Muana, Elouiessa

JSIS 205: Philippines History

Final Paper
Questions #3 and #4: Occupations in the Philippines

The Philippines is one of many countries that were subject to war, and fought for
its independence and to have its own sovereign political systems. But unlike other
countries on the pacific southeast, Philippinesafter being colonized for 300 years by
the Spaniards, was yet in another colonial rule under the United States from 1902 to 1941
and was cut short because of the Japanese occupation during the 1941-45. From one to
another, the Filipino people were in constant struggle to have their freedom from the
invaders. The United States colonial rule that overthrow the Spaniards regime and the
Japanese occupation that cut short the US rule, all helped shaped the now Republic of the
Philippines.

The United States declaration of war against Spain in 1898 weakened the military
power of the Spaniards to defend two remnants of its empire, in Havana, Cuba, and
Manila, Philippines. Their military power and the Filipino nationalist insurgents
collaborated to defeat the Spaniards and put an end to its imperial regime. In June 1898,
the revolution lead by Emilio Aguinaldo succeeded in defeating the Spaniards and
declared Independence. However, the latter that were not able to accept their defeat by
the people, Filipinos, whom they view as inferior to themorchestrated a mock battle
with the US army on August 13, 1898. The U.S. agreeing to partake in such act created

the animosity between the Filipinos and Americans. More over, the American occupation
in the Philippines unwarranted another colonization---and Filipinos were not delighted
about that. They resisted the idea of being under another foreign regime, when they had
just defeated the Spaniardsthey wanted their own independence. Filipino-American
war occurred during 1899 up to 1902. President McKinley declared the occupation in the
Philippines to be a Benevolent assimilationclaiming to liberate not to subjugate the
Filipinos, where they were to teach them the art of civilization and assume responsibility
of self-governance on December 21,1898; An occupation for a humanitarian cause.
American troops harassed and abused Filipinos. They were suspicious of any male of
being insurgents and subjected these unfortunate males into execution and torture.
Filipinos, despite the out cry for independence, were dividedthe Filipino elites that was
once collaborated with the Spaniards regime, was yet again ready to hold hands with the
Americans. To pacify the uprising revolt of the Filipino Nacionalits, the Americans were
forced to collaborate with Filipinos, engaging them in the political system and
encouraging cooperation in the economic market. Futher, the United States mandated the
Filipinization of the country, and established the Commonwealth, all to prepare the
Filipinos for self-governance.

In 1916, the US Congress passed the Jones Law, which transformed the
Philippine Commission into a senate composed of Filipino, but did not set a definite date
for Philippine independence. After Emilio Aguinaldo, Sergio Osmea and Manuel
Quezon from the Nacionalista party worked together to pursue the political independence
of the country. However, the political aspect was not the only problem the Philippines

faced after the US colonial policies. The Philippines had only one market-- economic
dependency to the US. The Filipino elites, hacienderos, exploited their workers causing
them to revolt and organize labor union. And then, the American policy that sprung from
immigration laws, which protected Japanese and Chinese immigrating in the country.

The increase of Japanese population in the land was a threat to the American
occupation in the country but did not do anything about the Filipinos unpreparedness to a
possible invasion of the Japanese troops. The latter cut short the colonial rule of the
Whites, its invasion in the Philippines carried not to convert to any form of religion or
assimilation but rather to incorporate them to their economic and military appendage;
Ideologically framed as the greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Unlike the United
States indefinite grant of independence to the Philippines, Japan granted independence to
the country on 1943which further encourage collaboration between the two. The
Filipinos response to the occupation were divided, just like the Spain and U.S
colonization, the elites saw themselves as buffers between the Japanese and Filipino
masses while the non elites, who had been aggressively opposing the United States saw
an opportunity with the help of the Japanese, aside from that there was sympathy for the
Japanese nationalism.

The Japanese occupation brought disruption to the vulnerable economic and

social system of the country. The occupation was far from a friendly collaboration
between two non-European races but rather infamous for offsetting the balance of
Filipinos social and moral balance. Filipinos were once against, brutally killed fighting

for freedom and protecting their loved onesmost women were raped, became sex
slaves comfort women of the Japanese troops. During the occupation, there was no
freedom of expression and newspapers were under suppression. Filipino farmers were not
allowed to tend to their landsagriculture was idle until Japanese farmers came in and
planted cotton which was demanded by Japanese warlords. Filipinos engaged in the buy
and sell system, mostly in the black market, since there was no free-trade under the
Japanese regimehyper inflation and intensification of poverty all occurred during their
time.

The Philippines were in ruins in a mere 3 years of Japans military occupation.

Fierce guerilla resistance, their ferocious attacks to achieve freedom and collaboration
with the re-occupations of Americans, made it yet again possible to overthrow the brutal
rule of the Japanese military. Filipino people had been fighting for their kalayaan,
freedom, for a long time. Their courage and brave sacrifices made it possible to have a
democratic system. Their desire to call their country their own, ideologically Philippines
for the Filipinos, and resilience from the economic inflations, had helped shaped the now
outspoken Republic of the Philippines.

Work Cited
Thomas McCormack, From Old Empire to New: The Changing Dynamics and
Tactics of the American Empire, in Al McCoy & Franco Scarrano, Crucible of Empire,
Madison: Univ. of Wisconsin Press, 2009.
The Third Asiatic Invasion: Empire and Migration in Filipino America, 18981946, New York: NYU Press, 2011, pp. 45-69; 113-155 Transpacific Traffic: Labor,
Migration and Settlement, (45-69) and Get Rid of all the Filipinos, or Well Burn this
Town Down: Racial Revanchism and the Contested Color Line in the Interwar West,
(pp.113-155)
Teodoro Agoncillo and Milagros Guerrero, The Japanese Occupation; The
Liberation, from A History of the Filipino People, Quezon City: R.P. Garcia Publishing
Co., 1977, 401-437.
Rafael, Vicentec. " The Filipino-American War, 1899-1902." UW
Smith Hall. Seattle, Wa. February 23, 2015. Lecture in class.
Rafael, Vicentec. "The war winds down." UW Smith Hall. Seattle,
Wa. February 25, 2015. Lecture in class.
Rafael, Vicentec. " US Colonial Rule: 1902-1941." UW Smith
Hall. Seattle, Wa. February 25, 2015. Lecture in class.
Rafael, Vicentec. " Colonial Economic Policies ." UW Smith
Hall. Seattle, Wa. March 4, 2015. Lecture in class.