Chapter 1 Battle of Manila, And Events From 1899 to Mid June 1900s
Chapter one: Battle of Manila 1899 - Mid June 1900s
Prelude:
Shots had been fired, war has started. The Filipinos had now realized that the Americans are not here to liberate the islands, but they are here to invade the Philippines for themselves, their personal imperialist ambitions. It started in Early Febuary 1899 when PVT. William Grayson had shot a Filipino soldier, which turned into a shootoout. And when Aguinaldo asked Dewey for a ceasefire, Dewey did not agree, instead Americans had Filipino positions attacked.
"It is my duty to maintain the integrity of our national honor, and that of the army so unjustly attacked by those, who posing as our friends, attempt to dominate us in place of the Spaniards. "Therefore, for the defense of the nation entrusted to me, I hereby order and command: Peace and friendly relations between the Philippine Republic and the American army of occupation are broken and the latter will be treated as enemies with the limits prescribed by the laws of War."
Emilio Aguinaldo – After the formal declaration of war against the Americans had been declared.
Aguinaldo had ordered the Filipino forces at Manila to hold the Americans at all costs, and ordered all American position outside Manila must be sieged. He rallied twenty five thousand Filipino soldiers, fifteen thousand which are armed with rifles and the rest are armed with whatever they got, with their local commanders at February 10 1899. He arrived with the reinforcements at February 15 1899. He with the other generals had cooperated to plan and coordinate with each other to take the American positions in Manila. March 1 1899 they launched a well coordinated attack at the American Forces in Manila. The Americans had twenty thousand soldiers and the Filipinos had sixty five thousand, fifty thousand whom are armed with rifles, and the remaining fifteen thousand armed with mostly bolos.
The Filipinos had successfully drove out the Americans out of Manila while giving them significant casualties. This is a blow on the American war support on the campaign against the Philippines. President McKinley has vowed for a revenge and counterattack to take all of the Philippines. While that was happening The American Anti Imperialist League has gain lot's of traction. Democratic Party Candidate William Bryan promises to end the war as soon as he won the election.
"Dont they have the right to be free? They Filipinos wanted to be free... If the American dream is based on Freedom, why are we supporting the tyranny. Why do we want to enslave them and use them for our own personal gain. Is that the American Dream... Is that what the founding fathers had wanted...Are we promoting liberty in imperialism?"
William J. Bryan - campaign speech after the Disastrous Battle of Manila.
The Americans tried Multiple times to retake Manila but they had little success they have only retook their previous territory and are always getting pushed back by the Filipinos. This continued until the end of the war
The Americans had started to invade other parts of the Philippines. The separate republics in the archipelago had joined the central government in Malolos after the battle of Manila making them officially part of the Philippines. In respond to the invasions, Aguinaldo decreed to expand the Armed forces and local militias of the Provinces. Which halted the American advance and even driven them out in some areas.
It has been a stalemate, The only major advance is the Americans successfully retaking their previous gain in Manila and holding it to constant Filipino counterattacks. Outside Manila Filipinos are largely successful on driving the Americans out of the provinces.
Differences compared to OTL
[1] The Filipino forces are more well equiped, as the USA gave 40,000 Nagant rifles, bought mostly from the American manifacturers who make Nagant, (as it was cheaper than the Krag and any alternatives, It was no different than the Russian made, than where it is made) including bullets during the Span Am war. Sun Yat Sen sent the 10,000 rifles to the filipinos earlier and Japan did the same and it arrived and did not get sunk(Mostly Remington roling blocks are sent by Japan and Sun, Totalling 20k rifles with bullets). While The US gave them 50 Model 1885 and 1890 light field artillery. 350 De Bang Canon Field artillery, Used as coastal artillery, and Japan sending them 10 artillery pieces. And other types of supplies and financial aid. A total of a year worth of supplies including for training is donated by the Americans, as the Americans anticipated the Spanish American War to last for a few years. As they believe Spain would fight to the last to maintain their prestige and honor to the European powers (As they heard news of the bulk of the spanish navy going to the Philippines to reconquer them, which is true but they are recalled after the treaty of Paris.). In order to support the American ships while they battle the Spanish Armada, the Filipinos can shoot the Spanish ships down.
