Memorare Manila

The Battle for Manila which lasted from February 3 to March 3, 1945 was fought by the Americans and Filipinos against the occupying Japanese power. The battle which lasted for one month led to the devastation of once the most beautiful city in the far east and left 120,000 Filipino unarmed civilians dead (according to Carlos Celdran), 1,000 American liberators and 16,000 Japanese soldiers in Intramuros alone. In the month-long battle, the Americans and Japanese inflicted worse destruction on Manila than the German Luftwaffe had exacted upon London. Manila was second to Warsaw in devastation after the world war.

 

Memorare Manila monument was erected to honor the innocent victims of the war.

"This memorial is dedicated to all those innocent victims of war, many of whom went nameless and unknown to a common grave, or even never knew a grave at all, their bodies having been consumed by fire or crushed to dust beneath the rubble of ruins."
"Let this monument be the gravestone for each and every one of the over 100,000 men, women, children and infants killed in Manila during its battle of liberation, February 3 - March 3, 1945. We have not forgotten them, nor shall we ever forget."
"May they rest in peace as part now of the sacred ground of this city: the Manila of our affections."