Colorize photo a little Filipina child amidst the ruins of liberated Manila, 1945

Little girl holding a small Philippine flag and selling bananas, possible to GI soldiers who just liberated Manila from the Japanese during WWI.  Building in the foreground is the Aduana in Intramuros, a historic landmark involving the first Spanish settlement in the city, but was used extensively as a Japanese garrison during their occupation. Manila was among the most devastated cities during the war. This was caused mostly by artillery shells and bombing by American liberating forces as they eliminated all Japanese resistance, often reducing into rubble those that have been identified as Japanese holdouts.  There have been speculations that had the U.S. waited for the surrender of Japan after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese occupation forces in the Philippines would have peacefully laid down their arms, sparing Manila from the utter destruction.  But it is said that Gen. Douglas MacArthur had to fulfill his "I shall return" promise at all cost, as he felt he owed that much to say "I have returned" to Filipinos and not say they were forgotten.  MacArthur returned to the Philippines in Oct 1944 and the Battle of Manila that reduced the city to ruins was from Feb - Mar 1945.  Japan surrendered in August of that year.