Historical Facts: American and Japanese Rule in the Philippines

     This was based on Reader's Digest: The Story of the Filipino People - Parts 6 and 7 (Under the Stars and Stripes and The Japanese Occupation) by Milagros C. Guerrero and Ricardo T. Jose. 

    Now that I think about it, I would call the Spanish occupation "the first storm," the American occupation "the second storm," and the Japanese occupation "the third storm." The "between the storm" parts would be 1898 - 1901 and 1935 - 1941. 


Part 1 - The Second Storm (1901 - 1935)

    After the Philippine-American War, the United States turned the Philippines into a colony. They gained it in the Treaty of Paris along with Puerto Rico, Cuba, and some other islands. The Americans needed to keep it away from Spain, France, and Germany. 

    Under Spanish rule, the Filipinos were taught Catholicism. But the Americans were mainly Methodist (a sect of Protestantism). American missionaries were sent to the Philippines, although most Filipinos remained Catholic. 

    The Americans made many schools, such as the University of the Philippines. However, the Americans might have used these schools to brainwash Filipinos into thinking that Americans were superior.  


Part 2 - Between the Storms (1935 - 1941)

    In 1935, Washington decided to give some freedom to Manila. They established the Commonwealth of the Philippines. This was not a 100% independent nation, but it was a stepping stone towards Philippine independence. In 1946, that finally came. But we're not there yet. The leader of the Commonwealth was Manuel Quezon. 

    However, another threat was coming. As early as 1905, when Japan defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, the Americans worried that the Japanese would dominate the Pacific. (Japan grew very prosperous in the mid-19th century, and by the 20th century, they were a great power.)


Part 3 - The Second Storm (1941 - 1945)

    "Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live forever in infamy." Those were the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt describing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. Since the Philippines was part of the commonwealth realm of the United States, they were also attacked by the Japanese. On April 3, which was Good Friday, the final Japanese offensive was launched. 

    A puppet government was established, known as the Second Philippine Republic. Its leader was Jose P. Laurel. (He is actually quite controversial in the Philippines, with some calling him a Japanese puppet, and others calling him a nationalist. Quezon told him to collaborate to avoid oppression.)

    One of the worst events of the Japanese occupation was the Bataan Death March. Prisoners were made to march from Mariveles to Capas in Tarlac. Many were shot during and after the march. Luckily, some Filipinos secretly provided food for the soldiers. 

        At one point, General Douglas MacArthur fled to Australia. He declared, "I shall return." He kept his promise and helped liberate the Philippines. The Leyte Campaign was one of the most significant events in the Philippines during World War II. With the Japanese surrender in September 1945, the Commonwealth was restored. In 1946, the Philippines finally regained independence. 


Part 4 - Conclusion

    This was a complicated history. The Philippines gained independence first on June 12, 1898. Then, they got it again on July 4, 1946. Initially, Independence Day was July 4. 
But eventually, it was changed back to June 12. 

    Well, that's it. Bye!

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Historical Facts: The 1867 Compromise and the Austro-Hungarian Empire

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     Okay. I think I gave you the end before the beginning, because this is about the rise of Austria-Hungary. If you didn't read the last article , that's on the fall of Austria-Hungary. But, I didn't know I would post on this. So, let's go!     Let's look at Austria in 1867. The previous year, they lost a war to Prussia and Italy. After Prussia defeated Austria, the other German states dependent on Austria had an uncertain future. (This would be resolved after the Franco-Prussian War.) But Austria also had an uncertain future. After losing wars, you would generally have a bad economy. Austria was no exception. And Austria already had many ethnicities in their empire. As I said in the last article, Austria had many minorities. In fact, I'll list just some of the most significant minorities in the Austrian Empire: Czechs Slovaks Poles Ukrainians Romanians Hungarians Serbs Croats Slovenes Italians     If this doesn't sound too complicated to you, think ...
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The Ager Centralis Enotitae and Pecunia - Enotitan Finance Guide

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The first ever bill issued by the Ager Centralis. This bill is for one Pecunia.      Almost every country has a currency. You have the dollar, peso, euro, pound, and much more. However, we did not have a currency. This is bad, because the economy is very vital to every country. That's why we established the Ager Centralis Enotitae (Latin for Enotitan Central Bank). From now on, Enotitans can use the Pecunia, our new currency.      To start, open an account at any branch of the Ager Centralis. (Currently, there are only branches in Olsen, the main state.) Present the teller any valid Enotitan government ID. Following that, give the teller any bill from any currency. After around 10 minutes, it will be converted and transformed into a Pecunia for the initial deposit.      You can use the card in Enotitan shops. You can buy souvenirs, food, or even use it to receive salary. (Enotitan companies besides government agencies do not exist at the mome...
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