The Siege of Manila 1898

siege of manila
The Siege of Manila 1898 | Renacimiento Manila (@rebirth.manila)

The Siege of Manila 1898

In 1898, Manila was under attack from Filipino Revolutionaries and American troops. The Philippine Revolution was in its second year and the Spanish-American War opened with the destruction of the Spanish Pacific Fleet at Manila Bay near Cavite Puerto.

40,000 revolutionaries under Emilio Aguinaldo besieged Manila on land, while the US Asiatic Fleet blocked Manila Bay. Thousands of Spaniards flocked to the safety of Intramuros, fearing reprisals from the Filipinos after 300 years of occupation. Manila was now for the Filipinos to take.

As the situation deteriorated inside Manila, the Spanish commanders decided to talk to the Americans, who by now had almost 12,000 troops outside the city.

On August 13, Spanish and American troops conducted a mock battle to end the siege. The city fell to the US with minimal fighting.

The pre-planned battle kept the Filipino armies out of the walled city, ensuring the American capture of Manila while saving the Spanish pride.

You may want to read: