Fighting the Spanish for the Philippines

644 Words2 Pages

The Philippines was colonized by the Spanish in 1564. After much fighting with the Spanish the Philippines established the first Philippine Republic but this victory was short lived. The Spanish lost control of the Philippines after the Spanish-American war in the Treaty of Paris (1898). The Philippines were given to the Americans for $20 million by the Spanish. The United States were then considering to annex the Philippines because they felt the Philippines couldn’t self-rule, and if they didn’t take control of the islands another powerful country would. (http://www.biography.com/people/emilio-aguinaldo-9177563?page=2) Just two weeks after Emilio Aguinaldo a revolutionary leader, who helped defeat the Spanish, was inaugurated American soldiers killed 3 Philippine soldiers stationed at the San Juan Bridge, in a gesture of resistance in recognizing the newfound Philippine independence. Emilio Aguinaldo took control of most of the Philippines’ main island, Luzon, and declared the establishment of the Philippine Republic. Once it was clear that the U.S would colonize the Philippine islands, early clashes between the two sides began in 1899. Emilio Aguinaldo, their president, then lead them into an all-out war. (http://www.biography.com/people/emilio-aguinaldo-9177563?page=20)
The Philippines army was not powerful; they had many failed attempts at defeating better-trained and equipped American troops. Once Emilio Aguinaldo knew they could not take on the U.S head on they took in a new strategy, guerilla warfare. (http://pinas.dlsu.edu.ph/history/history.html#spanish_control) Guerrilla warfare is military actions enforced by small forces in the rear of an enemy with the object of distressing the enemy, interrupting their lines of co...

... middle of paper ...

... the Filipinos but wanted land and knew they could colonize the Philippines easily. (http://pinas.dlsu.edu.ph/history/history.html) The Spaniards said they would not educate the Filipinos “For their own good.” (Cultures of the world: Philippines by Lily Rose R. Tope/ Detch P. Nonan-Mercado) After the Philippines was given to the United States by the Spaniards the United States mostly thought how it could help them and didn’t think about the affects it was on the Philippines. After a long fought war Emilio Aguinaldo represents the relationship between the Philippines and U.S. and he is very well respected in the Philippines to this day. (http://www.pbs.org/crucible/tl19.html) But in the end the Philippine finally got their independence they deserved in 1946 after having their rights as a country overlooked by many. (http://pinas.dlsu.edu.ph/history/history.html)

More about Fighting the Spanish for the Philippines

Open Document