“The stage was now set for the Battle of Manila,
a battle distinguished for ferocity and destruction.”
—SIXTH ARMY,
REPORT OF THE LUZON CAMPAIGN
The dark smoke from artillery fire wafts across the ruins of southern Manila on the morning of February 23, 1945, as American troops prepare to assault the Walled City. Pictured on the right are the battered General Post Office and the remains of the Santa Cruz Bridge.