ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Battle of Manila (1945)

During World War II, there was a big fight that happened in a place called Manila. This is a city in the Philippines where many people live. The fight was between two groups - the American soldiers and the Japanese soldiers. They fought because they both wanted to control the city.

The Japanese soldiers had been in control of Manila for a few years and they did not want to give up their power. But the American soldiers knew that they had to take over the city to help the people who lived there and to win the war.

The two groups of soldiers fought for about a month. They used big guns and bombs to attack each other. The fighting was very scary for the people who lived in Manila. Many of them had to hide in buildings or underground shelters to stay safe.

Finally, the American soldiers won the fight and they took over control of the city. But the fight had caused a lot of damage - many buildings were destroyed and many people were killed. It took a long time for Manila to recover from the battle.

The Battle of Manila was an important event in World War II because it helped the American soldiers to win the war in the Pacific. But it was also a very sad event because many people lost their homes and their lives.