ALLIANCE NEWS

February 04, 2012

ALLIANCE PHILIPPINES MARKS 113th Year Start of Filipino- American War

Los Angeles- The Alliance Philippines marks 113 years ago, on February 4, 1899, the Philippine-American War (1899-1914) broke –out. Today we gather in protest and militant solidarity in almost 60 cities and several cities all over the world to condemn the US threat of war against Iran.

The Filipino-American War begun by a United States sentry who shoots and kills a Filipino soldier making an attempt to cross the bridge in Sta. Mesa, Manila on February 4, 1899. This war deliberately provoked and started to legitimize America's colonial design to acquire Spanish colonies, the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans at the turn of the century.

This is the same way that the US is going to provoke a war in Iran. The same way it use the sinking of the Maine in 1898, the Luisitania in 1916, the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Tonkin Gulf Crisis in the 60's and the 9/11 incident to attack Afghanistan and Iraq.

This was made under the vile pre-arranged plan of US President William McKinley's policy of "Benevolent Assimilation" to precipitate a war in the bid to trick the Senate to approve the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and thus secure funding for military operations to annex the Philippines as part of the imperialist policy for overseas expansion.

The declaration of war passed the US Congress with a slim margin of one vote with the Treaty would be approved in the US Senate by a margin of one vote from the required two-thirds majority . And yet the Americans refused to recognize it as a formal war and hide the fact by calling the war as “The Philippine Insurrection.”

The Filipino-American War (1899-1916)

On the night of Feb 4, 1899, Pvt. William Grayson of the Nebraska Volunteers, shot and killed Filipino Corporal Anastacio Felix of the 4th Company, Morong Battalion under Captain Serapio Narvaez, with Col. Luciano S. San Miguel as battalion commander. Without any provocation all the US artillery and naval guns opened up and bombarded all Filipino positions in and outside of Manila and the fighting began.

Despite technical and firepower superiority and" a boast that they will defeat the Filipinos in three weeks ", it took American occupation forces four years to defeat the Philippine revolutionary Army . And took them several years more to conquer and vanquish the remaining revolutionary forces in the different regions of the Philippines who continued to wage armed resistance

The American war of invasion would be officially declared over on July 4, 1902 by US President Theodore Roosevelt but the last major battle will occur in 1913, with hostilities not ceasing until the following year.



The Filipino-American War will sometimes be called as America's 'first Vietnam' in reference to what would be a historical pattern of genocide against Asians/non-Westerners, what with the enemy invading Americans inflicting much dislocation, devastation, suffering, torture, massacres and pillaging on the Filipino freedom fighters and including the civilian native population.

The war cost more than 2 million Filipino lives. Filipino patriots who continued the war of resistance against America were branded as “bandits” were hunted down to be killed or exiled and imprisoned. Yet, the Filipino resistance did not waver and continued until today.

The Philippine resistance to American imperialism goes on until today and will not let up until the nation achieves full independence, sovereignty and progress!



No to War Against Iran! No to US Wars of Aggression!

Alliance-Philippines

National Secretariat

February 04, 2012

he war cost more than 2 million Filipino lives. Filipino patriots who continued the war of resistance against America were branded as “bandits” were hunted down to be killed or exiled and imprisoned. Yet, the Filipino resistance did not waver and continued until today.

The Philippine resistance to American imperialism goes on until today and will not let up until the nation achieves full independence, sovereignty and progress!



No to War Against Iran! No to US Wars of Aggression!