the commonwealth and the war

7/31/2019 The Commonwealth and the War

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THE COMMONWEALTHAND THE WAR

INFLUENCES OFAMERICAN RULE

SS2- Philippine History


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The Commonwealth

15 November 1935

The Commonwealth government was atransition government preparatory to

independence.

It was a period of adjustment, of solving manyproblems that confronted the nation.

Problems of national security, social stabilityand economic self-sufficiency


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The Commonwealth

National Defense Law

This law provided for a citizen army composedof trainees belonging to the 21-year old group.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur as marshal in thePhilippine Army.

The reason for having this law was the

growing threat of Japan: it started occupyingneighboring countries (China and Korea).


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The Commonwealth

Agrarian problems

Sakdal Uprising of 1935

Benigno R. Ramos

The organization identified itself with thepeasants; it fought against graft andcorruption.

It was also against the Tydings-McDuffie Act

Quezons policy of emancipating the masses

from social injustices.


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The Commonwealth

The Chinese had been dominating the retailtrade of the country, while Philippine foreigntrade was dominated by the Americans.

When free trade with the US started in 1909,the US became a ready market for Philippineproducts like sugar, coconut oil, fiber, copra,abaca and others.

Free trade led the Filipinos to depend almostexclusively on the American market andneglect other markets.


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The Commonwealth

Language problems due to the large numberof languages and dialects spoken by Filipinos.

English as the lingua franca

Tagalog as the basis of the national language.

Immigration Act of 1940

It provided for an annual immigration quota of

500 for every nation.


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The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth had variousachievements in commerce and industry, intransportation and communication, in public

welfare, in art and literature. Increase in the income coming from foreign

trade.

Improved transportation and communication

facilities (inter-island railway lines, roads,bridges, airfields)

National Economic Council as an adviser foreconomic matters.


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The Commonwealth

The government also established companiessuch as the National Food ProductsCorporation, the National Rice and Corn

Corporation, and others, whose duty was toprotect the people from unscrupulousmerchants and producers.

The government also strengthened agenciessuch as the Bureau of Public Welfare, theAssociated Charities and the National ReliefAdministration in order to improve services for

the poor.


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The Commonwealth

The mentally ill, children of poor families anddelinquent children were taken cared of byagencies such as Welfareville, the Settlement

House, and the Child Welfare Division The National Relief Administration gave jobs to

the jobless. It also distributes food and otheritems to the victims of natural calamities likefloods, earthquakes, fires and others.


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The War in the Pacific

7 December 1941

Japanese bombers attacked the Americanfleet in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Britain, the USA and Holland declared waragainst Japan.

The bombing of different countries in Asiastarted on 8 December.

Gen. MacArthur declared Manila an open cityto spare it from destruction. All guns and otherdefenses were withdrawn from Manila.


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On 2 January 1942, the Japanese forcessuccessfully occupied Manila.

At that time, Quezon was very sick. He and hisfamily, together with Vice-President Osmea,

were relocated to Corregidor on 30 December1941.

Bataan and Corregidor were under the commandof Gen. MacArthur, while the rest of Luzon wasalready occupied by the Japanese.

Quezon and MacArthur were ordered to transferto Australia.

9 April 1942 Fall of Bataan

6 May 1942 Fall of Corregidor


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Japanese Occupation of the

Philippines

The government was renamed as the CentralAdministrative Organization, and it wascomposed of 6 departments: Interior, Finance,

Justice, Agriculture and Commerce,Education, Health and Public Welfare andPublic Works and Communications.

Japanese advisers were installed in each

department.


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Philippines

The Japanese educational policy would bebased on the spiritual rejuvenation of theFilipinos; the propagation of Filipino culture;

the propagation of Japanese language andculture; the encouragement of vocational andelementary education and the promotion of thelove of labor.

The Japanese military authorities ordered theopening of schools, especially those givingcourses in agriculture, fisheries, medicine and

engineering.


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Philippines

Second Republic

The Japanese decided to give the Philippinesindependence.

Jose P. Laurel

25 September 1943

The Second Republic encountered a lot of

social problems, especially poverty and foodshortage.


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Philippines

The government-in-exile was in WashingtonD.C.

Quezon died on 1 August 1944, and he was

succeeded by Osmea. After the death of Quezon, the American

started their offensive against Japan.

20 October 1944, American air and navalforces bombarded the Japanese in Leyte.


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Philippines


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Philippines

When MacArthur landed in Leyte, hereestablished the Commonwealth on 23October 1944, with Tacloban as the temporary

capital. 2 September 1945, Japan surrendered after

suffering bombings in Nagasaki andHiroshima.


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AMERICANINFLUENCES


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Democracy and Democratic

Partnership

The Americans exploited the Philippines forthe benefit of both the Philippines and the US.

The Americans prepared the Philippines for

democracy and independence. The Philippines stayed loyal to the US even

after the Japanese occupied the country


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Education

Americas greatest achievement in the

Philippines was the introduction of the publicschool system.

English language The Americans established different

universities in the Philippines, the oldest being

Siliman University in Dumaguete, followed bythe Central Philippine University in Iloilo, andthe University of the Philippines in Manila.


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Public Health and Welfare

The Board of Public Health was established in1901, with the aim of educating the peopleabout hygiene and sanitation, and to combat

the peoples ignorance and superstitions. The Americans also improved the diet and

nutrition of the Filipinos.


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Individual Freedoms

Freedom of speech

Freedom of the press

Freedom of religion

Freedom to complain

The Filipinos also became more politicallyaware because of the Americans.


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Negative Effects of AmericanRule

Colonial mentality

Some people were brainwashed into thinking

that anything American is better than anything

made in the Philippines. The students were taught about American

history and culture


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Next Lesson:

The Third Republic

the commonwealth and the war

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