What Is America's Duty To Liberate The Philippines?

In the late nineteenth century, America engaged in the Spanish-American War. The aftermath of this war resulted in the acquirement of territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. However, not everyone felt these conquests were justified. Many Americans during that time period held the belief that the act of expanding into said regions went against democratic values and was, in fact, hypocritical of the values America frequently preached, while others seemed to believe that holding onto the territories was justified due to the fact that these newly-freed nations would be unable to govern themselves, and that it was America’s innate responsibility to aid them. Many Americans reacted to the end of the Spanish-American War by claiming

The American Anti-Imperialist league has a platform I fully agree with. “We protest against the extension of American sovereignty by Spanish methods…” (Doc A, American Anti-Imperialist League). In trying to conquest other nations, the US being identical to the enemy, Spain. What is the point in helping the Filipinos gain their independence if we are about to trap them back into the exact same situation? Some of you may think that our only choice is to annex them.

According to the United States, democracy and Christianity were principal elements of a successful society. During the end of the eighteen-hundreds and throughout the beginning of the nineteen-hundreds, America tried to colonize and reform less fortunate nations. Following a social-Darwinist point of view, Americans took their “God-given” superiority to those who were incapable of establishing their own self-government (Doc. H). After much debate, American foreign policy towards the Philippines and Cuba was that it is our duty to rule them until they could rule themselves. We pledged to save the indigenous people from their savage, bloody, and corrupt ways of life. President McKinley’s foreign policy towards the Philippines stated that “they would soon have anarchy and misrule…there was nothing left to do but take them all, educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize them” (Doc. A).

The part of the world where the Philippines lies was one of the most volatile and dangerous in the world. That being said, it also had some of the most profitable trade routes, richest resources and was a vital part of the world to have a stronghold. By following through with the annexation of the Philippines, the Americans were able to gain a stronghold on the other side of the world, enrich themselves by gaining access to the valuable resources that were so plentiful and to take the time to help spread freedom and democracy. William McKinley clearly believed and stated that “ we could not turn them over to France and Germany – our commercial rivals in the Orient – that would be bad business and discreditable.”

“Last Sunday the host of a popular news show asked me what it meant to lose my body”(Coates 5). The phrase “lose my body” is reiterated numerous times in Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The topic/theme of this piece of literature may be discernable as innocence as Ta-Nehisi profusely speaks of how his upbringing changed and affected his perspective on life. Coates uses a multitude of examples to portray this from how he witnessed another boy almost being shot at a young age to him learning and understanding the laws and “culture of the streets”(Coates 24) as who and even more who not to mess with(Coates 23). Coates effectively uses these examples as perfect representations of living in an American ghetto as well as how since birth blacks do not “own” their body and are susceptible to lose it.

The book Black Hearts is written by Jim Frederick and tells the story of all the controversial accounts one infantry unit ran into while on deployment in Baghdad, Iraq. The book is a documentation, captured accounts and events written down to tell the crazy story these soldiers went through. The specific unit Frederick writes about and what Black Hearts is about is 2nd brigade of the 101st airborne infantry division. “Black Hearts” was the unofficial insignia of 2nd brigade. Frederick covers one platoon in particularly and their ethical dilemmas they encounter while on deployment. 1st platoon, Bravo Company, 1-502nd Regiment is the unit the book covers. Many things on deployment unfold poorly for this platoon such as having little

century, the outcome of the Spanish-American war divided Americans into those for and against the annexation of the Philippines. The masses supporting it saw the islands as a strong foothold for the country in Chinese markets, compared to the minority which believed the United States was founded to escape oppression and should not lead to doing the same upon others. America becoming an imperial power shifted the world stage, and opened opportunity in trade on the other side of the world. Annexing the Philippines changed how other countries saw the United States, but more importantly it changed how Americans feel about their country; citizens rallied around the flag after defeating Spain because surpassing the empire’s navy gave them something positive to think of after all the turmoil over the past hundred years (and still at the time over working/living conditions and inequality between races/genders). It gave the public a reason to be patriotic. If the United States did not annex the Philippines when it did, it would not have had the ability to become the strongest government in the world and increase exports throughout Asia, but at what cost? American leaders decided it would be a good power move, but did

“Our largest trade henceforth must be with Asia. The Pacific is our ocean and the Pacific is the ocean of the commerce of the future the power that rules the Pacific, therefore, is the power that rules the world. And, with the Philippines, that power is and will forever be the American Republic” (Doc E). The Roosevelt Corollary, the most important departure from past United States expansionism, made the acquisition of such territories not only possible but socially acceptable. Under Teddy Roosevelt, the people of the United States were all for expansion. He had the ability to incite the American public and rally its force behind him. After all, who can stand against the people of the United States of America when they are truly united? Our country had progressed in its departures tracing all the way back to 1885 when, as Thomas Nast depicts, the United States was nowhere to be found in the game of “World Plundering” (Doc A). After the acquisition of a naval power, the United States could withstand the competition involved in economic world dominance. As shown in the cartoon of “American Diplomacy” in 1900, Uncle Sam is standing at the forefront of Chinas “open door” holding the key which represents said American Diplomacy. (Doc G) However, with positives always come negatives. Prejudice against immigrants and no chance of citizenship for our newly acquired lands were a few of the drawbacks of over expansion. There simply was not enough room for all the

The mid-1800s through the early 1900s was known as the Age of Imperialism; dominant nations were all contesting to expand their power throughout much of the world. America was looking to expand out to the Pacific a, “New Manifest Destiny”. America was expanding its trade rapidly obtaining new grounds. In order to gain America as an ally, in 1898 The Cubans tried to inflame the relation between the Americans and Spain and succeeded by fueling American jingoism. America expanded in the late 19th century because of Social Darwinism, Economic Gain, Militarism, and the 1890’s Depression.

