Manila Bay is the entrance to the city of Manila on Luzon, a northern island in the Philippines. The bay is an extension of the South China Sea. Manila Bay is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) long and 35 miles (56 kilometers) wide. Its waters are deep enough for large ships. There are two excellent harbors at Cavite and Manila.
The rocky, fortified island of Corregidor is at the mouth of Manila Bay. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II (1939-1945) took place on Corregidor. The island was attacked by the Japanese during the first days of the war. During the Spanish-American War, in 1898, an American fleet under the command of Commodore George Dewey destroyed a Spanish fleet in a battle at Manila Bay.
