Was the taking back of the Philippines worth it or was it mainly to satisfy MacArthur's ego?...these kinda questions will always exist but we don't live in the times and will never truly know.
Bit of both imho. Sound military decision based upon the amount of Japs there and the resources they could draw from it in the US rear should we have bypassed it but ultimately devastating to the Philippines and the people. In hindsight...ole Mac might have even said we should have bypassed it.
Japs should have declared Manila an open city. The blood is on their hands
