IMPERIALISM AND SOCIAL IMPERIALISM AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINESMOVEMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES

““HindHindî Ako Si Joe!”î Ako Si Joe!”(My Name Isn’t Joe)(My Name Isn’t Joe)

Dr. Zoltán Grossman, Member of the Faculty, Geography/Dr. Zoltán Grossman, Member of the Faculty, Geography/Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies, Native American and World Indigenous Peoples Studies,

The Evergreen State College, Olympia WAThe Evergreen State College, Olympia WAhttp://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz

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Facing West (Richard Drinnon)

• Manifest Destiny againstManifest Destiny against

Native American nationsNative American nations

• Kept going acrossKept going across

Pacific OceanPacific Ocean

• Overseas imperialismOverseas imperialism

Spanish-AmericanWar, 1898

• Philippines Liberated from Spain 1898, turned on rebels 1899; colony until 1946

• Cuba Occupied 1898, but not annexed

• Puerto Rico Annexed 1898; still a Commonwealth

• Guam Ceded by Spain, 1898

The Spanish-American War was a “splendid littleThe Spanish-American War was a “splendid little

war,” part of a “general plan of opening a fieldwar,” part of a “general plan of opening a field

of enterprise in those distant regions where the of enterprise in those distant regions where the

Far West becomes the Far East.”Far West becomes the Far East.”

-- John Hay, -- John Hay,

Secretary of State Secretary of State

1898-19051898-1905

Hay on westward expansionHay on westward expansion

““The Pacific is our natural property. Our great coast borders it for a The Pacific is our natural property. Our great coast borders it for a quarter of the world…we need to keep the passage open to eastern quarter of the world…we need to keep the passage open to eastern Asia, the future battleground of commerce.” -- Henry Adams (p. 249)Asia, the future battleground of commerce.” -- Henry Adams (p. 249)

“White Man’s Burden”

Paternalism againstnoble or violent “savages”

In Samoa, “the natives…are children, and have the In Samoa, “the natives…are children, and have the

charms of childhood, as well as the faults of the charms of childhood, as well as the faults of the

small boy.”small boy.”

-- Henry Adams (p. -- Henry Adams (p. 249)249)

In the Philippines, the In the Philippines, the

““natives are entirely unfitnatives are entirely unfit

for self-government.”for self-government.”

--Dean Worcester (p. 279)--Dean Worcester (p. 279)

(Thanks to Terrie Mount for scanning.)(Thanks to Terrie Mount for scanning.)

President McKinley

washes “dirty”Filipino with“civilization”

U.S. “liberated” islandsU.S. “liberated” islands

from Spain, 1898; turnedfrom Spain, 1898; turned

on Tagalog rebels ledon Tagalog rebels led

by Emilio Aguinaldo, 1899;by Emilio Aguinaldo, 1899;

annexed islands as colony. annexed islands as colony.

War fought until 1913, withWar fought until 1913, with

4,000+ U.S. soldiers,4,000+ U.S. soldiers,

20,000+ Filipino insurgents,20,000+ Filipino insurgents,

250,000+ civilians dead. 250,000+ civilians dead.

Granted independence 1946;Granted independence 1946;

held bases until 1992.held bases until 1992.

Philippine-AmericanWar, 1899-1913

““The insurgent government of the Philippine Islands cannot be dealt with as though they were North American Indians, willing to be removed The insurgent government of the Philippine Islands cannot be dealt with as though they were North American Indians, willing to be removed from one reservation to another at the whim of their masters.”from one reservation to another at the whim of their masters.”

--U.S. consul in Hong Kong--U.S. consul in Hong Kong

Rounseville Wildman (1899)Rounseville Wildman (1899)

Warnings of resistanceWarnings of resistance

““We will withdraw to the mountainsWe will withdraw to the mountains

and repeat the North American Indianand repeat the North American Indian

warfare. You must not forget that.”warfare. You must not forget that.”

--Aguinaldo spokesman to --Aguinaldo spokesman to

General Marcus Miller (1899)General Marcus Miller (1899)

““The extensive burning of The extensive burning of barriosbarrios in trying to lay waste the in trying to lay waste the country so that the insurgents cannot occupy it, the country so that the insurgents cannot occupy it, the torturing of natives by the so-called ‘water cure’ and other torturing of natives by the so-called ‘water cure’ and other methods in order to obtain information, the harsh methods in order to obtain information, the harsh treatment of natives generally…”treatment of natives generally…”

Human rights abuses

--Major Cornelius Gardener,--Major Cornelius Gardener,

U.S. Civil Governor, U.S. Civil Governor,

Tabayas province (1902)Tabayas province (1902)

Difficult to distinguishDifficult to distinguish

civilians from rebels in civilians from rebels in

a guerrilla war.a guerrilla war.

