Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution, which commenced in 1896, was a significant uprising against Spanish colonial rule driven by a secret society called the Katipunan, founded by Andrés Bonifacio. Initially plagued by challenges, the revolution gained momentum as Filipino rebels sought to establish independence from Spain, which had long imposed a repressive regime marked by discrimination and economic exploitation. The execution of nationalist leader José Rizal in 1896 further fueled the rebellion, leading to a series of confrontations between Filipino forces and Spanish troops.
The situation shifted dramatically when the United States entered the conflict after declaring war on Spain in 1898. The U.S. military played a crucial role in defeating the Spanish navy and supporting Filipino rebels in their fight. However, after Spain ceded control of the Philippines to the United States through the Treaty of Paris, the expectation of independence was dashed, and the U.S. established its own governance over the islands. This transition led to further conflict, as many Filipinos who had fought against Spain now opposed American rule, resulting in the Philippine-American War. The Philippines ultimately remained under U.S. control until it achieved independence on July 4, 1946. The revolution and its aftermath highlight the complex interplay of colonialism, nationalism, and the quest for self-determination in Philippine history.
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution began in 1896, when the Spanish government discovered a secret society dedicated to freeing the Philippines from Spanish control. While the revolution initially struggled, it soon grew in power and coordination. The Spanish were unable to defeat the rebellion, yet the Filipino rebels were not strong enough to force the powerful European nation to acknowledge their country's independence.
When the United States declared war on Spain over the sinking of a US warship, the United States was determined to remove the Philippines from Spanish control. The United States defeated the Spanish navy stationed at the Philippines, and then proceeded to aid the rebels in defeating any Spanish forces stationed there. However, when the United States made peace with Spain, it purchased control of the Philippines. The United States then immediately took control of the Philippines instead of allowing for independent governance. The Philippines remained under US control until World War II (1939–1945) ended.
Background
The first Spanish expedition to the Philippines was led by the famed explorer Ferdinand Magellan. After Magellan died on the island, the Spanish king Philip II sent several more exploratory expeditions to the Philippines. The first permanent Spanish settlement in the Philippines was established in 1565. By the end of the sixteenth century, the Spanish officially controlled most of the Philippines.
The Spanish turned the Philippines into a colony, using it for tax and farm revenue under a complex taxation system. However, when that proved inefficient, the Spanish king appointed a governor-general of the Philippines. The governor-general held dictatorial powers over the colony, managing its military, farming, and commercial ventures.
Relations between the Spanish upper class and the native peoples quickly deteriorated. The Spanish rulers mistreated the Filipinos, restricting their religious rights and refusing to allow political equality. Many Filipinos began to protest peacefully for these rights, demanding a role in their government and that Filipino religious leaders become equal to Spanish religious leaders. Spain refused these demands.
Throughout much of Spain's rule, the powerful European nation enforced brutal trade restrictions on the Philippines. However, when other powerful nations, such as the United States, Britain, and China, refused to respect that restriction, Spain struggled to enforce its regulations. Through exposure to the histories of other Western powers, many Filipino leaders became inspired to rebel against their Spanish rulers.
On February 17, 1872, the Spanish government executed three Filipino priests for complicity in a military mutiny at an arsenal in Cavite. However, the priests had been involved in the local peaceful resistance movement, campaigning for religious equality. Many Filipino citizens believed that the Spanish government had used the mutiny as an excuse to kill troublesome local leaders, hampering the independence movement.
In response to Spain's execution of the priests, a number of Filipino natives formed the Katipunan in 1892. Led by Andrés Bonifacio, the Katipunan was a secret society dedicated to politically separating the Philippines from Spain. The society quickly grew in number, recruiting thousands of Filipinos from all over the country. Many members of the Katipunan realized that a violent revolution would be necessary to free the Philippines from Spanish rule.
Overview
The Spanish discovered the Katipunan while the society was still unprepared for war. However, facing brutal military crackdowns designed to make the people fear joining the Katipunan, Bonifacio decided to begin the rebellion anyway. Bonifacio and the other leaders declared the official beginning of the Philippine Revolution on August 23, 1896. In later years, this event would be called the Cry of Pugad Lawin.
The initial revolution did not go well for the rebels. Bonifacio was charismatic, but he was not a skilled military leader. The Spanish quickly captured and executed José Rizal, a Filipino nationalist writer who publically denounced Spain and inspired much of the Katipunan, in 1897. Soon afterward, the Katipunan began to split into separate ideological sects. One sect, led by Emilio Aguinaldo, slowly grew more powerful than those loyal to Bonifacio. Aguinaldo put Bonifacio on trial for treason. The Katipunan convicted Bonifacio, and then executed him. Aguinaldo was left in control of the revolution.
Aguinaldo was a significantly more skilled tactician than Bonifacio. Under his leadership, the Katipunan fought the Spanish soldiers to a standstill. The Spanish would not relinquish control of their colony, while the Filipinos refused to continue to bow to Spanish rule. The two sides agreed to a cease-fire, in the Biak-na-Bato Pact. During this truce, Aguinaldo fled into exile.
When the United States warship the Maine was sunk near Havana, Cuba, the United States declared war on Spain. US admiral George Dewey, who was stationed in Hong Kong when war was declared, was immediately ordered to take the Philippines from Spanish control. The US fleet sailed to the Philippines, engaging the Spanish fleet on May 1, 1898, in the Battle of Manila Bay. The Spanish Pacific fleet was completely destroyed in the battle, resulting in 370 Spanish casualties. The US Navy suffered only ten casualties.
The battle resulted in a crushing defeat for the Spanish. The United States also transported Aguinaldo back to the Philippines, allowing him to resume his war against Spain. With the help of the United States, the rebels won a large series of victories against the Spanish army. Spain proved unable to fight both the United States and the growing rebellion in the Philippines.
US troops occupied Manila while aiding the rebels, creating a landing zone and stronghold for the American forces. When the United States made peace with Spain with the Treaty of Paris, it also purchased the Philippines. The United States then immediately took control of the territory instead of granting it independence. Many of the rebels who had fought against Spain continued fighting against the United States, forcing the United States to commit significant military resources to stabilize the territory. The Philippines remained under US control until the country gained its independence on July 4, 1946.
Bibliography
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