[2] The Filipino forces had it's armed forces trained, under the leadership of Antonio Luna after the Americans capture Manila. Most soldiers had at least a month of basic military training, Trained by Filipino officers, Captured Spanish officers and defectors, and American officers (US officers will train the Filipinos from the start of training until the treaty was signed, as hostilities with Spain is still not over) Antonio Luna is in charge of the training of all Filipino troops, which was successful . The training was actually ordered by Aguinaldo, as many nations wanted to take the Philippines, So they will have a decent army when the Americans leave. They are trained after the style of British and American fashion under the leadership of Luna. Majority of the former Spanish and loyalists officers and soldiers had already defected to the Philippines, and they retained their role to the military. More Loyalist and Spanish soldiers had defected, instead of captured as the Filipinos went to Manila.
[3] Aguinaldo handled the army personally, instead of placing Luna an inexperienced general. Instead he made him his aide. And Replaced Ricarte with Goyo as Chief Of Staff of the Army [As Goyo has more Loyalty and shown capable of command]. Though most issues are handled by Aguinaldo himself.
[4] More journalists and press had went to the Philippines to interview and report about the area. This happened after Andrew Carnegie offered the US government 20M dollars to free the Philippines, and Mark Twain gone there to see the innaguration of the republic. Which gained more alot of the area, the feracity and determination of the Filipinos had caught their eye in the war against the Americans. They portrayed the USA as a bully. And deemed it unnecessary, as the American public had seen that the Philippines already had a working government and already ruling themselves effectively. As more than a hundred reporters had went to the inauguration of the Malolos Republic. It brought the nostaligia of the American revolutionary war, where they still fought for freedom. The unexpected war would bring more reporters, as they wanted to see why. They interviewed the revolutionaries and heard that the Americans had attacked first. This caused outrage to the American publics as they are the aggressors.
[5] The Filipinos Bombard the American position day and night, with the artillery they got. The cadets and training had been done in the battlefield, to train and weaken the American position. Though some shells would luckilly hit American ships, as they ressuply the Americans. That is how they are training the artillery corps
Prelude:
Shots had been fired, war has started. The Filipinos had now realized that the Americans are not here to liberate the islands, but they are here to invade the Philippines for themselves, their personal imperialist ambitions. It started in Early Febuary 1899 when PVT. William Grayson had shot a Filipino soldier, which turned into a shootoout. And when Aguinaldo asked Dewey for a ceasefire, Dewey did not agree, instead Americans had Filipino positions attacked.
"It is my duty to maintain the integrity of our national honor, and that of the army so unjustly attacked by those, who posing as our friends, attempt to dominate us in place of the Spaniards. "Therefore, for the defense of the nation entrusted to me, I hereby order and command: Peace and friendly relations between the Philippine Republic and the American army of occupation are broken and the latter will be treated as enemies with the limits prescribed by the laws of War."
Emilio Aguinaldo – After the formal declaration of war against the Americans had been declared.
Aguinaldo had ordered the Filipino forces at Manila to hold the Americans at all costs, and ordered all American position outside Manila must be sieged. He rallied twenty five thousand Filipino soldiers, fifteen thousand which are armed with rifles and the rest are armed with whatever they got, with their local commanders at February 10 1899. He arrived with the reinforcements at February 15 1899. He with the other generals had cooperated to plan and coordinate with each other to take the American positions in Manila. March 1 1899 they launched a well coordinated attack at the American Forces in Manila. The Americans had twenty thousand soldiers and the Filipinos had sixty five thousand, fifty thousand whom are armed with rifles, and the remaining fifteen thousand armed with mostly bolos.
"Dont they have the right to be free? They Filipinos wanted to be free... If the American dream is based on Freedom, why are we supporting the tyranny. Why do we want to enslave them and use them for our own personal gain. Is that the American Dream... Is that what the founding fathers had wanted...Are we promoting liberty in imperialism?"