The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela is arguably the most important novel of the Mexican Revolution because of how it profoundly captures the atmosphere and intricacies of the occasion. Although the immediate subject of the novel is Demetrio Macias - a peasant supporter of the Mexican Revolution -, one of its extensive themes is the ambivalence surrounding the revolution in reality as seen from a broader perspective. Although often poetically revered as a ‘beautiful’ revolution, scenes throughout the novel paint the lack of overall benevolence even among the protagonist revolutionaries during the tumultuous days of the revolution. This paper will analyze certain brash characteristics of the venerated revolution as represented by Azuela’s

William Graham Summer, sociologist professor at Yale University, “The Conquest of the United States by Spain”, speech, (Doc 2), argues that America has always followed this doctrine that ‘all men are equal’ but when America lends a helping hand they always want something in return, in this case America wanted to spread democracy in the Philippines. “…told by all the imperialists that these people are not fit for liberty and self- government; … it is rebellion for them to resist our beneficence; … must send fleets and armies to kill them if they do it;… must devise a government for them and administer it ourselves.” Summer states that if America keeps dictating other countries government it will only lead us to where Spain is, powerless and non-profitable. On the contrary, Puck- a satirical magazine, (Doc 7), illustrates the expansion of imperialism by having a bold eagle protecting its territory- U.S, Puerto Rico, Panama, and Philippines. These countries that the eagle is protecting are the countries that are under democratic regime. The American flag in the eagle’s mouth is a representation of Democracy and the flags on the countries are subjugations of democracy. The picture is also sending a message of encouragement towards democracy, the boldness and warrior look in the eagle’s eyes and posture is embodying that

On April 25, 1898, the United States declared war on Spain. This was the beginning of the Spanish-American war. This short war would end with the Unites States gaining control over the Philippines. There has been much debate and many theories about what drove the United States to incur the costs of fighting to gain ownership and then to keep the Philippines. Historian Kristin Hoganson’s theory states that the root cause was declining American masculinity and the thought that a manly war would rejuvenate things. This theory is supported by the following primary sources; “The Strenuous Life,” by Theodore Roosevelt, “The Expansionist Ticket for 1900,” published in Judge magazine, and “The White Man’s Burden” published in the Detroit Journal.

During the Second Industrial Revolution (1871-1914), the United States became one of the world’s mass producers of agricultural goods, which consumers demanded greatly. However, following the Depression of 1893, the demand for those goods dropped and the supply began to accumulate. This overproduction of goods pushed Americans to bring their markets overseas where they can reduce their inventory and still make profit. Aiding with the movement abroad was the U.S. government, under President McKinley. McKinley had a desire to expand the economy internationally, and his method to achieve that need was through imperialism. Such a method led Hawaii to be annexed with the U.S., as well as bring America into the Spanish-American War (1898). However, when the U.S. strove for the Philippine Islands in 1899, the natives rebelled against U.S. oppression. Whether America should get involved in an overseas war with the Philippines is up to Congress? But to New York Governor and former Rough Rider, Theodore “Tedi” Roosevelt, he believes that the U.S. should approach the challenge, for it will show other nations that America is a strong country and does not fear danger.

In a passage from Our Country, Josiah states, “let us hope, of the largest liberty, the purest Christianity, the highest civilization -- having developed peculiarly aggressive traits calculated to impress its institutions upon mankind, will spread itself over the earth” (674). This applies to the issues with the Philippines because it supports McKinley's reasoning for sending troops and “missionaries” over to convert the people but ultimately ended up wreaking havoc. “Aguinaldo’s Case against the United States” written by Emilio Aguinaldo explained why he opposed American imperialism. Emilio led the Filipino armed against Spain for Independence. He was against imperialism because he believed the Filipino’s were being treated unfairly, America thinking that they were “ignorant savages”. The point he made was that America was treating the Philippines like how the colonials were treated before they escaped England. Emilio asked for America to “give us the chance; treat us exactly as you demanded to be treated at the hands of England when you rebelled against her autocratic methods”. By America treating the Filipino’s this way, it tossed all their morals about liberty and out the door putting the Filipino’s in the position that Americans were in trying trying to escape from England’s

Professor Paul Bloom states he is against empathy. He believes it is wrongfully used in our society and should not be used in certain situations. He still thinks it is important sometimes, but should not be primarily used as a result of anger, depression or retaliation. He believes compassion is the solution to empathy. In the long run, Bloom states that empathy will fail or burnout in a person. Hannah the extremely empathic person will eventually burnout according to Bloom. The use of empathy everyday as a core moral code will eventually be overwhelming and burned out and used up. The person will change direction and use empathy less in their lifetime. This essay will explore Paul Bloms opinion of empathy in his article, “Against