Of Hamburgers and Sushi:

Deconstructing the Filipino Experiences under American and Japanese Imperialism

Overview of the Presentation

Events Prior to American Colonialism The Filipino Experience under America The Philippines During the Second World War

Activity 4: Role Play

On the inuence of the Americans on Philippine society at large 3 groups 10 minutes preparation Maximum of 10 minutes presentation

Timeline of Events Prior to American Colonialism

Establishment of Dictatorial Government
(May 24, 1898)

Establishment of Revolutionary Government (June 23, 1898)

Inauguration of the First Philippine Republic

(January 23, 1899)

Declaration of Philippine Independence

(June 12, 1898)

Signing of the Treaty of Paris

(December 10, 1898)

Break of Filipino American War

(February, 1899)

The Filipino Experience Under America: How did it all start?

Deceit, betrayal and denial

Lie # 1: On Philippine Independence

The Americans were not allies, but traitors. Aguinaldo's Proclamation of Philippine Independence VS McKinley's Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation

The Americans intended to ll in the shoes of the Spaniards.

Their duplicity is best illustrated by this anecdote: "In 122 years we have established no colonies. I leave you to draw your own inferences"--Gen. Thomas Anderson

Lie # 2: McKinley's Benevolent Assimilation

Americans have been taught they acquired right to rule the Philippines. It was prompted by the desire to organize the Filipinos to enjoy the true blessings of democracy. "The United States' mission is one of benevolent assimilation...for the greatest good of the governed."

Did the US government really work for seless motives?

"Incidental to our tenure in the Philippines is the commercial opportunity...it is just to use every legitimate means for the enlargement of American trade.."- Pres. McKinley, The Acquisition of the Philippines

Benevolent Assimilation as Oxymoron? Assimilation can never be truly benevolent.

"We have come as your friends, to help you...prepare for self-governance. Anyone who will resist will be dealt with accordingly--with force, if necessary."

Lie # 3: The "Philippine Insurrection"

The "insurrection" as labeled by Americans was in fact the Filipinos' ght for independence.

Lie # 4: "They Started It!"

The US Senate initially did not want to ratify the Treaty of Paris, and so did the American citizens.

Right after the news of the San Juan Bridge incident break out in the US, the Senate and the people reversed their policy towards the Philippines.

Who really started shooting? Who drew the path for the Philippine-American War?

Let's consider these

It was clear the Phil-American war was started by the American soldiers not the Filipino rebels. February 2-3, 1989: Filipinos working in American ships were dismissed. February 4: 200-300 American soldiers secretly proceeded to Pasig (but were suppose to be stationed in Cavite) to Sta. Ana.

When the rst shot was red by the American soldier in Sta. Ana, the American soldiers were ready at their respective battle stations. The Filipino general in-charge in Sta.Ana was in Malolos with Aguinaldo. In 2 days, the Americans killed more defenseless natives than did the Spaniards in 2 centuries.

Lie # 5: Hiding the Ugly Truth about the Philippine-American War

The Philippine-American War was publicized as the Philippine Insurrection of 1899.

The war involved 70,000 American soldiers and took the lives of 200,000-500,000 Filipino civilians.

The Americans spent US$600 million for the war.

Not many Americans in their homelands came to know the extent of the human rights abuses the American soldiers committed.

Transgressions were meted out with tortures. Tortures were used as well to extract confessions.

"Water cure" and "rope cure" were used. Native civilians who supported the Filipino soldiers were exterminated.

The American soldiers themselves described the horrible crimes they committed against the Filipinos in their letters to their loved ones back home.

"We burned hundreds of houses and looted hundreds more. Some of the boys made good hauls of jewelry and clothing, and our quarters are furnished in style; ne beds with silken drapery, mirrors, chairs, rockers.." --E.D. Furnam, Washington Regiment

"Talk about war being "hell", this war beats the hottest estimate ever made of that locality. Caloocan was supposed to contain 17,000 inhabitants. The 20th Kansas swept through it, and now Caloocan contains not one living native....You can only faintly imagine this terrible scene of desolation. war is worse than hell." -- Captain Elliot, Kansas Regiment

What about the Balangiga Massacre in Samar?

"End resistance in Samar once and for all. I want no prisoners. I wish you to kill and burn. The more you kill and burn the better you will please me. I want all persons killed who are capable of bearing arms in actual hostilities against the US. Persons of 10 years or older. -- Gen. Jacob Smith

Lie # 6: The Philippine-American War Lasted for Three Years

Perhaps one of the most successful lies perpetuated by the US military and media.

