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The Forgotten Atrocities of the Philippine-American War: Revealing the Dark Chapters of History

The Chronicles of Yesterday 6-7 minutes 3/12/2023

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The Philippine insurrection, 1899 LCCN2002736709Photo bycommons.wikimedia

The Philippine War with America began between the U.S. and Filipino revolutionaries from 1899 to 1902. This war mainly began after America assumed that they held the sovereignty of the Philippines after the defeat of Spain in the Spanish and American war.

The Battle Of Manila

This was amongst the most significant battles and the first battle against the Americans and Filipinos. The Filipinos were looking forward to being independent, especially once the United States defeated the colonial regime of Spain.

The Spanish rule finally ended, and the Filipinos had hoped their country would be free; however, there were other plans. The United States took over the islands for their own rule, which led to a bloody war. There was bloodshed between the Americans and Filipino independence fighters in Manila.

After the massive victory against Spain in 1898, American troops began to occupy Manila, the Philippines' capital. However, the peace treaty between the U.S. and Spain gave the Philippines to the United States. This led to a significant rift in the relations between the Filipinos and Americans, as the Americans were adamant about staying and ruling.

In December 1898, the then U.S. president William McKinley (R-Ohio) took over the islands by issuing the 'Proclamation of Benevolent Assimilation." On the 1st of January 1899, the independent republic declared the Filipino leader Emilio Aguinaldo the President.

Tensions started to rise as it was clear that the Filipinos wanted Americans out of their country and wanted to be independent. As a result of these tensions, two U.S. guards at the Manila San Juan del Monte bridge were in charge of watching and keeping a keen eye.

These soldiers shot at a Filipino crowd that was crossing the bridge. There was massive firing on both ends, and the Filipino rebels captured two artillery pieces.

The following day after this incident, U.S. general Arthur MacArthur ordered the troops to attack Filipino trenches. The general deployed two soldiers on the northern and southern sides. The northern forces captured a ridge, and the south part troops captured an entire village full of Filipino supplies.

The village population failed to stop these American troops, and the troops drove out the Filipino rebels. This battle resulted in the death of 60 U.S. troops and over 2000 Filipino rebels.

This was just the beginning of a war that lasted about 3 years and resulted in over 20,000 Filipino troops, more than 4,200 Americans, and the deaths of over 200,000 Filipino citizens due to the violence.

The U.S. Motive Behind Annexation

A vast domestic controversy led to the United States' annexation of the Philippines. There were several motivations for the Americans as they could easily avail commercial opportunities in the Asian continent, and the country could not run itself.

The Americans feared that the Filipinos could not achieve self-rule and that superpowers such as Germany or Japan would annex the Philippines if the United States left. There was considerable debate as the American public and politicians doubted this unjust occupation.

Meanwhile, the Filipino revolutionaries under Aguinaldo's command captured most of Luzon's main island and established an independent republic. This started the clash between the two sides, resulting in bloodshed and catastrophic events.

Two Phases Of The War

The war mainly had two phases, consisting of the first in 1899, lasting from February to November. This phase primarily was unsuccessful attempts by Aguinaldo's soldiers to fight a war against the American troops. These American troops were well-trained, equipped with artillery, and had a more significant military strength which is why the first phase failed.

The second phase included a shift in war tactics by the Filipinos. They were now shifting to a guerilla style of war which began in 1899 and continued throughout the kidnapping of Aguinaldo in 1901 to the end of the conflict in 1903. President Theodore Roosevelt (R-New York) proclaimed an end to the match on the 4th of July 1902, although there were still uprisings and conflicts in the following years.

The American troops had an unfair advantage due to trained troops and a steady supply of all the necessary military supplies. The Filipinos faced difficulties getting any external support, and there was a massive shortage of weapons compared to the United States artillery. The first phase initiated by Aguinaldo to fight a conventional war failed and resulted in a significant loss of material and men.

Atrocities Of The War

The war was bloody and led to significant damage. The United States was ruthless; it burned down villages, tortured guerillas, and employed a civilian re-concentration policy.

The Filipino troops also terrorized civilians who helped the Americans and tortured prisoners. This resulted in a catastrophe leading to food shortages and many diseases. There was a rapid spread of diseases such as cholera and malaria, and many civilians died due to this war.

The Pacification Campaign By The United States

While the fighting continued, the U.S. established a colonial government in the Philippines in 1900 led by the future president and U.S. Chief Justice William Howard Taft (R-Ohio). They initiated a policy for an attraction designed to win the support of Filipino elites and other citizens who did not see eye to eye with Aguinaldo's plans.

This program gained significant support, undermining the Filipino rebels' and revolutionaries' fight against the Americans. This aided the Americans and ultimately led them to win the war.

In 1907 the Philippines was able to convene its first-ever elected assembly. In 1916, a Jones Act promised the country eventual independence, which was granted in 1946 after becoming an independent commonwealth.