THE FILIPINO

AMERICAN WAR
ZACHARY IVAN G. GALARION
 The Philippine-America War was also known as war of
independence for the Filipino nationalist, taking pride in our
independence of June 12,1898 and the first republic in Asia,
the Philippine Republic.

 For the Americans it was called the war of insurrections, due

to the Treaty of Paris signed on December 10, 1898.

 It is all about the conflicts in the Philippine struggle for

independence.

 Battle of Manila Bay.

 AGONCILLO’S PLEA

 August 13, 1898- the Philippine Revolutionary Government delegated Felipe

Agoncillo, a lawyer from Batangas to be a foreign diplomat in the United
States, to persuade the US to recognize Philippine independence. He was
accompanied by his secretary, Sixto Lopez to secure a dialogue with President
William Mckinley.
 He FAILED.
 He sailed to Europe and appeal to American Peace Commissioners to give
Filipino a chance to be heard.
 He FAILED again.
Agoncillo’s arguments about Philippine independence:

• Spain had no legal right to cede the Philippine islands to the US.
• The support given by the US to the Filipino revolutionist showed
that he was in accord with Philippine independence.
• Although without foreign recognition, the Philippines had long
been independent de facto and de jure long before the signing
of the Treaty.
• The law enacted by congress and those still to be enacted or to
be issued by the President would not have any binding effect
upon the Filipino people, for they had their own government.
Therefore, any purchases made by the US were not valid.
 SPAIN’S CLAIM OVER THE PHLIPPINES

 The US Supreme Court ruled that Spain had legal rights over
the Philippine islands.
 Spain’s claim of sovereignty were based on two fundamental
grounds:
1. Discovery and conquest.
2. Long continued occupation of Spain in the Philippines.
Therefore, the Treaty of Paris is legal.
 TREATY OF PARIS

 5 Americans and 5 Spanish commissioners were appointed to

discuss the final peace terms. Hereunder are their names:
Americans
Cushman Davis, William P. Fyre, Whitelaw Reid, George
Gray, and William R. Day.
Spanish
Eugenio Montero Rios, Buenaventura Abarzuza, Jose de
Garnica, Wenceslao Ramirez de Villa-Urrutia, and General
Rafael Cerero.
 Spain received $20,000,000 from US as payments for the
improvements made in the colony. Further more, the US agreed
to give the Spaniards the right to ship commodities to the
Philippines for the period of 10 years on the same terms as those
of the US.
 FILIPINO-AMERICAN HOSTILITIES

 February 4, 1899- a native was killed by an American sentinel, Pvt.

William W. Grayson in the district of Sta. Mesa, near the San Juan bridge
and followed two others before the Filipinos started firing.
 The war, indeed, continued to the very grim end that caused deaths of

reaching 20,000. Good relationship ended into a war .

 February 5, 1899- MacArthur, without investigation on what happened,

issued order to advance against the Filipino troops. War was on .

 AGUINALDO DECLARED WAR

 Despitethat only Congress could declare a war

in accordance with the constitutional provisions,
Aguinaldo issued a decree to effect the war.
 AMERICAN OFFENSIVE

 Fighting took place in Central Luzon.

 February 10- American forces in the command of General Lawton dislodged
and routed the Filipino forces in Caloocan.
 Other engagements took place in Polo, Malinta, Novaliches and Guiguinto
where the Americans take the victory.
 In Binondo, Tondo, and Trazo, the native forces headed by Antonio Luna
dislodged the enemies.
 March 31- General Arthur MacArtur took Malolos, entered Pampanga and
established his military headquarters in San Fernando.
 Before the end of November all regions of Central Luzon had already fallen
into the hands of the American troops. Because of that, Filipino government
had to transfer from place to place , and the Guerilla method of warfare
bega.
 AMERICANS MOVED TO THE SOUTH

 General Miller and his troops landed in Iloilo.

 February 11- Iloilo surrendered. Followed by the
fall of Cebu, Negros, and other Visayan islands.
 AGUINALDO RETREATED

 With the death of general Luna, Filipino troops were

demoralized, many army officers surrendered to the enemy.
 General Otis, acting on the situation of the Filipinos decided
to pursue Aguinaldo. American offensive began on October
12. Aguinaldo moved his capital to Tarlac. From there he
moved to Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
 He was already in Calasiao on November 13 with his family.
 December of 1899, Aguinaldo continued to move to Tierra
Virgen, Cagayan and on September 6, 1900, reached
Palanan, Isabela.
 THE BATTLE OF TIRAD PASS

 A young and brave general convinced Aguinaldo that in order to

slow the pursuing Americans he needs to stay behind the Tirad
Pass to intercept the American forces.
 Tirad Pass was 4,500 feet high and commands a good view for
miles around. General Del Pillar uses this advantage and with his
60 men, they build trenches on both sides to see the movements
of the enemies.
 Aguinaldo proceed to Tirad Pass on December 2.
 A Christian Igorot named Januario Galut revealed to the
Americans the secret trail. At about 11:30am, Filipino were overrun
by the enemies.
 Gregorio Del Pillar is remembered as the HERO OF TIRAD
PASS. In this historic place, he fought and held back the strong
invading Americans with only a handful of men, thus giving
Aguinaldo ample time to escape the conquerors.

He was shot and killed on that fateful day – December 2,

1899, commanding Aguinaldo’s rear guard.

Before he died, he wrote, “I am surrounded by fearful odds that

will overcome me and my gallant men, but I am pleased to die fighting for
my beloved country.”
 The American victors looted the corpse of the fallen general.
Got all his things including a handkerchief with the name
“Dolores Jose” (his sweetheart).

The afternoon of the battle, Aguinaldo received the fatal

news. In the diary of General Del Pillar, which Major March
found, he wrote:

The General has given me the pick of all the men that can be spared and ordered me
to defend the pass. I realize what a terrible task has given me. And yet I felt that this is
the most glorious moment of my life. What I do is done for my beloved country. No
sacrifice can be too great.
 AGUINALDO CAPTURED

 The capture and the deportation of those leaders did not of course end
the revolution.
 Though suffering from shortage of food, war materials, capture and
surrender of leaders and the effects of the “concentration” or
“zonification” policy of the Americans, the native troops continued
fighting in the guerilla style.
 The capture of Aguinaldo led to the ultimate weakening of the native.
 March 23, 1901- General Funston, Captains Newton and Hazzard, and
Lieutenants Hazzard and Kitchell, through the help of some Macabebe
(Pampanga) soldiers who served as useful instruments in the strategic
plan of these Amrican officers, reached Palanan and captured
Aguinaldo and his bodyguards.
Salamat!
THANK YOU!