History of the Philippines: From Indios Bravos to Filipinos

The writer is very articulate and well-informed. He was very forth-coming about the cruelty and atrocities committed against the Filipino people by both the Spaniards and Americans. As an American, I am appalled by the atrocities of our government against other countries. In this case, the United States, who claimed to have been working in the best interest of the Philippine government to free their people from Spanish rule over a hundred years ago, had selfish motives and was covertly looking out for its own interests; that of exploiting the people and resources of the Philippines. Thousands of Filipinos were tortured and murdered under United States rule of the Philippines. This is the kind of history they do not teach grade school and high school level students in the United States. They would have us believe that the US government is always looking out for the welfare and benefit of the peoples of other countries. If you want to know the real history, and intentions, of the government of the United States, read Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States." If you don't believe me or Howard Zinn, open up your eyes and look at what the United States government did to the native peoples of the territories of what is now considered the United States. Look at our participation in and treatment of African peoples who were forced into slavery. In part, I believe the problem stems from a very serious, long-held belief by white people; their belief that they are better than other people whose skin is not as white as the driven snow. With all of the available learning and education that is available to people in the United States today, people persists in their false beliefs and ignorance. Currently, white people are becoming a minority in the United States, and the white faction is scared to death. Thus, with a racists and misogynistic president, the racists and patriarchs here in the United States have come out of the woodwork. However, the good people; those who know that equality of all is not only right but logical, will prevail. The days of the white majority and rule in the United States, and in the world for that matter, are limited. No matter how they fight against the increasing tide of equality and logic, the days of white supremacists are numbered. Our world will eventually transform from ignorant, greedy, and racists, to one which will honor all persons with dignity and respect. As I psychologist, I have great hopes in the evolution of humanity. Right, love, and compassion will triumph.

The reality is that the history of the Philippines like all colonized countries that we are often given is totally whitewashed. In middle school aside from what little my mother told me about her home all I really knew was that the Japanese committed terrible atrocities during ww2 for which my grandmother would always hate them and that the USA "saved" us. It wasn't until I was an adult and looked into it more that the history of subjugation and exploitation of the Philippines became clear. However many authors will not lay out the case in such detail nor will they support it so well with footnotes. Things that made no sense through the idealist view of "great man" theory are made perfectly evident by applying material analysis.How else do you explain the crimes committed against the moro people or the fact that the US has defacto control over trade in the Philippines? How else do you explain even more basic questions, like why say, does the hacienda system still persist? Why did the US install Japanese sympathizers instead of the Huks who were the most effective fighting force against the Japanese, in positions of leadership post ww2? Why did the US intervene on behalf of the corrupt Marcos regime? Certainly none of these actions were for the "general" good of Pinoys. This is why they said they did these things, but either you must accept that the US is unimaginably incompetent or that these acts were all done with one goal in mind: extracting and maintaining control of the economy and valuable assets of the islands.This book eloquently and accurately dispels the myth at the heart of America's "benevolent colonization." My only hope is that an update might be done that adds a chapter discussing the shocking stat that more Pinoys have died in the US due to covid-19 than in the Philippines.

While informative, the author’s political leanings and apparent anti-Western biases seep into the pages. He seizes every opportunity to take jabs at the United States and other Western countries, despite the irony that, at the time of writing, he lived in New York City.Early in the book, his mention of slavery veers off course. While discussing slavery in the Philippines prior to Spanish colonization, he oddly juxtaposes European slavery to the form that existed at that time in the Philippines. It almost seems as if he’s implying that the slavery of the alipin class under the datu was a better form of slavery. These asides distract from an otherwise solid history.Also, as another reviewer noted, he seems to gloss over atrocities committed by the Japanese during their brief occupation. Though U.S. atrocities occurred during its long tenure as well, the fact remains that the death inflicted by the Japanese in such a short period was barbaric and brutal. No record exists—and the book omits—of U.S. soldiers bayoneting infants, as the Japanese did.The book remains a worthy read. However, do keep in mind the author’s obvious and apparent biases.