Commonwealth of the Philippines
After the War in the Philippines the Commonwealth was restored and a one-year transitional period in preparation for independence began. Elections followed in April 1946 with Manuel Roxas winning as the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines and Elpidio Quirino winning as vice-president. In spite of the years of Japanese occupation, the Philippines became independent exactly as scheduled a decade before, on July 4, 1946.
When the Elephants Dance
On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and the following morning attacked the Philippines. General Douglas MacArthur of the United States retreated and declared Manila an open city. Japan continued to bomb the city and forced 70,000 Filipino and American troops on the Bataan Death March. The Japanese continued bombing until MacArthur surrendered on May 6, 1942 and retreated to Australia, thus leaving the Philippine people to fend for themselves. The Japanese arrived with propaganda that they were merely ending Western imperialism as they destroyed American books and burned American schools.
In October 1944, MacArthur returned to the Philippines with more troops and supplies. On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered, and the Philippines gained independence on July 4, 1946 with the Treaty of Manila between the United States and the Philippines.