The Bataan Death March was one of the most horrific events during WWII. The Japanese captured 75,000 prisoners, which were American and Filipino soldiers, and made them march over 65 miles in six days to one of three Japanese concentration camps. This was a long, cruel journey where they were tortured and even killed. One thousand American and 9,000 Filipino soldiers died during this march.The suffering continued when the POWs arrived at the concentration camps. The effects of the torture are lasting and some of the prisoners that are still living today are traumatized by the horrible things that happened to them and their friends. Imagine being disengaged from your friends and seeing your friends starving, being beaten and even killed and all you could do was try to stay alive. The Bataan Death March had a huge impact on American history and it is important to understand the events surrounding the…show more content… In September, 1945 the U.S. POW’s were finally released to American military control. The POW’s were sent to the town of Arai and were met by the U.S. navy personnel. It was overwhelming for the prisoners to finally be home and none of the men had a dry eye when they saw the American flag. Lots of the men hugged and kissed the U.S. navy soldiers because they were so overwhelmed with happiness. However, the suffering continued for many of the men because they left Japan malnourished and with unknown illnesses. The effects of the Bataan Death March lasted well beyond the release of the prisoners at the POW camp. Lots of the men died from diseases such as malaria and other unknown illnesses after the incident. The effects of this horrific event also affected soldiers mentally. Many were left wondering why they had survived when so many of their fellow soldiers had died. It was difficult for them to move on with their lives. Many turned to alcohol to help subdue their memories and nightmares of what they had
