▁fro ze ▁all ▁Japanese ▁assets ▁within ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁issued ▁the ▁orders ▁to ▁abs orb ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁Army . ▁That ▁same ▁day , ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁created ▁the ▁USA FF E ▁command , ▁with ▁juris diction ▁over ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁Department ▁and ▁the ▁military ▁forces ▁of ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁( se em ingly ▁princip ally ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁Army , ▁with ▁two ▁regular ▁and ▁ten ▁reserve ▁divisions ). ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁Mac Ar thur ▁was ▁re called ▁to ▁active ▁duty , ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁lieutenant ▁general , ▁as ▁the ▁USA FF E ▁commander , ▁from ▁his ▁positions ▁as ▁military ▁ad visor ▁to ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁government ▁and ▁Field ▁Marsh al ▁of ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁Army . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁Japanese ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁short - l ived ▁American - B rit ish - D utch - Austral ian ▁Command ▁( AB D AC OM ) ▁was ▁formed ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁to ▁control ▁all ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁in ▁South ▁East ▁Asia ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁West ▁Pacific . ▁AB D AC OM ▁nomin ally ▁controlled ▁USA FF E ▁forces , ▁although ▁the ▁latter ▁was ▁effectively ▁an ▁independent ▁force . ▁ ▁In ▁March , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁w ors ening ▁Al lied ▁position ▁in ▁Asia ▁and ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁Ro ose vel t ▁ordered ▁Mac Ar thur ▁to ▁re loc ate ▁his ▁command ▁to ▁Australia . ▁Mac Ar thur '