May 17, 1898: Emilio Aguinaldo boards American ship to return to PH

The Hong Kong Junta. Image: Wikipedia (public domain)

On May 17, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo embarked upon an American naval vessel, the USS McCulloch, for a two-day voyage from Hong Kong to Manila Bay. The general and the Philippine Junta had been exiled in Hong Kong since the collapse of the Philippine Revolution of 1896. The Filipinos in Hong Kong were planning a return to the Philippines and the defeat of Spanish colonialism.

The American entry into the Spanish-American War generated optimism for Aguinaldo and the junta. Aguinaldo had met with American diplomats from Singapore and Hong Kong. He thought that he had leveraged American support for Philippine Independence from Spain if the Filipinos allied with the Americans to defeat Spain. Unfortunately, the American diplomats lacked the authority to grant Philippine Independence.

General Aguinaldo arrived in Manila Bay on May 19, 1898. Shortly, the general had a productive conference with the senior American officer of the Asiatic Fleet, Commodore George Dewey. Both men saw the benefits of an alliance against Spain. The adage that the enemy of my enemy is my friend was relevant. Later, Commodore Dewey denied that he had made a formal promise of independence for the Filipinos.

The informal alliance between Dewey and Aguinaldo started paying dividends immediately. General Aguinaldo was quickly able to resurrect and revitalize the Filipino revolutionary movement. By the end of June 1898, the Spanish had been defeated in the provinces and had to retreat to Manila. The revolutionary forces had the Spanish under siege in Manila.

General Aguinaldo declared Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898. The Americans did not recognize the Filipino declaration.  By the end of June 1898, American ground forces were starting to arrive in Manila Bay. The power dynamics on the ground were shifting. The informal alliance was becoming shaky and less convenient for both parties.

The informal alliance between the United States and the Filipinos fractured on August 13, 1898. Senior Spanish officers approached senior American officers regarding a mock Battle of Manila. To prevent their court-martials in Spain, the Spanish officers could not surrender without a nominal fight.

Spain agreed to a staged surrender to the United States if the Americans could keep the Filipinos from entering Manila. The Spanish feared Filipino retribution. By the end of the day on August 13, 1898, the American and Filipino ground troops faced each other in the entrenchment surrounding Manila. They were allies no more.