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56-505: Roxas Boulevard is a popular waterfront promenade in Metro Manila in the Philippines . The boulevard, which runs along the shores of Manila Bay , is well known for its sunsets and stretch of coconut trees. The divided roadway has become a trademark of Philippine tourism , famed for its yacht club , hotels, restaurants, commercial buildings and parks. The boulevard was completed in

112-734: A building in which his life would end..." The 1st Cavalry Division reached Manila Bay on 12 February, but it was not until 18 February that they took Rizal Stadium , which the Japanese had turned into an ammunition dump , and Fort San Antonio Abad . On 17 February, the 148th Regiment took the Philippine General Hospital , freeing 7,000 civilians, the University of the Philippines Padre Faura campus, and Assumption College San Lorenzo 's original Herran-Dakota campus. Iwabuchi

168-526: A continuation of Bonifacio Drive . The road passes through many tall buildings, restaurants, banks, monuments, and other establishments as it curves along Manila Bay . The United States Embassy is located near Rizal Park. A kilometer south are the headquarters of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and Philippine Navy in the Malate district of Manila. After the BSP building, the boulevard enters Pasay , passing through

224-583: A frustrated Yamashita's attempts at confronting the Americans with a concerted, unified defense. Iwabuchi had 12,500 men under his command, designated the Manila Naval Defence Force, augmented by 4,500 army personnel under Col. Katsuzo Noguchi and Capt. Saburo Abe. They built defensive positions in the city, including Intramuros , cut down the palm trees on Dewey Blvd. to form a runway, and set up barricades across major streets. Iwabuchi formed

280-567: A new alignment of the Manila South Road that connects Manila to the southern provinces of Luzon . The boulevard is also an eight-lane major arterial road in Metro Manila designated as Radial Road 1 ( R-1 ) of Manila's arterial road network , National Route 61 ( N61 ), the shortest primary route in the Philippines, National Route 120 ( N120 ) of the Philippine highway network and

336-463: A primary road. A few meters after passing EDSA, it enters Parañaque , continues into a straight route until it ends on an intersection with MIA Road and Seaside Drive, where the road continues south as Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX/E3), which is also known as Coastal Road. Intersections are numbered by kilometer post, with Rizal Park in Manila designated as kilometer 0 . The kilometer count

392-546: A roadway or boulevard. Sometimes they are just strips of grass, or some may have gardens and trees. Some roadway esplanades may be used as parks with a walking/jogging trail and benches. Esplanade and promenade are sometimes used interchangeably. The derivation of "promenade" indicates a place specifically intended for walking, though many modern promenades and esplanades also allow bicycles and other nonmotorized transport. Some esplanades also include large boulevards or avenues where cars are permitted. A similar term with

448-578: A spur of Asian Highway 26 ( AH26 ). The arcing road runs north–south from Luneta in Manila to Parañaque at the intersection of MIA Road and Seaside Drive of the reclaimed area of Entertainment City beneath the elevated NAIA Expressway . Beyond its southern terminus is the Manila–Cavite Expressway (E3), also formerly known as the Coastal Road, and now more popularly, CAVITEX. Cavite Boulevard

504-547: A successful breakout in early January 1945. Capt. Manuel Colayco, a USAFFE guerrilla officer, became an allied casualty of the city's liberation, after he and his companion, Lt. Diosdado Guytingco, guided the American First Cavalry to the front gate of Santo Tomas. Struck by Japanese bullets, Colayco died seven days later in Legarda Elementary School, which became a field hospital. At 9 PM, five tanks of

560-802: A while in order to 'be seen' and be considered part of ' society '. Beach promenades such as the Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes , the famous Promenade des Anglais on the Mediterranean coast in Nice or the Lungomare of Barcola in Trieste still play a central role in city life and in the real estate market. In the United States, esplanade has another meaning, being also a median (strip of raised land) or berm dividing

616-545: Is discontinuous.  14°34′05″N 120°59′00″E  /  14.56806°N 120.98333°E  / 14.56806; 120.98333 Promenade In the 19th century, the razing of city fortifications and the relocation of port facilities made it possible in many cities to create promenade paths on the former fortresses and ramparts. The parts of the former fortifications, such as hills, viewpoints, ditches, waterways and lakes have now been included in these promenades, making them popular excursion destinations as well as

