The document summarizes key events in the Philippine Revolution against Spain and the emerging conflict between Filipino and American forces:
1) Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines from exile and resumed leading the Filipino forces against Spain, while the U.S. defeated Spain in the Battle of Manila Bay.
2) The Spanish forces in Manila surrendered to the U.S. after negotiations, despite the Filipino army besieging the city.
3) Tensions grew as more U.S. troops arrived in the Philippines and Aguinaldo became suspicious of American intentions towards Philippine independence.
2. Aguinaldo deposited P400,000 he received from
Primo Rivera in two Hongkong banks. This amount is
used for the expenses of the exiles.
Aguinaldo, with two companions went to Singapore
where the American Consul E. Spencer Pratt
conferred with him.
War was declared between the United States and
Spain, and Dewey promptly sank the Spanish
warships.
Aguinaldo returned to the Philippines on board an
American ship and soon after raised the standard of
revolt against Spain.
Governor General Basilio Augustin made desperate
attempts to win over the Filipinos to the Spanish side,
but it was too late; Fighting on practically all fronts
3. The Relief on Primo de Rivera
Whatever good intentions Primo de Rivera had with
regard to the solution if the Philippine problem were
frustrated when the Conservative Party of Spain was
succeeded by one to which the governor-general did
not belong.
The succeeding Liberal Party sent General Basilio
Augustin to the Philippines as Primo de Rivera’s
successor.
Rumors were afloat that the serious Spanish-
American relations might degenerate into a shooting
war. It was not wise to send a new governor-general
to the Philippines
On April 9, 1898 General Augustin arrived in Manila
and the following day Primo de Rivera turned over the
reins of the Philippine Government
4. American Designs on the Philippines
The Spanish-American relations were turning for
the worse.
The Cuban revolution has drawn the United
States to the side of the Cuban rebels.
Theodore Roosevelt Sr.- wished that the war
between Spain and the United States should
break out in order to expand the navy.
When he became the Assistant Secretary of the
navy in 1897 he conceived the idea of attacking
Manila in the event that war should break out
between the United States and Spain.
On February 25, 1898 Roosevelt cabled Dewey
to make Hongkong his base of operation.
5. At the same time, he instructed Dewey to take
offensive action against the Spanish flotilla based
in Manila in case of a war with Spain.
When the war finally broke out Dewey was in
position to rush immediately to Manila to destroy
the Spanish warships.
The coming of Americans, therefore was not a
mere accident but a planned action.
6. The Spanish-American War
In the face of the Philippine and Cuban revolutions,
Spain could not antagonize the United States.
Spain tried to heal the rift in order not to draw her into
a fatal war with a rising powerful nation(United
States).
Dupuy de Lome- Spain ambassador to the United
States, wrote a friend in Havana Cuba in January
1898, stating that President William McKinley was a
weakling and a low politician.
This letter was published in a New York periodical.
The result of the publication was that the Americans
who had been roused to anger by the stories if the
alleged Spanish brutalities and mistreatment of
American citizens in Cuba, demanded war against
Spain.
7. The relief of the Spanish Ambassador did not lessen
the anger of the American public.
On February 15, 1898 the American warship Maine
was blown up at Havana Harbor, resulting in the
death of 246 men.
The Maine was sunk by an act of treachery on the
part of the Spaniards.
A little past noon at April 25, Dewey received a cable
from the Secretary of the Navy saying: “War has
commenced between the United States and Spain.
Proceed particularly against the Spanish fleet. You
must capture vessels or destroy. Use utmost
endeavor”
Therefore the declaration of war was on April 25.
8. The battle of Manila Bay
With the receipt of Secretary Long’s cable announcing
the declaration of war with Spain, Dewey sailed from
Mirs Bay, near Hongkong, for the Philippines with
seven(7) heavily armed ships.
May 1 1898- the fleet entered Manila Bay almost
undected by the Spanish shore batteries on the
Corregidor and Bataan.
