In early January 1945, the biggest army the U.S. would commit to one battle in the Pacific invaded the main Filippino island of Luzon, defended by 287,000 Japanese.
In early January 1945, the biggest army the U.S. would commit to one battle in the Pacific invaded the main Filippino island of Luzon, defended by 287,000 Japanese. According to historian Donald Miller, this was "the largest army the Americans faced in the Pacific." When organized battle ended after two months, Manila was one of the most thoroughly devastated cities of World War II. The Japanese Navy had blown up Manila's harbor and destroyed the old city. MacArthur's Sixth Army suffered 38,000 individuals killed or wounded. Despite defeat, stalwart Japanese would continue to fight in the jungles and mountains of the Philippines until the very end of the war. Japan lost a total of 400,000 lives in the Philippines.