Fighting for the Fortresses

Once across the Pasig River, the 37th Infantry Division pushed south into the Paco District and west along the river toward Intramuros. The Gls quickly discovered that they were in the thick of the Japanese defenses. Every store and house had a machine gun nest. Each pile of rubble concealed …

1945-02-21

SFCG2

Once across the Pasig River, the 37th Infantry Division pushed south into the Paco District and west along the river toward Intramuros. The Gls quickly discovered that they were in the thick of the Japanese defenses. Every store and house had a machine gun nest. Each pile of rubble concealed snipers and mortars. Every major building had been transformed into an impregnable fortress. For the next three weeks, American infantrymen and Japanese marines and sailors would do battle over every square inch of downtown Manila. To clear the defenders, the Americans used heavy caliber artillery, flamethrowers, and explosives. The Japanese countered by blowing up anything that could be of use to the American forces, in addition to trying to match the American artillery batteries shell for shell. The formula for the complete destruction of the city had been set in motion.

Manila, Philippines

The Battle of Manila was a major battle of the Philippine campaign of 1944–45, during the Second World War. It was fought by forces from both the United States and the Philippines against Japanese troops in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. The month-long battle, which resulted in the death of over 100,000 civilians and the complete devastation of the city, was the scene of the worst urban fighting fought by American forces in the Pacific theater. Japanese forces committed mass murder against Filipino civilians during the battle and American firepower killed many people. Japanese resistance and American artillery also destroyed much of Manila's architectural and cultural heritage dating back to the city's founding. Manila became one of the most devastated capital cities during the entire war, alongside Berlin and Warsaw. The battle ended the almost three years of Japanese military occupation in the Philippines (1942–1945). The city's capture was marked as General Douglas MacArthur's key to victory in the campaign of reconquest.

Wikipedia: Battle of Dai Do

American

Japanese

Scenario Type = Historical