A Filipino survivor of the Manila massacre. The indent on his neck is from where a Japanese officer tried to behead him.
Occurring between February 3 and March 3, 1945, the massacre saw the indiscriminate killing of tens of thousands of Filipino civilians by Japanese forces during the Battle of Manila. It unfolded over a month, characterized by systematic atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers against Filipino civilians.
The killings were indiscriminate and horrific, with reports of bayoneting, shooting, beheading, and burning people alive. Men, women, and children were not spared; entire families were massacred in their homes, schools, hospitals, and churches.
The most infamous site of the massacre was the Manila's Intramuros district, where hundreds of civilians seeking refuge in churches and schools were slaughtered. Another horrific incident occurred at the University of Santo Tomas, which had been turned into an internment camp. As the Japanese forces retreated, they killed numerous internees.
Estimates of the death toll vary, but it is widely accepted that between 100,000 and 240,000 Filipino civilians lost their lives during the massacre.
