The Philippine-American War: A Flawed Victory

The defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American War ignited a complex and bloody chapter in
Philippine history. Filipinos, who had fought alongside the Americans against Spanish rule, were
dismayed when the Treaty of Paris in 1898 ceded the Philippines to the United States instead of
recognizing their newly declared independence. This fundamental disagreement sparked the
Philippine-American War (1899-1902).

General Emilio Aguinaldo, leader of the First Philippine Republic, refused to accept American
rule. Filipino forces, though vastly outnumbered and outgunned, fiercely resisted American
occupation. Aguinaldo employed guerilla warfare tactics, leveraging the archipelago's terrain and
the Filipinos' familiarity with the land to their advantage. However, the United States, with its
superior military might, resorted to brutal tactics to subdue the resistance. These included the
infamous scorched-earth policy in areas deemed hostile, which led to widespread civilian
casualties.

The war exposed the hypocrisy of American ideals. Having fought for freedom from Spanish
colonialism, the US now denied that same right to the Filipinos. The brutal tactics employed
further tarnished the image of American intervention. While the US declared victory in 1902, the
war remained a "flawed victory." Filipino resistance continued for years after, and the conflict cast
a long shadow over Philippine-American relations. The war ultimately delayed Philippine
independence until 1946, highlighting the complex and often troubled legacy of American
involvement in the Philippines.