A brief history

In 1521 Magellan landed and with accompanying priests, he set up a colony and converted the local chieftain and family to Christianity.   This was depicted at the National Museum in Manila.

In 1526 a more determined expedition by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi established a foothold in Luzon Island and the Visayas;  he named the islands the Philippines in honor of King Philip II of Spain.

Spain ruled until in the 1800’s there were local resistance until June 12, 1898 when the first Philippine Republic was proclaimed. 

 

The Spanish-American War broke out and in 1848 US  Commodore Dewey sailed into Manila Bay and defeated the Spanish naval fleet.  The Philippines sided with the US hoping for independence, but instead Spain ceded Philippines to the US.  

   Emilio Aguinaldo declared the first Philippine Republic, but the US refused to acknowledge that, so Philippines went to war with the US.   Aguinaldo was captured; and the Philippine-American War ended in 1902, though there was still some resistance to the US until 1913, when Aguinaldo was exiled.  The US introduced US political institutions and opened the Philippine market to the West.   More importantly the US built schools and made education compulsory to all Filipinos.

US had made a promise to Manuel  Quezon for independence by 1946, but unfortunately the Japanese interferred.   Three days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese landed in the Philippines.  12,000 Filipino  Scouts and 16,000 US soldiers under General George MacArthur were unable to stop the relentless advance of the Japanese.     Their last defense was done was at Corregidor and  Bataan; but MacArthur was forced to retreat in 1942, vowing to return, which he did in 1944.      

    

The Philippines was granted independence on July 14, 1946, however the Philippines was forced to seek financial help from the US in rebuilding—so perhaps there was a love/hate relationship for a while??