BRIEF BACKGROUND OF AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT
IN THE PHILIPPINES The United States’ policy was to govern the Philippine Archipelago for the common welfare of the Filipino people and to train the Filipinos for self-governance. The United States was hoping that the Filipino people would be capable of independence someday.
President Mckinley assure that the Philippines are theirs, and so it should not be exploited, rather to develop, to civilize, to educative and to train the Filipinos in the science of self-governance. Even President Wilson mentioned that “every step we take will be taken with a view to the ultimate independence of the Philippine Islands”. However, the United sates also had some other colonial motives which were not so altruistic after all. The subsequent aims of American involvement were to continue the destiny of America as a world power and to use the Philippines as a source of raw materials for United States industries as well as a market for their manufactured products. Moreover, America aimed to use the Philippines as a military and naval base, and of course, to have a refueling port for American ships servicing their interest in China.
The United States Military Government Due to the presence of war, America established a military government in the Philippines. The United States President as the Commander- in- Chief of the United States appointed General Wesley Meritt as the first Military Governor. Then he was succeeded by General Elwell S. Otis.
General Otis was replaced by General Arthur Mac Arthur as the third and last military governor.
The military government was lasted only for three years.
Composition
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Development During American Regime
Political Development affairs and its institutions.
The greatest legacy of America to the Filipinos is democracy. The American came to train the Filipinos in democratic ways of managing the government
Under American heritage, the Filipinos were given greater participation in