The Philippine-American war did not end in 1901 after Aguinaldo's capture. The war against the Filipino Muslims lasted until the latter part of 1913, making the PhilippineAmerican War the longest in American history.

What the American military and government didn't know (or perhaps they were lying they didn't know)

That the honorable members of the American public were also victimized by the ruthless and cruel treatment of the Filipinos by the American soldiers.

"I deprecate this war, this slaughter of our own boys and of Filipinos, because it seems to me that we are doing something that is contrary to our principles in the past. Certainly we are doing something that we should have shrunk from not so very long ago." -- General Reeve, Thirteenth Minnesota Regiment

"They will never surrender until their whole race is exterminated. They are ghting for a good cause, and the Americans should be the last of all nations to transgress upon such rights. Their independence is dearer to them than life, as ours was in years gone by, and is today." -- Ellis G. Davis,Company A, Twentieth Kansas

"Now, don't lie to me!" and other lessons on Citizenship

"The true citizenship is to protect the ag from dishonor--to make it the emblem of a nation that is known to all nations as true and honest and honorable. And we should forever forget that old phrase--"My country, right or wrong, my country!" --Mark Twain

Timeline of Events Prior to American Colonialism

Establishment of Dictatorial Government
(May 24, 1898)

Establishment of Revolutionary Government (June 23, 1898)

Inauguration of the First Philippine Republic

(January 23, 1899)

Declaration of Philippine Independence

(June 12, 1898)

Signing of the Treaty of Paris

(December 10, 1898)

Break of Filipino American War

(February, 1899)

Timeline: The Philippines Under American Rule

Apolinario Mabini and others deported to Guam
(January 17, 1900)

Inauguration of Civil Government

(July 4, 1901)

Election of the delegates of the First Philippine Assembly

(July 30, 1907)

The First Philippine Assembly convened

(October 16, 1907)

Cooper Act provided for limited selfgovernment

(July 1, 1901)

Nacionalista Party formed

(March 12, 1907)

Francis Burton Harrison became Governor General and pursues Filipinization of government
(October 30, 1907)

-Philippine Autonomy Act signed in to law -Creation of Philippine Senate

(August 29, 1916)

Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas founded by Crisanto Evangelista

(November 7, 1930)

TydingsMcDufe Act signed into law

(March 24, 1934)

-Japanese launched attacks in the Philippines -Manila declared open city

(December 8, 1941)

Philippine Commonwealth inaugurated

(November 15, 1935)

America's Philippine Colony after the War

President McKinley established a civil government in the Philippines William Howard Taft was the First Civil Governor General

The US ruled without antagonizing the Filipinos unlike Spain Americans made their rule a "walk in the park"

How did the Americans successfully go about this?

Education The Americans were able to redirect the Filipino's attitudes General MacArthur knew this as he recommended that a large budget be set aside for education

Falling in Love with Uncle Sam

Americans taught everything about their culture, language, history The Filipinos' indigenous culture and history were marginally taught

English was the medium of instruction Philippine history was taught but "dangerous contents" deleted US was put on pedestal (Spain as villain and US as savior)

, not atis.

"The new Filipino generation learned of the lives of American heroes, sang American songs, and dreamt of snow and Santa Claus." - Renato Constantino

Spanish-Filipino nicknames were dropped (Jose out, Joe in!) American dress styles imitated American cars ruled the roads; caretelas were displaced.

Doesn't love happen that way, really?

"to see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly..."

Gone was the need for the early measures employed by the Americans to suppress nationalism. Flag law, Sedition law

The stage was set for the freewheeling manipulation of the ill-fated Filipinos.

Free Trade in a Captive Land

Payne-Aldrich Act of 1909 Entry of American goods in Philippine markets free of tariff duties or taxes

Imposed no restriction on the American goods that enter the Philippines Any Philippine good beyond the quota was to be taxed

Underwood-Simmons Act of 1913 Corrected the imbalance But in 1913 and in the years preceding that, the amount of Philippine exports was far below the quota

Implications of the"Free Trade"

Increased production Increased employment opportunities Large-scale commercial exchange More income to the Philippine government Precipitated infrastructure development

American goods ooded Philippine markets Local industries died Traded with the US only Products the US wanted were the only ones produced

Thus...
Philippine economy came to be dependent on the US' US government had control over Philippine policymakers

Neocolonialism?
Many other concerns bind us to the US US and other rich and powerful nations control IMF and the World Bank We are indebted to these institutions

