During the Spanish-American war in the Philippines, Commodore George Dewey was in command of the American fleet. He secured Manila by the coast, preventing Spanish forces to retaliate by the sea; but with out sufficient land soldiers under his command, he can not take full control of Manila.
On May 26, 1898, Navy Department in Washington sent a cable (message) to Dewey. At that time, Aguinaldo had been in the Philippines for barely a week. But since Dewey has cut the cables connecting Manila to Hong Kong, the message took a week for Dewey to receive and reply. In the massage, the Navy Department in Washington said that Dewey must avoid political alliances with insurgents here in the Philippines.
Dewey had friendly relationship between Aguinaldo and his men. In fact, Aguinaldo believed that the Americans are here to help him take the Philippines. After Dewey attacked the Spanish Pacific Fleet, he secured Manila by sea; while Aguinaldo, after regrouping his men, attacked by the Spanish by land. The two had several conferences together but Dewey refused to assist Aguinaldo directly by telling him that the squadron cannot act until the U.S. troops arrived.
On June 12, 1898, Dewey was invited to Kawit for the Declaration of Independence led by Aguinaldo but he courteously declined and sent only a representative. That same day he reported to Washington that insurgents have practically surrounded Manila but he did not made any reference to the declaration of Aguinaldo.
Aguinaldo and other revutionary leaders that time are planning to form a civil government. Although Aguinaldo acted independently, he kept Dewey advised of his progress. Dewey reported to Washington on June 27, 1898 this: “My relations with him are cordial, but I am not in his confidence… I believe he [Aguinaldo] expects to capture Manila with out my assistance, but I doubt [his] ability, they [are] not having many guns. [But] In my opinion, these people are…capable of self-government.”
By June 30, 1898, the American transports arrived with 2,500 men to reinforce Dewey’s fleet and by July 17, the second contingent of U.S. troops arrived at Manila. While this happens, Aguinaldo proclaimed him self as President of the Revolutionary Republic of the Phililippines on July 1. The cozy relationships between the Americans and the Filipinos have started to develop friction after the American reinforcements arrived together with Wesley Merrit (leader of the American Ground Forces); now, Americans are becoming a threat for Aguinaldo.
The Spaniards have not yet surrendered, but by the first week of August of the same year, Americans were ready to take hold of Manila and the Philippines.
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As I understand when I was still on the elementary, Americans liberated us on the day they drove away the Spanish.; Americans were like heroes for me then: they fought the Spaniards and Japanese with us; they brought better education to us; and most importantly, they brought Democracy to our nation.
After reading the article our Social Studies instructor asked us to, my view about history, especially during the Spanish-American War, changed a lot. I do not know if I have just been taking our history a little bit too easy, but I realized how shallow is my knowledge and view of our history.
While doing this assignment, a lot of people asked me to read theirs and I can't say "No" to them because deep inside me is that curiosity of what really happened--something I have missed and was probably taken for granted.
On May 26, 1898, Navy Department in Washington sent a cable (message) to Dewey. At that time, Aguinaldo had been in the Philippines for barely a week. But since Dewey has cut the cables connecting Manila to Hong Kong, the message took a week for Dewey to receive and reply. In the massage, the Navy Department in Washington said that Dewey must avoid political alliances with insurgents here in the Philippines.
Dewey had friendly relationship between Aguinaldo and his men. In fact, Aguinaldo believed that the Americans are here to help him take the Philippines. After Dewey attacked the Spanish Pacific Fleet, he secured Manila by sea; while Aguinaldo, after regrouping his men, attacked by the Spanish by land. The two had several conferences together but Dewey refused to assist Aguinaldo directly by telling him that the squadron cannot act until the U.S. troops arrived.
On June 12, 1898, Dewey was invited to Kawit for the Declaration of Independence led by Aguinaldo but he courteously declined and sent only a representative. That same day he reported to Washington that insurgents have practically surrounded Manila but he did not made any reference to the declaration of Aguinaldo.
Aguinaldo and other revutionary leaders that time are planning to form a civil government. Although Aguinaldo acted independently, he kept Dewey advised of his progress. Dewey reported to Washington on June 27, 1898 this: “My relations with him are cordial, but I am not in his confidence… I believe he [Aguinaldo] expects to capture Manila with out my assistance, but I doubt [his] ability, they [are] not having many guns. [But] In my opinion, these people are…capable of self-government.”
By June 30, 1898, the American transports arrived with 2,500 men to reinforce Dewey’s fleet and by July 17, the second contingent of U.S. troops arrived at Manila. While this happens, Aguinaldo proclaimed him self as President of the Revolutionary Republic of the Phililippines on July 1. The cozy relationships between the Americans and the Filipinos have started to develop friction after the American reinforcements arrived together with Wesley Merrit (leader of the American Ground Forces); now, Americans are becoming a threat for Aguinaldo.
The Spaniards have not yet surrendered, but by the first week of August of the same year, Americans were ready to take hold of Manila and the Philippines.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I understand when I was still on the elementary, Americans liberated us on the day they drove away the Spanish.; Americans were like heroes for me then: they fought the Spaniards and Japanese with us; they brought better education to us; and most importantly, they brought Democracy to our nation.
After reading the article our Social Studies instructor asked us to, my view about history, especially during the Spanish-American War, changed a lot. I do not know if I have just been taking our history a little bit too easy, but I realized how shallow is my knowledge and view of our history.
While doing this assignment, a lot of people asked me to read theirs and I can't say "No" to them because deep inside me is that curiosity of what really happened--something I have missed and was probably taken for granted.