William J. Bryan - campaign speech after the Disastrous Battle of Manila.
The Americans tried Multiple times to retake Manila but they had little success they have only retook their previous territory and are always getting pushed back by the Filipinos. This continued until the end of the war
The Americans had started to invade other parts of the Philippines. The separate republics in the archipelago had joined the central government in Malolos after the battle of Manila making them officially part of the Philippines. In respond to the invasions, Aguinaldo decreed to expand the Armed forces and local militias of the Provinces. Which halted the American advance and even driven them out in some areas.
It has been a stalemate, The only major advance is the Americans successfully retaking their previous gain in Manila and holding it to constant Filipino counterattacks. Outside Manila Filipinos are largely successful on driving the Americans out of the provinces.
Differences compared to OTL
[1] The Filipino forces are more well equiped, as the USA gave 40,000 Nagant rifles, bought mostly from the American manifacturers who make Nagant, (as it was cheaper than the Krag and any alternatives, It was no different than the Russian made, than where it is made) including bullets during the Span Am war. Sun Yat Sen sent the 10,000 rifles to the filipinos earlier and Japan did the same and it arrived and did not get sunk(Mostly Remington roling blocks are sent by Japan and Sun, Totalling 20k rifles with bullets). While The US gave them 50 Model 1885 and 1890 light field artillery. 350 De Bang Canon Field artillery, Used as coastal artillery, and Japan sending them 10 artillery pieces. And other types of supplies and financial aid. A total of a year worth of supplies including for training is donated by the Americans, as the Americans anticipated the Spanish American War to last for a few years. As they believe Spain would fight to the last to maintain their prestige and honor to the European powers (As they heard news of the bulk of the spanish navy going to the Philippines to reconquer them, which is true but they are recalled after the treaty of Paris.). In order to support the American ships while they battle the Spanish Armada, the Filipinos can shoot the Spanish ships down.
[2] The Filipino forces had it's armed forces trained, under the leadership of Antonio Luna after the Americans capture Manila. Most soldiers had at least a month of basic military training, Trained by Filipino officers, Captured Spanish officers and defectors, and American officers (US officers will train the Filipinos from the start of training until the treaty was signed, as hostilities with Spain is still not over) Antonio Luna is in charge of the training of all Filipino troops, which was successful . The training was actually ordered by Aguinaldo, as many nations wanted to take the Philippines, So they will have a decent army when the Americans leave. They are trained after the style of British and American fashion under the leadership of Luna. Majority of the former Spanish and loyalists officers and soldiers had already defected to the Philippines, and they retained their role to the military. More Loyalist and Spanish soldiers had defected, instead of captured as the Filipinos went to Manila.
[3] Aguinaldo handled the army personally, instead of placing Luna an inexperienced general. Instead he made him his aide. And Replaced Ricarte with Goyo as Chief Of Staff of the Army [As Goyo has more Loyalty and shown capable of command]. Though most issues are handled by Aguinaldo himself.
[4] More journalists and press had went to the Philippines to interview and report about the area. This happened after Andrew Carnegie offered the US government 20M dollars to free the Philippines, and Mark Twain gone there to see the innaguration of the republic. Which gained more alot of the area, the feracity and determination of the Filipinos had caught their eye in the war against the Americans. They portrayed the USA as a bully. And deemed it unnecessary, as the American public had seen that the Philippines already had a working government and already ruling themselves effectively. As more than a hundred reporters had went to the inauguration of the Malolos Republic. It brought the nostaligia of the American revolutionary war, where they still fought for freedom. The unexpected war would bring more reporters, as they wanted to see why. They interviewed the revolutionaries and heard that the Americans had attacked first. This caused outrage to the American publics as they are the aggressors.
[5] The Filipinos Bombard the American position day and night, with the artillery they got. The cadets and training had been done in the battlefield, to train and weaken the American position. Though some shells would luckilly hit American ships, as they ressuply the Americans. That is how they are training the artillery corps
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