It’s that time of the year again. The working person's summer break, when we fire up the grills, fill the coolers up with drinks, and sneak across state lines to load up on fireworks (for some of us). July 4th is here, a time to feel pride in the fighting spirit of our ancestors as they fought for the liberty and freedom they had so rightly deserved. It was this day when politicos of our past signed that historic document titled the "Treaty of Manila". Wait…what?
Yes, 170 years after the founding fathers of the United States approved the Declaration of Independence, the governments of the U. S. and the Philippines signed the Treaty of Manila on July 4, 1946, which granted the Philippines sovereignty from America. This differs from the signing of the Philippine Declaration of Independence, which was celebrated last month. On June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed independence from Spain, though this didn't mean the Philippines recognized as free by everyone. Following the end of the Spanish-American War, the Treaty of Paris of 1898 stated that the Philippines were surrendered to the U. S..
The Pilipinos of the time were far too tired of being colonized by outsiders, which led to the Philippine-American War. What ensued was a three year struggle as the Pilipinos sought to inflict enough casualties that America would be inclined to withdraw their troops from the Philippines. However, superior weaponry and numbers eventually led to hundreds of thousands of Pilipino deaths and victory for the Americans in 1902.
In late 1941, the Japanese invaded the Philippines, just days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. General MacArthur of the United States evicted the Japanese three years later, though this struggle was marked by heavy setbacks to MacArthur, including the infamous Bataan Death March. At the end of World War II, the Treaty of Manila was signed, finally granting the Philippines its complete independence. Well, except for a few dozen American military bases that couldn't be removed for a century (though the U.S. withdrawal was moved up to 1991). And there's the Bell Trade Act, which granted United States corporations access to Philippine natural resources and allowed the U.S. to import goods without taxes.
Today, over 60 years later, we celebrate July 4th as another Independence Day, but for the Philippines which is officially recognized as Filipino-American Friendship Day. And while it's understandably less celebrated than our independence from Spain (300 years is a long time to be under someone's rule), it's no less of an important anniversary in Philippine history. So as you light your red, white, and blue fireworks for the forefathers of the country many of us call home, light a golden yellow one for the sun and stars of our homeland.
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Read the Treaty of Manila
Photo taken in Cebu, Philippines, by Storm Crypt
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By Lora on May 2, 2012 - 1:47am
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Comments
Hello! Thank you for such informative article on the history of the Philippines. I know little of this country and I had no idea that it became independent only 60 years ago. I think it is right when people celebrate such events every year, it helps them to remember the history of their country.
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