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672-742: Is unknown. The net result would be the same: Intramuros would be practically razed." "That the artillery had almost razed the ancient Walled City could not be helped. To the XIV Corps and the 37th Division at this state of the battle for Manila, American lives were understandably far more valuable than historic landmarks. The destruction stemmed from the American decision to save lives in a battle against Japanese troops who had decided to sacrifice their lives as dearly as possible." American artillery and military operations, according to one estimate, may have caused 40 percent of total non-combatant Filipino deaths during

728-516: The 148th Regiment to cross the Pasig River and clear Paco and Pandacan . The bitterest fighting for Manila – which proved costliest to the 129th Regiment – was in capturing the steam-driven power plant on Provisor Island, where the Japanese held out until 11 February. By the afternoon of 8 February, 37th Division units had cleared most of the Japanese from their sector, but the residential districts were damaged extensively. The Japanese added to

784-547: The 1st Cavalry Division , under the command of Major Gen. Vernon D. Mudge, was ordered by MacArthur on 31 January, to "Get to Manila! Free the internees at Santo Tomas. Take Malacanang Palace and the Legislative Building ." On 31 January, the Eighth United States Army of Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger , including the 187th and 188th Glider Infantry Regiments of Col. Robert H. Soule , and components of

840-539: The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP Complex) and Star City . It then intersects with Gil Puyat Avenue and Jose W. Diokno Boulevard , where it ascends through the Gil Puyat Flyover. It then parallels Macapagal Boulevard . It ascends again to intersect Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) through the flyover of the same name; there, the route number transitions from N120/ AH26 , a secondary road, to N61,

896-594: The Manila massacre and from artillery and aerial bombardment by U.S. and Japanese forces. 16,665 Japanese dead were counted within Intramuros alone. The following months, the 6th Army and Philippine guerrillas shifted towards east of Manila to confront the Shimbu Group in mountain warfare in the Battle of Wawa Dam , and secure Manila's water sources. In 1946, General Yamashita was executed for war crimes committed during

952-507: The Pacific theater . During the battle, Japanese forces committed mass murder against Filipino civilians, while American firepower killed many people. The resistance of the Japanese and American artillery also destroyed much of Manila's architectural and cultural heritage dating back to the city's founding. Often referred to as "the Stalingrad of Asia", the battle is widely considered to be one of

1008-772: The Pasig River ." During World War II , the boulevard served as a runway of its namesake airfield. During the 1945 Battle of Manila , however, the Japanese forces cut down palm trees along the boulevard to convert it into an improvised runway. In 1992, flyovers crossing intersecting roads along the boulevard, such as the Roxas Boulevard–Gil Puyat Flyover and Roxas Boulevard–EDSA Flyover, were opened. On May 13, 2024, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna signed Ordinance No. 9047 to make Roxas Boulevard's Manila section partly car-free every early Sunday morning starting May 26. Roxas Boulevard starts at Rizal Park in Manila as

1064-505: The 1910s. Originally called Cavite Boulevard , it was renamed Dewey Boulevard in honor of the American admiral George Dewey , whose forces defeated the Spanish navy in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, Heiwa Boulevard in late 1941 during the Japanese occupation , and finally Roxas Boulevard in 1963 in honor of Manuel Roxas , the fifth president of the Philippines . It was also designated as

1120-591: The 37th and the 1st Cavalry Divisions, no further effort could be made to save buildings, everything holding up progress would be pounded." Iwabuchi's sailors, marines, and Army reinforcements, having initially had some success resisting American infantrymen armed with flamethrowers , grenades and bazookas , soon faced direct fire from tanks, tank destroyers, and howitzers , which blasted holes in one building after another, often killing both Japanese and civilians trapped inside, without differentiation. Subjected to incessant pounding and facing certain death or capture,

1176-528: The 44th Tank Battalion, headed by "Battlin' Basic", headed into the compound. The Japanese, commanded by Lt. Col. Toshio Hayashi, gathered the remaining internees together in the Education Building as hostages, and exchanged pot shots with the Americans and Filipinos. The next day, 5 February, they negotiated with the Americans to allow them to rejoin Japanese troops to the south of the city, carrying only individual small arms. The Japanese were unaware

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1232-919: The Agricultural Building by 1 March, and the 148th Regiment took the Legislative Building on 28 Feb. and the Finance Building by 3 March. Army Historian Robert R. Smith wrote: "Griswold and Beightler were not willing to attempt the assault with infantry alone. Not expressly enjoined from employing artillery, they now planned a massive artillery preparation that would last from 17 to 23 February and would include indirect fire at ranges up to 8,000 yards as well as direct, point-blank fire from ranges as short as 250 yards. They would employ all available corps and division artillery, from 240mm howitzers down. (...) Just how civilian lives could be saved by this type of preparation, as opposed to aerial bombardment,

