, about two-thirds of the 10 reserve divisions were ready. This meant about 100,000 soldiers. They were "poorly equipped and trained." The Philippine Scouts had about 12,000 soldiers. The army was mostly infantry, with some engineers and artillery.
At that time, the Army of the Philippines had two regular divisions and ten reserve divisions. These were spread across headquarters, camps in Manila, and other parts of the country.
After the war ended, the Army was reorganized. It became what is now known as the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
See also
- Armed Forces of the Philippines
- Military History of the Philippines
- Philippine Army
- Philippine Revolutionary Army
- Luna sharpshooters
- List of Equipment Uniforms of the Philippine Commonwealth Army
