Nicholas Evan Sarantakes, "The Battle of Manila: Poisoned Victory in the Pacific War" (Oxford UP, 2025)

In this episode of New Books in Southeast Asian Studies, host Nicholas Gordon interviews Nicholas Evan Sarantakes, author of 'The Battle of Manila: Poisoned Victory in the Pacific War,' published by Oxford University Press in 2025. The conversation explores the pivotal and devastating urban battle for Manila in early 1945, which marked the first major city fight in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Sarantakes situates the battle within the broader context of the war’s final phase, emphasizing its strategic necessity despite its high human cost. He argues that the U.S. decision to reclaim the Philippines—particularly Manila—was driven by sound strategic, political, and logistical imperatives: the need for a major port to support the invasion of Japan, the presence of a strong Filipino resistance, and the political imperative to liberate U.S. territory. The episode delves into the contrasting leadership styles of General Douglas MacArthur, portrayed as both brilliant and egotistical, and Japanese commander General Yamashita, whose strategic retreat was undermined by the defiant naval commander Admiral Iwabuchi, who chose to fight in the city despite orders. Sarantakes details the brutal realities of urban warfare—block-by-block fighting, collapsing infrastructure, dust-choked streets, and the near-total destruction of Manila’s historic Walled City. He also examines the media’s role, revealing how journalists were often misled or manipulated by military public affairs officers, leading to premature declarations of victory that obscured ongoing combat. The aftermath is described as a 'poisoned victory': while the U.S. gained control of the city, the port facilities were destroyed, the civilian death toll reached 100,000, and the city’s cultural and physical recovery took decades. The episode concludes with Sarantakes discussing his next projects, including a book on the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and a group biography of the five U.S. five-star generals.