Dewey sailed straight toward the Manila Bay shore in
the hope that he would find Admiral Patricio Montojo’s
fleet there and give battle immediately.
Dewey saw the outlines of the Spanish ships far to his
back and immediately ordered his men to turn back in
the direction of Sangley Point.
9. On the bridge of his flagship Olympia, Dewey
calmly estimated the distance between the two
fleets and when he thought that his guns could hit
the enemy ships effectively.
The naval battle that followed was one-sided; in
fact it was a massacre. It was true that the
Spanish ships outnumbered the Americans but
most of them were poorly armed.
At 12:30 P.M, the destruction of Montojo’s fleet
was complete, the Spaniards was in the face of
absolute defeat. They hoisted the white flag in
Cavite in token of surrender.
News of Victory of Dewey in Manila Bay
electrified the Americans.
10. Aguinaldo in Singapore
As early as the middle of April 1898, rumors that the
Spanish-American war was a matter of days or
perhaps a few weeks away.
Many of the rebel leaders stopped their revolutionary
activities pending the determination of the truth of the
rumor.
In Hongkong, Aguinaldo and his companions were
following the trend of events on the other side of the
Pacific, to them it was the opportunity to oust the
Spaniards from the Philippines.
But there was a division in ranks for the exiles, for
Isabelo Artacho wanted the P400,000 given to
Aguinaldo divided among them. Aguinaldo refused
and Artacho sued Aguinaldo in the Hongkong
11. To avoid in appearing in court, Aguinaldo
accompanied by Gregorio del Pilar and J. Leyba
secretely left for Saigon where he took another
ship to Singapore.
E. Spencer Pratt wanted to have an interview with
Aguinaldo. Pratt persuaded Aguinaldo to cast his
lot with the Americans.
“You need not have any worry about America.
The American Congress and President have just
made a solemn declaration disclaiming any desire
to possess Cuba and promising to leave the
country to the Cubans after having driven away
the Spaniards and pacified the country. Cuba is at
our door and Philippines is 10000 miles away!”
12. Aguinaldo expressed his eagerness to return to
the Philippines to lead once more the Filipinos in
the fight against the Spaniards.
Dewey on the other hand said that “Tell Aguinaldo
to come as soon as possible”
April 26, Aguinaldo and his two companions
sailed for Hongkong, however Dewey had already
sailed for Manila Bay when Aguinaldo arrived.
13. Aguinaldo and Consul Wildman
Aguinaldo was naturally disappointed upon
finding that Dewey had already sailed for Manila.
Rounseville Wildman, the American Consul at
Hongkong told Aguinaldo that he was intructed by
Dewey to make arrangements for the return of
Aguinaldo to the Philippines.
Wildman suggested that upon returning to the
Philippines, Aguinaldo should establish a
dictatorial government which was necessary in
the prosecution of the war against Spain.
However Wildman said to him after the war, after
the peace has been restored, Aguinaldo should
establish a government similar to that of the
United States
14. Before returning to the Philippines, Aguinaldo
purchased some arms and ammunition for the
Filipinos. P50,000 for 2000 rifles and 200,000
rounds of ammunition. Before his departure, he
gave Wildman P67,000 for another shipment of
arms.
The first arms shipment was consummated but
the second shipment was never realized and the
sad fact is that Wildman did nor return the large
amount that Aguinaldo gave to him.
15. Aguinaldo and the Hongkong
Junta
In the wake of Dewey’s victory, the Filipinos who
composed the Hongkong Junta men on May 4 to
discuss the steps to be taken in the face of the
new developments.
Present during the deliberations were Felipe
Agoncillo, Doroteo Lopez, Teodoro Sandico,
Anastacio Francisco, Mariano Llanera, Miguel
Malvar, Andres Garchitorena, Severo
Buenaventura, Maximo Kabigting, Faustino
Lichauco and Antonio Montenegro
Aguinaldo related his dealings with Pratt and
Wildman. The Junta unanimously decided that
Aguinaldo should return to the Philippines to lead
the Filipinos against the Spaniards.
