History of the Philippines (1946–1965)

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Part of History of the Philippines

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This article covers the history of the Philippines from the granting of independence in 1946 to the end of the presidency of Diosdado Macapagal.

Contents

[edit] Philippine independence

[edit] Philippine Declaration of Independence (1898)

Main article: Philippine Declaration of Independence

On June 12, 1898, prior to the formal conclusion of the Spanish-American war, Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain. The declaration, however, was not recognized by the United States or Spain, and was not generally recognized by other nations. The Spanish government ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, in consideration for an indemnity for Spanish expenses and assets lost.

[edit] American recognition of independence (1946)

On July 4, 1946 representatives of the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines signed a Treaty of General relations between the two governments. The treaty provided for the recognition of the independence of the Republic of the Philippines as of July 4, 1946 and the relinquishment of American sovereignty over the Philippine Islands.[1]

Filipino historians point out that independence in 1946 came with numerous strings attached. The U.S. retained dozens of military bases, and independence was linked to legislation passed by the U.S. Congress which was designed to ensure that the Philippines would remain an economic ward of the U.S.

For example, the Bell Trade Act prohibited the Philippines from manufacturing or selling any products that might "come into substantial competition" with U.S.-made goods and required that the Philippine constitution be revised to grant U.S. citizens and corporations equal access to Philippine minerals, forests and other natural resources. One U.S. State Department official described the law as "clearly inconsistent with the basic foreign economic policy of this country" and a betrayal of "our promise to grant the Philippines genuine independence."

But the Philippines had little choice but to accept the terms for independence. The United States Congress was threatening to withhold post World War II rebuilding funds unless the Bell Act was ratified. The Philippine Congress obliged on July 2, 1946.

The Philippines celebrates its Independence Day on June 12, 1898 when the Philippines declared independence from Spain, although its independence was only recognized on July 4, 1946 by the United States. From 1946 to 1961, Independence Day was observed on July 4, but President Diosdado Macapagal, upon the advice of historians, reverted to the June 12 date, which up to that time had been observed as Flag Day.

[edit] Quotes

“ "The Philippines are ours forever. We will not repudiate our duty in the archipelago. We will not abandon our duty in the Orient. We will not renounce our part in the mission of our race, trustee under God, of the civilization of the world."—Albert J. Beveridge, U.S. Senator, Indiana ”
“ "When I next realized that the Philippines had dropped into our laps I confess I did not know what to do with them... And one night late it came to me this way... 1) That we could not give them back to Spain- that would be cowardly and dishonorable; 2) that we could not turn them over to France and Germany-our commercial rivals in the Orient-that would be bad business and discreditable; 3) that we not leave them to themselves-they are unfit for self-government-and they would soon have anarchy and misrule over there worse than Spain's wars; and 4) that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them, and by God's grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow-men for whom Christ also died."—U.S.President William McKinley ”
“ "Imperialism is the policy of an empire. And an empire is a nation composed of different races, living under varying forms of government. A republic cannot be an empire, for a republic rests upon the theory that the government derive their powers from the consent of the government and colonialism violates this theory. We do not want the Filipinos for citizens. They cannot, without danger to us, share in the government of our nation and moreover, we cannot afford to add another race question to the race questions which we already have. Neither can we hold the Filipinos as subjects even if we could benefit them by so doing.... Our experiment in colonialism has been unfortunate. Instead of profit, it has brought loss. Instead of strength, it has brought weakness. Instead of glory, it has brought humiliation."—William Jennings Bryan 1900 presidential election Democratic Party candidate ”


[edit] References

  1. ^ TREATY OF GENERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES. SIGNED AT MANILA, ON 4 JULY 1946, United Nations, <http://untreaty.un.org/unts/1_60000/1/6/00000254.pdf>. Retrieved on 2007-12-10 

[edit] External links