The **Battle of Manila**, known in Filipino as Labanan sa Maynila, in Japanese as マニラの戦い, and in Spanish as Batalla de Manila, unfolded over a brutal month from February 3 to March 3, 1945. This intense urban conflict represented a pivotal engagement within the larger Philippine campaign of 1944–45, a crucial chapter of the Second World War in the Pacific theater. It pitted the combined forces of the United States and the Philippines against the entrenched Japanese troops occupying Manila, the vibrant capital city of the Philippines.

As Allied forces pushed to reclaim the archipelago, the fighting for Manila became a horrific spectacle of urban warfare, unparalleled in its ferocity within the Pacific. The month-long struggle left an indelible scar on the city and its people, resulting in the tragic deaths of well over 100,000 civilians. The city itself was utterly devastated, its once-grand architecture and cultural heritage, much of which dated back centuries to the city’s founding, reduced to rubble by relentless Japanese resistance and overwhelming American artillery bombardment. This scale of destruction placed Manila among the most ravaged capital cities of the entire war, sharing this grim distinction with places like Berlin and Warsaw.

Beyond the physical destruction, the battle was marked by unspeakable atrocities. Japanese forces committed widespread mass murder against Filipino civilians, adding layers of horror to the already dire combat conditions. While American firepower was essential in dislodging the Japanese, it also inadvertently contributed to the high civilian casualty count and the extensive damage to the city’s infrastructure and historical landmarks.

The successful capture of Manila signaled a significant turning point in the war, marking the end of nearly three years of harsh Japanese military occupation in the Philippines, which had begun in 1942. For General Douglas MacArthur, who had famously vowed "I shall return" to the Philippines, the city's capture was celebrated as a key victory, solidifying his campaign of reconquest. Historically, the Battle of Manila holds a somber distinction as the last of the many battles fought within the ancient and storied confines of the city itself.