Map Description

History Map of WWII: Luzon, Philippines 1944/45


Illustrating:

Invasion of Luzon and the Advance to Manila

9 January - 4 February 1945

For the Invasion of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, General Douglas MacArthur was the theater commander, and General Krueger directly led the Sixth Army, whose objective was to liberate Luzon from Japanese occupation and capture Manila, the capital.

The invasion commenced with a massive amphibious landing at Lingayen Gulf on the island’s northwest coast, chosen for its suitable beaches and proximity to key road networks leading south toward Manila. This strategic choice allowed American forces to bypass heavily fortified Japanese positions elsewhere on the island and achieve tactical surprise.

The Japanese defense, commanded by General Tomoyuki Yamashita, was characterized by a strategy of attrition and delay. Instead of concentrating forces at the beaches, Yamashita dispersed his troops into the mountainous interior and urban strongholds, aiming to prolong resistance and inflict maximum casualties. This defensive posture meant that the initial American landings met relatively light opposition, enabling rapid buildup of men and materiel ashore.

Following the landings, U.S. forces advanced swiftly southward along multiple axes, using superior mobility, armor, and air support to outflank Japanese positions and secure vital infrastructure. The advance was marked by coordinated movements of infantry, armor, and mechanized units, which exploited gaps in Japanese lines and avoided costly frontal assaults on strongpoints. The Americans also employed encirclement tactics to isolate and neutralize Japanese pockets of resistance.



:: Eighth Army in Southern Luzon - Operation Mike VI ::

Operation Mike VI was launched on January 31, 1945, as part of a broader set of planned amphibious landings on Luzon following Operation KING.

Under the command of Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger and his Eighth U.S. Army — the "Amphibious Eighth" — this operation aimed to divert Japanese forces in southern Luzon, preventing them from reinforcing against U.S. Sixth Army units liberating Manila from the north.

The 11th Airborne Division conducted the main assault at Nasugbu Bay, while the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment executed a supporting airdrop inland.

Contrary to Allied expectations of facing around 7,000 Japanese defenders, the beaches were largely undefended because Japanese Colonel Masatoshi Fujishige had concentrated his Fuji Force at Tagaytay Ridge instead.

The operation’s success was heavily supported by Filipino guerrilla fighters, particularly the Hunters ROTC led by Lt. Col. Terry Adevoso, who had already disrupted Japanese supply and communication lines and pushed enemy troops toward interior positions. Their intelligence and sabotage efforts paved the way for a smooth landing and effective inland operations.

The Nasugbu landing marked a pivotal southern front in the campaign to liberate Luzon and allowed U.S. forces to push toward Manila from the southwest.



:: Eighth Army in Southern Luzon - Operation Mike VII ::

Operation Mike VII took place two days earlier, on January 29, 1945, despite its higher numerical designation.

This operation involved the U.S. XI Corps landing at San Antonio on Luzon's west coast, aiming to capture Subic Bay and drive inland.

Initially, the operation proceeded without issue, as Subic Bay Naval Base was swiftly secured. However, fierce Japanese resistance emerged inland at Zig Zag Pass, creating a major obstacle. U.S. forces managed to break through the Japanese defenses by February 7 using intensive tactical air support.

This operation played a critical role in the broader encirclement of Japanese forces on Luzon, supporting the campaign to liberate Manila from multiple directions.



By early February, American forces approached the outskirts of Manila. The Japanese urban defense of Manila was conducted largely by naval forces, not by Yamashita’s army troops. Yamashita had ordered Manila to be declared an open city, but Rear Admiral Iwabuchi disobeyed and decided to fight to the death.

Nevertheless, the U.S. advance to Manila was a testament to effective operational planning, logistical coordination, and the ability to adapt to Japanese defensive tactics. The campaign from 9 January to 4 February 1945 demonstrated the Allies’ capacity for large-scale amphibious operations and rapid inland advances, ultimately setting the stage for the liberation of the rest of the Philippines and the eventual defeat of Japanese forces in the region.

(The approach to Manila concluded by 4 February, while the actual Battle of Manila lasted until 3 March 1945.)





:: Rescue at Santo Tomas ::

The Japanese forces arrived at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and repurposed it as an internment camp (designated as Internment Camp No. 1) on January 4, 1942.

This camp held American and other Allied civilian nationals for approximately 37 months, serving as one of several internment facilities established throughout the Japanese-occupied Philippines.

(The Santo Tomas camp was designated for civilian internees, not POWs. It detained enemy nationals — mainly Americans, British, and other Allied civilians — living in the Philippines at the time of the occupation. Military POWs were generally held in separate facilities, such as Cabanatuan and Camp O'Donnell.)

During this period, the University of Santo Tomas continued its educational mission despite the challenges posed by wartime occupation.

A flying column from the 1st Cavalry Division liberated 4,000 internees at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila on the evening of 3 February.

The Battle of Manila followed, during which the 1st Cavalry, 11th Airborne, and 37th infantry Divisions cleared the city.

Credits

Courtesy of the United States Military Academy Department of History.

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