The American Occupation of the Philippines 1898-1912

"The American Occupation of the Philippines 1898-1912" by James H. Blount is a chronicle of the early 1900s that tells the story of the United States' control over the Philippines, highlighting the Filipinos' fight for liberation after the Spanish-American War. Blount, who was both a soldier and a judge in the Philippines, shares his firsthand knowledge of the challenging colonial issues and questions the morality of America's actions in the area. He starts by recounting his time in the Philippines during the American takeover, describing how the U.S. won the Battle of Manila Bay and how Emilio Aguinaldo, a Filipino revolutionary leader, got involved. Blount thinks about how the Filipinos initially hoped for freedom because they worked with American forces, but then reveals how they slowly became betrayed and disappointed as America's desire to rule became obvious. He stresses the impact of the U.S. breaking its promises to the Filipinos, and offers a disapproving look at American imperialism and how it crushed the Filipino people's dreams of freedom.