How is it to get US to be less successful in the Spanish American War, enough so they would fail to gain the Philippines ? US didn't get it at the war, then how long will it be still a Spanish possession from there ?
another power could take it, be it the Japanese or the Germans.But how to get the Americans fail to gain it ?
The easiest way to have this occur is to have the US Senate fail to ratify the Treaty of Paris that ended the war. The most controversial portion of the treaty was America's acquisition of the Philippines and the treaty only passed by one vote more than the 2/3 required to have it ratified. So have two Senators be a bit more anti-Imperialistic (maybe they bumped into Mark Twain while visiting the Chautauqua Institute and he proved especially persuasive that evening) and the Treaty fails. This sends McKinley back to the drawing boards and by this point the Philippinos are looking at de-facto independence. McKinley is forced to compromise and the Teller Amendment is extended to include the Philippines. Puerto Rico and Guam still go to the US, while Cuba and the Philippines gain their independence. With the Japanese and the Germans still prowling around the new government quickly signs a defense treaty with the US giving the US a 99 years lease on the Subic Bay and several other military bases. US - Philippine relations start out on a very good footing from the start, a nasty guerilla war is avoided and the Japanese are still resentful of the US Navy having a base in a very strategic location.
Benjamin
Remember the Philippines had declared Independence, just like Cuba. After 4 months the President and other members of Government ended in Exile in China.Were the Philippines really ready to be an independent state in the late 19th century?
But how to get the Americans fail to gain it ?
Quite easily: the spanish government decides to fight REALLY. The problem was that the spanish government believed that they would lose Cuba and the Philippines sooner or later and that it would be better to lose it to an industrial power that would pay cash after all than to another rebellion.
Spanish admirals had "funny" orders.. Cervera could have gone to Havana instead to Santiago. There the fleet could have been easily defended and pose a threat to the americans. Montojo could have fought closer to the coast with the support of coastal guns and in fact he could have not sunk his boats as Dewey almost run out of ammo almost without effect!
Add a failure in the Philippines to a more costly war in Cuba and voilá!
Can we even prevent both countries' independence this way ?