More disturbing was the revelation of a massacre of approximately 150 American prisoners of war the previous December . The presence of a passing Allied convoy made the alarmed Japanese believe that an invasion was imminent and had herded their prisoners into air-raid shelters , subsequently setting the shelters afire and shooting prisoners who tried to escape . A few men miraculously survived immolation and escaped the shooting . Sheltered by natives until the Americans landed , they emerged during the battle to tell their horrifying tale , which only hardened American resolve to end Japanese rule over the island
massacre of approximately 150 American
Palawan massacre
Invasion of Palawan