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[A photo album documenting the destruction of Manila during World War II.]

[Manilla, The Philippines, 1945.]. Oblong 4to (11.5” x 15.25”), embossed brown paper over boards, front cover stamped ‘Photographs’ in gold, cord tie at spine. 35 silver prints, 3.25” x 4.25”, mounted on black paper leaves.

A photo album apparently compiled by an American GI in the Philippines after the Battle of Manila, documenting the widespread destruction of many of its buildings, the miraculous survival of others, and the resumption of daily life in the streets, etc.

The Battle of Manila (3 Feb.–3 Mar. 1945) was a major battle of the Philippine campaign of 1944–45 during World War II. The month-long battle was fought by forces from the U.S. and the Philippines against Japanese troops in Manila, resulting in over 100,000 civilian deaths and the city’s destruction via American bombing. The scene of the worst urban fighting in the Pacific theater, the battle resulted in the loss of much of the city’s architectural and cultural heritage, Manila becoming, along with Berlin and Warsaw, one of the most devastated capital cities during the entire war. The battle ended the nearly three years of Japanese military occupation of the Philippines (1942–45).

Among the subjects pictured here are various destroyed buildings, including churches, hotels, government buildings, etc., as well as unscathed temples, gardens, commercial districts, and so on. One shot shows a throng of people gathered outside the ‘PCAU Hardware Store,’ indicating the havoc caused by the bombing and fighting. Other people pictured include an American soldier standing next to a massive piece of artillery and posing with a massive shell; the lone figure of a man striding along a street in front of a ravaged building; and a family standing in front of the Familia Benito Go Sun mausoleum in a Chinese cemetery. In one shot a U.S. tank is seen outside a destroyed building, and another image shows the presence of the U.S. military on the streets of Manilla.

CONDITION: Very good, generally strong tonality, one photo loose, very little wear.

Item #6979

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