The Fall of Manila

Manila, capital of the Philippines, has fallen to the Japanese after the withdrawal of its American and Filipino defenders. The entrance to the strategically vital Manila Bay remained contested for some time after the city's fall due to the heavy concentration of American coastal artillery on Corregidor Island, but the guns eventually fell silent after a concerted Japanese attack. With Manila under Japanese control, the rest of the Philippines are expected to follow shortly after. This is a stinging defeat for American forces in Asia and the Pacific.