1288-652: The Cavite Boulevard, the bayfront from the Luneta southward should be a continuous parkway, extending with time to the Cavite Navy Yard about 20 miles (32 km) away. This boulevard, about 250 ft (76 m) in width, with roadways , tramways , bridle paths , rich plantations , and broad sidewalks , should be available for all classes of people in all sorts of conveyances, and so well-shaded with coconut palms , bamboo , and mangoes as to furnish protection from

1344-458: The East." For the rest of the month the Americans and Filipino guerrillas mopped up resistance throughout the city. With Intramuros secured on 4 March, Manila was officially liberated, albeit completely destroyed with large areas levelled by American bombing. The battle left 1,010 U.S. soldiers dead and 5,565 wounded. At least 100,000 Filipinos civilians were killed, both deliberately by the Japanese in

1400-641: The Northern Force under Noguchi, and the Southern Force under Capt. Takusue Furuse. Iwabuchi had been in command of the battleship Kirishima when she was sunk by a US Navy task force off Guadalcanal in 1942, a blot on his honor which may have inspired his determination to fight to the death. Before the battle began, he issued an address to his men: We are very glad and grateful for the opportunity of being able to serve our country in this epic battle. Now, with what strength remains, we will daringly engage

1456-530: The Philippines. Yamashita planned to engage Filipino and U.S. forces in northern Luzon in a co-ordinated campaign, with the aim of buying time for the build-up of defenses against the pending Allied invasion of the Japanese home islands . He had three main groups under his command: 80,000 men of the Shimbu Group in the mountains east of Manila, 30,000 of the Kembu Group in the hills north of Manila, and 152,000 in

1512-590: The Quezon and Parian Gates , and the 129th crossing the Pasig River, then attacking near the location of the Government Mint. The fighting for Intramuros continued until 26 February. On 23 February, the Japanese released about 3,000 civilians held as hostages, after killing most of the men in the group. Colonel Noguchi's soldiers and sailors killed 1,000 men and women. Iwabuchi and his officers committed suicide at dawn on 26 February. The 5th Cavalry Regiment took

1568-567: The Shobu Group in northeastern Luzon. General Yamashita did not declare Manila an open city , although General Douglas MacArthur had done so before its capture in 1941. Yamashita had not intended to defend Manila; he did not think that he could feed the city's one million residents and defend a large area with vast tracts of flammable wooden buildings. Yamashita did order the commander of Shimbu Group, Gen. Shizuo Yokoyama , to destroy all bridges and other vital installations and then evacuate

1624-518: The U.S. 11th Airborne Division under Maj. Gen. Joseph Swing , landed unopposed at Nasugbu in southern Luzon and began moving north toward Manila. Meanwhile, the 11th A/B Division's 511th Regimental Combat Team, commanded by Col. Orin D. "Hard Rock" Haugen , parachuted onto Tagaytay Ridge on 4 February. On 10 February, the 11th Airborne Division came under the command of the Sixth Army, and seized Fort William McKinley on 17 February Swing

1680-455: The area they requested, was the now American-occupied Malacañang Palace , and soon afterwards were fired upon and several were killed, including Hayashi. On 4 February, the 37th Infantry Division freed more than 1,000 prisoners of war , mostly former defenders of Bataan and Corregidor , held at Bilibid Prison , which had been abandoned by the Japanese. Early on 6 February, General MacArthur announced that "Manila had fallen"; in fact,

1736-511: The battle for Manila had barely begun. Almost at once the 1st Cavalry Division in the north and the 11th Airborne Division in the south reported stiffening Japanese resistance to further advances into the city. General Oscar Griswold continued to push elements of the XIV Corps south from Santo Tomas University toward the Pasig River . Late on the afternoon on 4 February, he ordered the 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment , to seize Quezon Bridge ,

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1792-455: The battle. Before the fighting ended, MacArthur summoned a provisional assembly of prominent Filipinos to Malacañang Palace and in their presence declared the Commonwealth of the Philippines to be permanently reestablished. "My country kept the faith," he told the gathered assembly. "Your capital city, cruelly punished though it be, has regained its rightful place—citadel of democracy in

1848-442: The battle. The battle for Manila was the first and fiercest urban fighting fought by American forces in the entire Pacific War . Few battles in the closing months of World War II exceeded the destruction and the brutality of the massacres and savagery of the fighting in Manila. In Manila's business district only two buildings were not damaged and those two were looted of their plumbing. A steel flagpole still stands today at