"Filipinizing" the Philippine Government

Gradual turning over of positions to the Filipinos Preparation for autonomy and eventually independence

Purposes of the Policy Obtain cooperation of the natives Allow Americans to run the colonial government with minimal manpower and expenditure

So how was Filipinization implemented? (1899-1913)

Executive branch All ofces given to Filipinos except: Ofce of the Governor-General Department of Public Instructions

So how was Filipinization implemented? (1899-1913)

Legislative branch 1902- all-American Philippine Commission 1907- establishment of a bicameral legislature Philippine Commission (Upper house) Philippine Assembly (Lower house) 1913- Philippine Commission became all-Filipino

So how was Filipinization implemented? (1899-1913)

Judicial branch All ofces given early to Filipinos including those in the Supreme Court

How Filipino was the Filipinization Policy?

1918- 80-85% of American colonial government already in the hands of Filipinos Positions that involved formulation and implementation of US policies were kept to Americans The US Congress had the power to nullify laws created by the Philippine Legislature Decisions of the Philippine Supreme Court were subject to review by the US Supreme Court

The Philippine Commonwealth

Manuel Quezon as First President Apex of the Filipinization policy Result of the Tydings-McDufe Act 10-year transition period before granting Philippine independence

Oxymoron V.2.0
American sovereignty over the Philippines as provided in the Tydings-McDufeAct The Commonwealth government cannot obtain foreign loans without approval of the US President Philippine foreign affairs would still be under the US Decisions of the Philippine courts are subject to review by the US Supreme Court

Oxymoron V.2.0
American citizens in the Philippines were to have the same rights as the Filipino citizens The US would continue its free trade arrangement with the Philippines

You want independence? Have as much as you want. (smirk...)

The US fullled its promise of granting Philippine Independence Despite the coming of the Japanese in 1942 and their 3-year rule over the Philippines, independence was granted on July 4, 1946.

Let's consider these...

The decreased demand for US products (agricultural) prompted the American farmers to blame the US' free trade relations with the Philippines They pushed for the granting of independence to the Philippines

Japan's growing aggression (conquest of Manchuria in China in 1931) Americans realized the only way it could prevent costly war with Japan was to leave the Philippines

The terrible devastation of the Philippines in WW2 The Philippines was the second most devastated Allied city in WW2 (next to Warsaw, Poland) This strengthened US resolve to let go of the Philippines

Thus...

In 1946, the US made true of its promise of granting independence to the Philippines.

And...
The Filipinos loved them more for it.

Doesn't love happen that way, really?

The Legacy of the Americans in the Philippines

English language Education Consumerism? Colonial mentality?

If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or as Beethoven composed music, or as Shakespeare composed poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, "Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."
Martin Luther King African-American Civil Rights Leader

The Philippines During the Second World War

Japan launched rst attacks in the Philippines

(December 8, 1941)

Japanese forces entered Manila

(January 2, 1942)

Fall of Bataan Death March

(April 9-15, 1942)

MacArthur declared Manila an open city

(December 26, 1941)

Philippine Executive Committee formed

(February 26, 1942)

Fall of Corregidor
(May 6, 1942)

(October 20-26, 1944)

Naval battles fought between US Navy and Japanese Combined Fleet

Quezon dies VP Sergio Osmea succeeds him

(August 1, 1944)

Liberation of Manila from the Japanese

(Feb. 3- March 3, 1945)

Japanese-sponsored Phil. Republic inaugurated with Laurel as President

(October 14, 1943)

US Forces land in Leyte Philippine Commonwealth re-established

(October 20, 1944)

Japanese forces surrender to Filipino and American forces

(September 2,1945)

Hitting Rock Bottom (Three Years under Japanese Rule)

Signs of Japan's growing might 1894- annexed Taiwan 1904- controlled Korea 1931- occupied Manchuria 1937- waged full-scale military campaign against China Incursion into the territories of French Indochina (presently Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia), the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and the British Colony of Malaya (Malaysia)

So, what did the Japanese want from the Philippines?

Japan needed raw materials from countries to beef up its ARTILLERY production Philippines' resources for INDUSTRIAL production instead

Plan of Conquest
The Philippines was made part of Japan's plan of conquest To attain their goals, the Japanese needed to put the US war machinery in the Pacic out of commission

The Show of Might Begins

December 7, 1941 : Bombing of US naval installations at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii Within 10 hours: aerial attacks on Clark Air Base in Pampanga