Tuesday, 20 February
The Americans Close In On Intramuros
The ruins of the Police Headquarters after the battle
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum
After eight days of vicious fighting, the Police Station finally succumbed to the American onslaught. The Japanese had been pushed into the structure, and had retreated to the upper floors, blasting the stairwells behind them. American forces had subjected the building to a massive bombardment, including direct fire from 155mm “long toms”, for several days before resistance finally ceased. By this point the building itself was little more than a mound of rubble, but now the Japanese had been cleared it allowed the Americans there to press onward into Ermita, joining the ongoing assault on the Central Post Office and City Hall.
An American military policeman inspects a Japanese pillbox after the fighting had moved on - US National Archives
Even with the arrival of more troops, the push on City Hall was stalled by heavy Japanese resistance, although the freeing of the heavy artillery that had destroyed the Police Station provided a new avenue for the Americans, who pulled back to let the big guns pummel the building today. 200 determined Japanese sailors remained inside the building, and the mortars used to this point had failed to cause notable damage to the concrete structure. A long tom was able to blast a large hole in the eastern wall of the building, which was promptly attacked by US infantry, but they were just as quickly repulsed by the Japanese within. The fighting here would drag on through the night.
Fighting rages amongst the concrete buildings of the University of the Philippines
US National Archives
“The area we are moving into is a cauldron of wreckage, with the ever present litter of battle and the stench of the dead.”
At the University of the Philippines, the 5th Cavalry Brigade launched an assault on Rizal Hall this morning, pushing into the building and securing the ground floor in the early afternoon, although the Japanese prove difficult to dislodge from the upper levels. Just after 1700 a series of explosions rocked the building as the Americans reached the third floor: the Japanese had attempted to demolish the structure with both themselves and the Americans inside. This was unsuccessful (although the entire central portion of the building collapsed, only one American was killed), but the Americans evacuated as night fell, bringing up yet more heavy artillery to finish the work of the Japanese, although this time with only the enemy within the crumbling concrete edifice. Fighting likewise continued within the Administration Building today after an attempted demolition, and would not abate today.
Smoke obscures the High Commissioner’s Residence as 155mm shells strike the building
US National Archives
Also supported by heavy artillery operating in a direct fire role, the cavalry resumed its assault up Dewey Boulevard today, assaulting the High Commissioner’s Residence just after dawn. By 0815 the building had been secured, and troopers were mopping up the Japanese in the Army Navy Club and the Elks Lodge, the Japanese having withdrawn the bulk of their men there into the Intramuros during the night. The Americans had reached San Luis Street, the southern border of Luneta, with the Intramuros and the main government buildings finally in sight. Also visible was the Manila Hotel, the former home of General MacArthur. The cavalry now busied itself with clearing out the apartments and hotels along the east side of Dewey Boulevard, encountering, among other things, the remains of the rape house inside the Bayview Hotel.
A wounded man is pushed along in a cart past a Sherman as the cavalry push past the High Commissioner’s Residence
US National Archives
Also of note today was that elements of the 11th Airborne, still operating to the south of the city, secured the old US Navy base at Cavite, encountering only light resistance. The base was littered with heavy weapons, ammunition and other supplies abandoned by the Japanese sailors there when Admiral Iwabuchi ordered them to withdraw to join the Manila Naval Defense Force just before the battle began.
The field of wreckage that was the Cavite Naval Base
US National Archives
Fighting on Corregidor was in a lull today, as the main Japanese forces on the surface of the western part of the island had been destroyed and most others were still inside the Malinta Tunnel, although operations against pockets of Japanese resistance continued through the day. Small attacks by Japanese forces venturing out from the tunnels and caves of the island constantly harassed the Americans, particularly at night, and other Japanese forces remained on the eastern tail of the island.
Manila: 20 February, 1945
Central Post Office - Japanese Strongpoint
City Hall - Japanese Strongpoint
Police Headquarters - Today this strongpoint fell to the 37th Infantry Division after eight days of fighting
US High Commission - Secured today by troops of the 1st Cavalry Division
University of the Philippines - Heavy fighting rages around the campus, as US troops engage the Japanese with tanks and flamethrowers to push them out