1904-573: The battle. It is also known as the Memorare Manila Monument and is located at Plaza de Santa Isabel in Intramuros . The inscription for the memorial was penned by National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin and reads: "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

1960-634: The beleaguered Japanese troops took out their anger and frustration on the civilians caught in the crossfire, committing multiple acts of severe brutality, which later would be known as the Manila Massacre . Violent mutilations, rapes, and massacres of the populace accompanied the battle for control of the city. Massacres occurred in schools, hospitals and convents, including San Juan de Dios Hospital , Santa Rosa College , Santo Domingo Church , Manila Cathedral , Paco Church , St. Paul's Convent, and St. Vincent de Paul Church. Dr Antonio Gisbert told of

2016-594: The buildings damaged during the war were demolished after the Liberation, as part of rebuilding Manila, replacing European style architecture from the Spanish and early American era with modern American style architecture. Only a few old buildings remain intact. On 18 February 1995, the Memorare-Manila 1945 Foundation dedicated a memorial called the Shrine of Freedom to honor the memory of the over 100,000 civilians killed in

2072-524: The campaign to liberate the islands. It is, to date, the last battle fought within Manila . On 9 January 1945, the Sixth U.S. Army under Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger waded ashore at Lingayen Gulf and began a rapid drive south in the Battle of Luzon . On 12 January, MacArthur ordered Krueger to advance rapidly to Manila. The 37th Infantry Division , under the command of Major Gen. Robert S. Beightler , headed south. After landing at San Fabian on 27 January,

2128-585: The city as soon as any large American forces made their appearance. However, Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi , commander of the Imperial Japanese Navy 's 31st Naval Special Base Force, was determined to fight a last-ditch battle in Manila, and, though nominally part of the Shimbu Army Group, repeatedly ignored Army orders to withdraw from the city. The naval staff in Japan agreed to Iwabuchi's scheme, eroding

2184-463: The destruction by demolishing buildings and military installations as they withdrew. Japanese resistance in Tondo and Malabon continued until 9 February. Trying to protect the city and its civilians, MacArthur had stringently restricted U.S. artillery and air support, but by 9 February, American shelling had set fire to a number of districts. "If the city were to be secured without the destruction of

2240-408: The elements at all times. "In order to make the boulevard presentable and useful as soon as possible, a quick-growing tree like the acacia might be planted, alternating with the trees of slower growth, and be replaced after the latter attain their growth. The boulevard's seaward side should be planted so as to interrupt occasionally the view of the sea and, by thus adding somewhat of mystery, enhance

2296-517: The enemy. Banzai to the Emperor! We are determined to fight to the last man. On 3 February, elements of the 1st Cavalry Division under Maj. Gen. Verne D. Mudge pushed into the northern outskirts of Manila and seized a vital bridge across the Tullahan River , which separated them from the city proper, and quickly captured Malacanang Palace. A squadron of Brig. Gen. William C. Chase 's 8th Cavalry ,

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2352-517: The entrance to the old U.S. Embassy building in Ermita, pockmarked by numerous bullet and shrapnel hits, a testament to the intense, bitter fighting for the walled city. Filipinos lost an irreplaceable cultural and historical treasure in the resulting carnage and devastation of Manila, remembered today as a national tragedy. Countless government buildings, universities and colleges, convents, monasteries and churches, and their accompanying treasures dating to

2408-616: The first unit to arrive in the city, began a drive toward the sprawling campus of the University of Santo Tomas , which had been turned into the Santo Tomas Internment Camp for civilians and the US Army and Navy nurses sometimes known as the " Angels of Bataan ". For 37 months since 4 January 1942, the university's main building had been used to hold civilians. Out of 4,255 prisoners, 466 died in captivity, three were killed while attempting to escape on 15 February 1942, and one made

2464-461: The founding of the city, were ruined. The cultural patrimony (including art, literature, and especially architecture) of the Orient's first truly international melting pot – the confluence of Spanish, American and Asian cultures – was eviscerated. Manila, once touted as the "Pearl of the Orient" and famed as a living monument to the meeting of Asian and European cultures, was virtually wiped out. Most of

2520-478: The location of cultural institutions. The rapid development of artificial street lighting in the 19th century also enabled safe use in the evening. One example of this is Vienna's Ringstrasse . Esplanades became popular in Victorian times , when it was fashionable to visit seaside resorts . A promenade, often abbreviated to '(the) prom', was an area where people – couples and families especially – would go to walk for