Concentration camps

In retaliation for rebellion, troops burnt villages, destroyed In retaliation for rebellion, troops burnt villages, destroyed crops in Batangas province, 1901. Herded survivors into crops in Batangas province, 1901. Herded survivors into concentration camps in reservation-like stockades, ostensibly concentration camps in reservation-like stockades, ostensibly to isolate insurgents. to isolate insurgents.

Easier to control peasantsEasier to control peasants

and use their labor, and turnand use their labor, and turn

depopulated rural areas into depopulated rural areas into

““free-fire” zones. Model forfree-fire” zones. Model for

rest of the Philippines.rest of the Philippines.

Anti-Imperialist LeagueAnti-Imperialist Leagueopposes Philippine waropposes Philippine war

““I would not exchange the gloryI would not exchange the gloryof this republic for the gloryof this republic for the gloryof all the empires that have risenof all the empires that have risenand fallen since time began.”and fallen since time began.”--Democratic presidential nominee--Democratic presidential nominee Wiliiam Jennings Bryan (1900)Wiliiam Jennings Bryan (1900)Republic or Empire: AmericanRepublic or Empire: AmericanResistance to the Philippine WarResistance to the Philippine Warby Daniel Boone Schirmer (1972)by Daniel Boone Schirmer (1972)

“Barbarians”vs. “Civilized”

“Of course our whole national history has been one of

expansion…. While we had a frontier the chief feature

of frontier life was the endless war between the settlers

and the red men. Sometimes the immediate occasion for

the war was to be found in the conduct of the whites and

sometimes in that of the reds, but the ultimate cause was

simply that we were in contact with a country held by

savages or half-savages….

“that the barbarians recede or are conquered, with the

attendant fact that peace follows their retrogression or

conquest, is due solely to the power of the mighty

civilized races which have not lost the fighting

instinct, and which by their expansion are gradually

bringing peace into the red wastes where the

barbarian peoples of the world hold sway.”

-- Theodore Roosevelt-- Theodore Roosevelt

The Strenuous LifeThe Strenuous Life (1901)(1901)

“The presence of troops in the Philippines…has no more to do with militarism and imperialism than had their presence in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wyoming during the many years which elapsed before the final outbreaks of the Sioux were … put down.”

“To grant self-government to Luzon under Aguinaldo would be like granting self-government to an Apache reservation under some local chief…”

“The Seminoles, who had not been consulted in the [Spanish] sale [of Florida], rebelled and waged war exactly as sons of the Tagals have rebelled and waged war in the Philippines….”

-- Theodore Roosevelt (1900)-- Theodore Roosevelt (1900)

““We exterminated the American Indians, and I guess most of us We exterminated the American Indians, and I guess most of us are proud of it…and we must have no scruples about are proud of it…and we must have no scruples about exterminating the other race standing in the way of exterminating the other race standing in the way of progress…”progress…”

““Our men have been relentless, have killed to exterminate men, Our men have been relentless, have killed to exterminate men, women and children, prisoners and captives…from lads of ten women and children, prisoners and captives…from lads of ten up, an idea prevailing that the Filipino was little better than a up, an idea prevailing that the Filipino was little better than a dog.” (pp. 314-15)dog.” (pp. 314-15)

Officers’ letters to newspapersOfficers’ letters to newspapers

““I want no prisoners….The more you kill and the more you burn, I want no prisoners….The more you kill and the more you burn, the better you will please me….The interior of Samar must be the better you will please me….The interior of Samar must be made into a howling wilderness.”made into a howling wilderness.”

--General Jacob Smith, 1902--General Jacob Smith, 1902

““We must act with vindictive earnestness against the Sioux, even We must act with vindictive earnestness against the Sioux, even to their extermination, men, women and children. Nothing else to their extermination, men, women and children. Nothing else will reach the root of this case.”will reach the root of this case.”

--General William T. Sherman, 1866--General William T. Sherman, 1866

““Our future security will be in [Iroquois] inability to injure us…Our future security will be in [Iroquois] inability to injure us…and in the terror with which the severity of the chastizement and in the terror with which the severity of the chastizement they receive will inspire them.”they receive will inspire them.”

