Battle of Manila Bay
1898 CE · Manila Bay, Philippines
The Battle of Manila Bay was fought in 1898 CE in Manila Bay, Philippines between United States vs Spain; decisive American victory; the Spanish Pacific squadron was destroyed in a morning.
Battle of Manila Bay: quick facts
- Date
- 1898 CE
- Location
- Manila Bay, Philippines
- Belligerents
- United States vs Spain
- Commanders
- George Dewey vs Patricio Montojo
- Result
- decisive American victory; the Spanish Pacific squadron was destroyed in a morning.
- Era
- 🦅 American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Manila Bay?
On May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey's Asiatic Squadron sailed into Manila Bay and destroyed the entire Spanish Pacific fleet in a matter of hours. Dewey's famous order to his flagship captain, 'You may fire when you are ready, Gridley,' opened one of the most lopsided naval victories in history. The Americans sank or captured every Spanish vessel without losing a single sailor. The battle established the United States as a Pacific power and led to American acquisition of the Philippines.
Did you know?
Commodore Dewey's flagship Olympia, from which he gave the famous 'fire when ready' order at Manila Bay, is preserved today as a museum ship in Philadelphia.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Manila Bay on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.