USA, Japan & Independence
In 1898, the USA defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War and "bought" the Philippines for 20 million dollars in the Treaty of Paris — without consulting the Filipinos, who had just fought for their independence. On June 12, 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo declared the First Philippine Republic — the first republic in Asia. However, the Americans did not recognize it.
The Philippine-American War (1899–1902) was brutal: an estimated 200,000–1,000,000 Filipino civilians died, many due to concentration camps and the "Scorched Earth" policy. A dark chapter, little known in the USA.
The American colonial period (1898–1946) also brought profound changes: a public education system (English became the language of instruction — hence Filipinos today speak fluent English), democratic structures, modern infrastructure, and baseball as the national sport.
During World War II, the Japanese occupied the Philippines (1942–1945). The Battle of Manila (February 1945) was one of the most destructive urban battles of the war: over 100,000 civilians died, Intramuros was razed to the ground. The Bataan Death March (1942), where 60,000–80,000 prisoners of war had to march 100 km through tropical heat, is one of the worst war crimes of the Pacific War.
On July 4, 1946, the Philippines gained full independence from the USA.
