 Due to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines , American soldiers were ordered to withdraw from the city and all military installations were removed on December 24 , 1941 . General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila an open city to prevent further death and destruction ; despite this , the Japanese warplanes continued to bomb the city . Manila was occupied by the Japanese forces on January 2 , 1942 . 
 Due to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines , American soldiers <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> ordered to withdraw from the city and all military installations <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> removed on December 24 , 1941 . General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila an open city to prevent further death and destruction ; despite this , the Japanese warplanes continued to bomb the city . Manila was occupied by the Japanese forces on January 2 , 1942 . 
Due to da Japanese occupation of the Philippines , American soldiers was ordered to withdraw from tdacity and all military installations was removed on December 24 , 1941 . General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila an open city to prevent further death and destruction ; despite this , thdaapanese warplanes continued to bomb the city . Manila was occupied by the Japanese forces on January 2 , 1942 .