After American and Filipino soldiers surrendered to the Japanese in the Philippines in April 1942, the terrible Bataan Death March unfolded. A torturous march of about 65 miles was imposed on tens of thousands of surrendered soldiers after the bloody Battle of Bataan. The detainees were beaten, starved, and otherwise mistreated as they marched in the sweltering heat.

The march was a metaphor for the inhumanity and cruelty of war, since many prisoners died of weariness, dehydration, and sickness along the way. Due to the extreme weather, thousands of people died. For those who made it through, the Bataan Death March will always be a symbol of the horrors that may be committed in times of war. It’s still a somber part of history, and it’s vital that we remember and learn from it.