Prelude to the Philippine Insurrection: The United States Enters the Philippines-Lessons For the 21st Century
Abstract
The Philippine Insurrection of 1899-1902, in reaction to U.S. occupation of the Philippine Islands, could have been predicted and prevented had the U.S. government been sensitive to the desires of the local population. When occupying a foreign country there should be a clear expectation that the local population will resist, a conventional fight will transpire, and, if the local force is inferior to the occupying military force, then an insurgency will occur. Once an insurgency commences some of the population will side with the local insurgent group and its goals and a long hard fight will emerge if there is any chance of winning. The lessons from this war apply in the 21st century: The U.S. must have a clear understanding of the environment before deciding on the level of involvement in foreign matters, and the outcomes will rarely match the desired end state.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 04, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1175925
Entities
People
- Jason T. Martin
Organizations
- Marine Corps University