Manila used to be the so-called “Venice of the East”, “Queen of the Pacific”, and “Pearl of the Orient.”
Less is remembered in the West about the devastating engagement of World War II. Between Feb. 3 and March 3, 1945, the United States set about wresting control of Manila from the Japanese. It involved grinding, urban street battles and withering American artillery bombardments. In the process, a beautiful, elegant metropolis — dubbed the “Pearl of the Orient” — was laid to waste. Some 100,000 Filipino civilians died amid the fighting.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/02/19/manila-was-known-as-the-pearl-of-the-orient-then-world-war-ii-happened
This is now the United Nations Avenue. Isaac Peral Street was considered then as the most beautiful street in the City of Manila.
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