The Philippine-American War was a conflict between the Philippines and the United States from 1899 to 1902, sparked by Filipino resistance to U.S. annexation after the Spanish-American War. Filipino forces, led by Emilio Aguinaldo, sought independence but faced retaliation from American troops. The war resulted in significant casualties and established the Philippines as an American Colony, delaying Filipino independence until 1946.
Insurrection in the Philippines
Following the Spanish-American War, Filipinos expected to gain their independence, just like Cuba. However, the U.S. Senate refused to pass a resolution granting the Philippines independence. Filipinos rescinded with an insurrection on February 4, 1899, led by Emilio Aguinaldo. For the U.S., the conflict with the Filipinos lasted longer, was more brutal, and deadlier than the war with Spain. Anti-Imperialists criticized the U.S. for contradicting its values of liberty and freedom.
Spanish-American War (1898) — A conflict between Spain and the United States in 1898, sparked by U.S. support for Cuban independence and tensions following the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor. The war lasted a few months and ended with a decisive U.S. victory, resulting in the Treaty of Paris (1898). Spain ceded control of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the U.S., starting the nation’s emergence as a global power and the beginning of its Imperialist Era.