16. Aguinaldo Returns
On May 7, the Revenue cutter McCulloch arrived
in Hongkong. Aguinaldo was notified that Dewey
had given instructions to the captain to have
Aguinaldo return on board the McCulloch.
The McCulloch left Hongkong at eleven in the
morning on May 17 and arrived at Cavite on May
19.
17. Renewal of the Struggle
As soon as Aguinaldo had landed the war
materials he had brought from Hongkong, rebels
from Bataan came to see him. Aguinaldo handed
them copies of his proclamations urging the
people to rally once more to the Filipino flag in the
struggle against the Spaniards.
On May 21 Aguinaldo assured that his people
would not desert him, Aguinaldo issued a
proclamation saying: “Everything appears to be
favorable for attaining Independence”
18. Spanish Attempts to Win Over the
Filipinos
Governor-General Basilio Augustin found himself
betrayed by the Filipino soldiers who volunteered to
the Spanish army.
Viva la Autonomia-”salvation of the unity of the
Islands, the unity of its liberties, and the unity of its
local and central government.”
Pedro A. Paterno, the negotiator of the Truce of the
Biyak-na-bato was behind the circular, for he
confessed at the time that he still loved Spain and
was hostile to the United States.
May 28- General Augustin called the first and only
Consultative Assembly, the purpose of this Assembly
is to win over to his side the mestizos to make it
appear that he had the welfare of Filipino at heart.
19. The Siege of Manila
What was then known as the City of Manila was the
Walled City or Intramuros. The districts outside the
City were called arrabales or suburbs.
After the destruction of the Spanish navy, Dewey
blockaded Manila to prevent Spanish ships from
entering or leaving the bay.
The Filipino forces under Aguinaldo besieged the city
in an attempt to starve out the enemy within its walls.
Aguinaldo cut off the city’s food and water supply, the
strategy was so effective that the people inside,
Spaniards, Filipinos and Aliens suffered from hunger
and thirst. It was a matter of weeks before the
Spaniards surrendered to Aguinaldo.
20. The Spanish-American Secret
Agreement
Dewey made use of his inborn diplomatic skill. He
thought that the surrender of Manila could be
effected without the use of arms, consequently he
started negotiations with Augustin, through the
Belgian consul, Andre, regarding the surrender of
Manila.
When the Peninsular Government heard of
Augustin’s plan to surrender, it relieved him as
governor and appointed General Fermin
Jaudenes.
Dewey went so far the promise to hold back the
Filipino troops while the mock battle was being
enacted. This agreement was so secret that no
one else in either camp knows its existence.
21. Beginnings of the Filipino-American
Rift
Aguinaldo and his forces were laying siege to
Manila. This situation was favourable to the
Americans, for they did not have to be on the
lookout for any hostile Spanish maneuver since
the job of watchdog was being done by the
Filipino allies.
The continuous stream of American
reinforcements worried Aguinaldo no end. His
suspicions of Ultimate American intentions,
however he kept to himself. “It seemed that the
Americans want to fool us”
22. Terms of Capitulation
Upon seeing the white flag the Americans made
their move. Admiral Dewey sent his flat
lieutenant, Brumby, as his representative to the
surrender of Manila.
It was five in the afternoon when the terms of
capi.tulation were agreed upon by the both sides
23. Protocol of Peace
Before the mock assault on Manila, Spain and the
United States were negotiating for the cessation
of hostiles.
Spain agreed to sign the terms and conditions.
August 12- President McKinley cabled Admiral
Dewey in Manila but since Dewey cut the
communications during the war, it was delayed
until August 16.
Thus the mock of battle of Manila would not have
been fought and Spanish honor would have been
saved if Dewey had not cut the cable earlier.