2576-434: The most intense and worst urban battles ever fought, with it being the single largest urban battle ever fought by American forces. Manila became one of the most devastated capital cities during the entire war, alongside Berlin and Warsaw . The battle ended the almost three years of Japanese military occupation in the Philippines (1942–1945). The city's capture was marked as General Douglas MacArthur 's key to victory in

2632-671: The murder of his father and brother at the Palacio del Gobernador, saying, "I am one of those few survivors, not more than 50 in all out of more than 3,000 men herded into Fort Santiago and, two days later, massacred." The Japanese forced Filipino women and children to be used as human shields into the front lines to protect Japanese positions. Those who survived were then murdered by the Japanese. By 12 February Iwabuchi's artillery and heavy mortars had been destroyed, and with no plan for withdrawal or regrouping, "each man had his meager supply of rations, barely sufficient arms and ammunition, and

2688-510: The night of 19 February, and the Manila Hotel was liberated on 22 February, where MacArthur found his penthouse in ashes. Only Intramuros, plus the Legislative, Finance, and Agricultural Buildings, remained in Japanese hands. The assault on Intramuros started at 07:30 on 23 February, with a 140 gun artillery barrage, followed by the 148th attacking through breaches made in the walls between

2744-530: The northern section of the city into two sectors, with the 37th responsible for advancing to the south, and the 1st Cavalry Division responsible for an envelopment to the east. The Americans secured the northern bank of the Pasig River by 6 February, and had captured the city's water supply at the Novaliches Dam, Balara Water Filters , and the San Juan Reservoir. On 7 February, Gen. Beightler ordered

2800-500: The only crossing over the Pasig that the Japanese had not destroyed. As the squadron approached the bridge, Japanese heavy machine guns opened fire from a formidable roadblock thrown up across Quezon Boulevard , forcing the cavalry to stop its advance and withdraw until nightfall. As the Americans and Filipinos pulled back, the Japanese blew up the bridge. On 5 February, the 37th Infantry Division began to move into Manila, and Griswold divided

2856-806: The same meaning in the eastern coastal region of Spain is alameda Alameda de Hercules, Seville , o rambla , such as La Rambla in Barcelona, but more widely used terms in the rest of the Hispanic world are paseo marítimo ("esplanade"), paseo ("promenade") or explanada ("esplanade"). Battle of Manila (1945) Allied victory [REDACTED]   United States [REDACTED]   Japan Luzon Mindanao Naval operations The Battle of Manila ( Filipino : Labanan sa Maynila ; Japanese : マニラの戦い , romanized :  Manira no Tatakai ; Spanish : Batalla de Manila ; 3 February  – 3 March 1945)

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2912-426: The value of the stretch of ocean and sky. The boulevard would be on reclaimed land to about as far south as the old Fort San Antonio Abad in Malate , beyond which it strikes the beach and follows the shoreline to Cavite. The possible extension of the ocean boulevard along the north shore would naturally depend upon the development of the town in that direction and upon the question of additional harbor works north of

2968-549: Was a major battle of the Philippine campaign of 1944–45 , during the Second World War . It was fought by forces from both the United States and the Philippines against Japanese troops in Manila , the capital city of the Philippines. The month-long battle, which resulted in the death of at least 100,000 civilians and the complete devastation of the city, was the scene of the worst urban fighting fought by American forces in

3024-564: Was joined by the Hunters ROTC Filipino guerrillas , under the command of Lt. Col. Emmanuel V. de Ocampo, and by 5 February, they were on the outskirts of Manila. As the Americans converged on Manila from different directions, they found that most of the Imperial Japanese Army troops defending the city had been withdrawn to Baguio , on the orders of General Tomoyuki Yamashita , commander in chief of Japanese Army forces in

3080-666: Was ordered by Gen. Shizuo Yokoyama, commander of the Shimbu Group, to break out of Manila on the night of 17–18 February, in coordination with counter-attacks on Novaliches Dam and Grace Park. The breakout failed and Iwabuchi's remaining 6,000 men were trapped in Manila. By 20 February, the New Police Station, St. Vincent de Paul Church, San Pablo Church, the Manila Club, City Hall and the General Post Office were in American hands. The Japanese retreated into Intramuros on

3136-513: Was part of Architect Daniel Burnham 's plan to beautify the city of Manila. At the request of Commissioner William Cameron Forbes , Burnham visited the country in 1905 at the height of the City Beautiful movement , a trend in the early 1900s in America to make cities beautiful along scientific lines, for the future urban development of Manila and Baguio . According to Burnham's original concept of

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