--General George Washington, 1779--General George Washington, 1779

Philippine Ethnic/Religious Groups

Pink:Pink: Lowland Catholics Lowland Catholics

on Luzon (north), on Luzon (north),

Visayas Is. (central)Visayas Is. (central)

Green:Green: Lowland Muslims Lowland Muslims

(Moros) on Mindanao (south)(Moros) on Mindanao (south)

YellowYellow:: Highland tribal peoples Highland tribal peoples

(sometimes used against rebels)(sometimes used against rebels)

Igorot rice terraces in Cordillera, N. LuzonIgorot rice terraces in Cordillera, N. Luzon

Navajos meet Igorots at Navajos meet Igorots at St. Louis World’s Fair, 1904St. Louis World’s Fair, 1904

Moro Crater Massacre, March 1906Moro Crater Massacre, March 1906

Mark Twain on the Mark Twain on the Philippine-American War Philippine-American War

““The completenessThe completeness of the victory is established by this fact: that of of the victory is established by this fact: that of the six hundred Moros not one was left alive. The brilliancy of the the six hundred Moros not one was left alive. The brilliancy of the victory is established by this other fact, to wit: that of our six victory is established by this other fact, to wit: that of our six hundred heroes only fifteen lost their lives. General Wood was hundred heroes only fifteen lost their lives. General Wood was present and looking on. His order had been, ‘Kill or capture those present and looking on. His order had been, ‘Kill or capture those savages.’ Apparently our little army considered that the ‘or’ left savages.’ Apparently our little army considered that the ‘or’ left them authorized to kill or capture according to taste, and that their them authorized to kill or capture according to taste, and that their taste had remained what it has been for eight years, in our army out taste had remained what it has been for eight years, in our army out there--the taste of Christian butchers. . . .The enemy numbered six there--the taste of Christian butchers. . . .The enemy numbered six hundred--including women and children--and we abolished them hundred--including women and children--and we abolished them utterly, leaving not even a baby alive to cry for its dead mother. utterly, leaving not even a baby alive to cry for its dead mother. This is incomparably the greatest victory that was ever achieved by This is incomparably the greatest victory that was ever achieved by the Christian soldiers of the United States.”the Christian soldiers of the United States.”

““It kept leaking down from sources above that the Filipinos were ‘niggers,’ no It kept leaking down from sources above that the Filipinos were ‘niggers,’ no better than Indians, and were to be treated as such.”better than Indians, and were to be treated as such.”

-- A.L. Mumper, 1st Idaho Regiment-- A.L. Mumper, 1st Idaho Regiment

““We had been taught (the devil only knows why) that the Filipinos were savages We had been taught (the devil only knows why) that the Filipinos were savages no better than our Indians.”no better than our Indians.”

--Returned officer in --Returned officer in Congressional RecordCongressional Record

““The boys go for the enemy as if they were chasingThe boys go for the enemy as if they were chasing

jackrabbits…. Apply the chastening rod…until they jackrabbits…. Apply the chastening rod…until they

come into the reservation and promise to be good ‘Injuns’ ”come into the reservation and promise to be good ‘Injuns’ ”

-- Colonel Funston, Kansas Regiment Commander-- Colonel Funston, Kansas Regiment Commander

“It is possible for us to govern them as we govern the Indian tribes.”

-- Governor-General of Philippines-- Governor-General of Philippines

William Howard Taft (1902)William Howard Taft (1902)

““We have acted on the theory for a hundred years with We have acted on the theory for a hundred years with regard to the American Indians, that no matter what they regard to the American Indians, that no matter what they wish or what government they desire, we will hold them wish or what government they desire, we will hold them by force.”by force.”

--Methodist Bishop --Methodist Bishop

James Thoburn (1902) James Thoburn (1902)

Indian & Filipinoself-government

Bureau of Indian

Affairs (BIA)War Department to

Interior Department

1849

Bureau of Insular

Affairs (BIA)Interior Department

to War Department

1900

B.I.A.

Bataan Export Processing Zone

Fishing community relocated

Workers’ “boxcar” housing

Labor strikes forbetter working conditions

Morong nuclear plant Westinghouse plant on volcano, quake fault

would power EPZ, U.S. military bases

Bataan fishing community of Morong

Fishermen opposenuclear plant,

educate nuclear workers

Shootings, disappearances

“Sweatshop” workersplan anti-nuclear strike

Workers, fishers, farmersblockade roads

“People’s strike” barricades

Military brings in soldiers

Standoff of soldiers, protesters

Stalemate

Military prepares for attack

Military attacks with light tank

Aftermathof attack

Protesters don’t budge

Strikers win, nuclear plant canceled

The Cordillera, Northern Luzon

Bontoc tribal rice culture

Ancient rice terraces

Chico River dam proposal

Rice terraces near Chico River

Belwang village

Militarization of Chico River

Tribute to slain tribal leader

On the way to the rebel zone

New People’s Army tribal rebels

Tribal rebel priest

Women in rebel army