Battle of Manila Bay
- proper noun
- Admiral Dewey's tactics in the Battle of Manila Bay set a precedent for modern naval warfare.
Examples
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Historians often cite the Battle of Manila Bay as a turning point in the Spanish-American War.
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Admiral Dewey became a national hero after his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay.
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The Battle of Manila Bay marked the beginning of American naval dominance in the Pacific.
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The Battle of Manila Bay was a pivotal moment in the Spanish-American War.
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Did you know that the Battle of Manila Bay took place in 1898?
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The United States won a decisive victory in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.
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The Battle of Manila Bay occurred on May 1, 1898, marking a significant moment in American history.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'battle' + 'of' + the place name 'Manila Bay' straightforwardly denotes a battle that took place at Manila Bay. Because 'bay' signals a coastal location (so a naval context) and the 'Battle of X' naming pattern is cross-linguistically common, a B1 learner who knows the constituents can grasp the basic meaning even if they would not infer the specific historical details.
Etymology
Battle of Manila Bay comes from a real sea fight in 1898 when the U.S. navy, led by Admiral Dewey, attacked and sank the Spanish ships in Manila Bay. Because this clear win gave the United States control in the Pacific, the name now refers to that important 'victory' and a 'turning point' in the war.