Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Philippine-German Relations (III)
If we go back to Part II of this serial, we are able to find the very interesting comment and question of Dr. Long. Detailed opinions of German politicians during that time couldn’t be find yet. I will try to continue with more researches.
I learned, that in 1898, the year of the First German naval law, a German fleet with “unknown orders” (Quotation Hermogenes E. Bacareza, p. 20) appeared off Manila Bay at the time Admiral George Dewey was attacking the Spanish fleet during the Spanish-American War. In 1899, Germany took advantage of British preoccupation with the Boer War to demand for and subsequently acquire some of the islands in the Samoan group.
After the battle on May 1, 1898, the navies of Germany, Great Britain, France and Japan entered the Manila Bay “in order to protect the interests of their nationals in the Philippines
In Manila Bay the Germans maintained a powerful fleet including cruiser Kaiserin Augusta, Irene and Kornoran. Nobody knows, if it was really true, what Edwin Wildman wrote in “The Philippine Review, August-September 1921: “What Dewey Feared in Manila Bay”. Was it true that the American Admiral feared the Germans, in spite of his being prepared for trouble with them?
If we follow the chronology of Philippine- German Relations, can we noticed, that Ferdinand Magellan’s landing on Philippine soil happend with three Germans on board the Concepcion and Victoria.
(To be continued!)
Related Posts:
Philippine-German Relations (XV)Philippine-German Relations (X)
Philippine-German Relations (VI)
Philippine-German Relations (XIV)
Philippine-German Relations (IX)
Philippine-German Relations (VII)
Philippine-German Relations (IV)
Philippine-German Relations (XI)
52 years - 486 years
Philippine-German relations (I)
# 1 Karen said:
Guten Tag Klaus,
This is so educational. I am greatly anticipating the next installment. I so appreciate the international scope of LIP. I have learned incredible amounts of information. But, perhaps, more importantly, I have developed a genuine affection for all here.
Many Thanks,
Karen
# 2 Klaus said:
Good day also, Karen,
thanks for your compliments and dropping by. I am glad to read your comment. Of course, many more installments will follow.
# 3 Dr. Sponk Long said:
Hi, Klaus.
It’s a very interesting and excellent write-up. Thanks.
I am in the opinion that Dewey was really uneasy with the Germans in Manila Bay. The Germans were well-stocked in supply.
If I remember right: He (Dewey) was runiing out of coal and can only be reassured supply when he took over the submarine telegraph line away from the Spanish control in Manila and therefore was able to wire Hongkong for a load of coal. Don’t quote me on this because my memory is hazy on this one.
Again, thanks for the excellent research.
Just to spice the intrigue:
The Spanish Cortez (Parliament) had dispatched the most modern Spanish Fleet to Manila (before Dewey arrived in Manila) but was not allowed to pass through the (French-controlled) Suez Canal supposedly by the Egyptians. This was the reason why the Spaniards surrendered so easily to the Americans. No help was coming for them in Intramuros.
What if the modern Spanish Fleet arrived in Manila before Dewey did?
I wonder where the German allegiance would be placed then at that time? the U.S. or Spain? (You noted that there were three Germans with Magellan).
What were the Dutch, the French, the Brits, the Japanese, were thinking then of this new irreverent, up-and-coming, me-to, and wannabe colonial power- the Americans?
Was the Spanish-American War the prelude to World War I?
# 4 Klaus said:
Hi Dr. Long, thank you again for your long and interesting comment. I think you are right regarding Dewey and the Germans.If the Spanish fleet would arrive in Manila before Dewey did, we would have become another history.
I learnt that World War I started because of the “Sarajewo Incident” (June 28, 1914, Killing Franz Ferdinand, Austrian heir to the throne, and his wife.