The Battle of Manila: Poisoned Victory in the Pacific War

by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes

A thrilling and in-depth look at the battle for Manila, the third-bloodiest battle of World War II and the culmination point of the war in the Pacific theater.
In 1945 the United States and Japan fought the largest and most devastating land battle of their war in the Pacific, a month-long struggle for the city of Manila. The only urban fighting in the Pacific theater, the Battle of Manila was the third-bloodiest battle of World War II, behind Leningrad and Berlin. It was a key piece of the campaign to retake control of the Philippine Islands, which itself signified the culmination of the war, breaking the back of Japanese strategic power and sealing its outcome.

In The Battle of Manila, Nicholas Sarantakes offers the first in-depth account of this crucial campaign from the American, Japanese, and, significantly, Filipino perspective. Fighting was building by building, with both sides forced to adapt to the new combat environment. None of the U.S. units that entered Manila had any previous training in urban warfare--yet, Sarantakes shows, they learned on the fly how to use tanks, flamethrowers, air, and artillery assets in support of infantry assaults. Their effective use of these weapons was an important factor in limiting U.S. casualties, even as it may also have contributed to a catastrophic loss of civilian lives.

The battle was a strategic U.S. victory, but Sarantakes reveals how closely it hinged upon the interplay between a series of key decisions in both U.S. and Japanese headquarters, and a professional culture in the U.S. military that allowed the Americans to adapt faster and in more ways than their opponents. Among other aspects of the conflict, The Battle of Manila explores the importance of the Filipino guerillas on the ground, the use of irregular warfare, the effective use of intelligence, the impact of military education, and the limits of Japanese resistance.

Ultimately, Sarantakes shows Manila to be a major turning in both World War II and American history. Once the United States regained control of the city, Japan was in a checkmate situation. Their defeat was certain, and it was clear that the United States would be the dominate political power in post-war Asia and the Pacific. This fascinating account shines a light on one of the war's most under-represented and highly significant moments.

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction

504 pages, Hardcover

First published February 3, 2025

About the author

Nicholas Evan Sarantakes is a historian specializing primarily in U.S. military, diplomatic, and political history during the World War II and Cold War eras. He is an associate professor in the Department of Strategy and Policy at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Rampage by James Scott, which primarily focuses on the suffering of, and the atrocities committed against, the civilians of Manila, I decided that I wanted to read more about the combat operations to capture the city.

Believing that Manila would not be defended, the army under MacArthur was totally surprised to find that not only would the Japanese not withdraw into the hills after a token defense of the port, but would instead put up a fierce resistance. What was hoped to be a short battle turned into a long struggle, which so devastated the city and people, that not only was the army unable to use it as an advanced staging area for future attacks, it was a huge drain on US resources to feed and shelter the many civilians displaced by the fighting.

A great story with many heroes.

[David]

Good review in WSJ

[Kristi]

I have walked through Fort Santiago, the last building in the old city of Manila to be taken by the Americans. The entrance in 1968 was still battered and enlarged to allow U. S. tanks to enter the area. The fort was a killing and torture center for POW's, both civilian and military. I have a profound interest in this book and have read and loved: Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila by James M. Scott. My review: One of the most difficult books that I have read so far in my Pacific Theater education. (( In the fall of 1967 as a sophomore at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota I was privileged to participate in the Term in Thailand with 25 other students. We studied at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok - Buddhism, Southeast Asian history, art, literature, and political science. On the way to Bangkok we visited Japan and Hong Kong. Coming home included stops in Penang, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Guam. We were the only undergraduate study group in Southeast Asia - the closest program was in Japan. I have visited two locations of horror and death at the hands of the Japanese. The first is the bridge over the river Kwai at Kanchanaburi, Thailand. With an enormous pool of captive labor at their disposal, the Japanese forced approximately 200,000 Asian conscripts and over 60,000 Allied POWs to construct the Burma Railway. Among the Allied POWs were some 30,000 British, 13,000 Australians, 18,000 Dutch, and 700 Americans. Of the US personnel forced to work on the railway, 133 died. (Their remains were expatriated. ) This included personnel from USS Houston and the 131st Field Artillery Regiment of the Texas Army National Guard. The Americans were called the Lost Battalion as their fate was unknown to the United States for years after their capture. Near the bridge is the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, the main prisoner of war (POW) cemetery for victims of Japanese imprisonment while building the Burma Railway. . The cemetery contains 6,982 graves of British, Australian and Dutch prisoners of war, of whom 6,858 have been identified. I have walked through that cemetery and always remember the peace and beauty of the bougainvillea, and the graves and graves and graves. After contemplating the devastating loss of life in WWII, we were standing on the railroad bridge over the River Kwai when 3 American jets made a low pass - coming from or heading to Vietnam. The second most affecting site was Fort Santiago. )) I have also had the privilege or having known a survivor of the Bataan Death March as a friend. He did not wish to speak in great detail, but the one thing that I have never forgotten was the role of other soldiers to protect their comrades. He explained that they always tried to walk in threes with the weakest man in the middle supported by two stronger men on each side. Rear Admiral Iwabuchi Sanji defied Yamashita’s orders to withdraw from the city and utilized his 18,000 men to massacre thousands of Filipino civilians. This book is very painful as it has many first-person accounts of the murders and rapes.

[Daniel Sokolow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep look into the battle of Manila - excellent look at the day to day events that shaped the fight, and clear on the larger strategic and tactical drivers that led the battle to play out as it did.

I don't think he takes either Krueger or above all MacArthur to task enough for the failures here. Krueger's sometimes ponderous, cautious approach was not the right one to get this done quickly and with less damage and loss of life. And (based largely on John C McManus' take) I think he's much, much too light on MacArthur's distance from the battlefield and proper management of the planning and execution.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only read one third of this book. Good- but did not hold my interest. Didn't place this battle in context of the war, so the book comes off as a careful telling of a minor battle- we don't see really how the battle "fits in" to the big picture. yes, it was important for moving on to Okinawa and so forth but you sort of have to trust that and you don't really feel it. Also the entire battle seemed so one sided that the drama is reductive.. (not author's fault, of course).

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the Battle of Manila, one WWII battle that isn’t much discussed. The atrocities that happened there, and the different aspects from start to finish, make this a history that is well worth reading. Many editing issues exist, but those do not affect the content itself.

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended for those interested in combat operations in dense urban environments.