*Ø* Blogmanac March 8, 1906 | The Moro Crater Massacre
They were mere naked savages, and yet there is a sort of pathos about it when that word children falls under your eye, for it always brings before us our perfectest symbol of innocence and helplessness; and by help of its deathless eloquence color, creed and nationality vanish away and we see only that they are children – merely children. And if they are frightened and crying and in trouble, our pity goes out to them by natural impulse. We see a picture. We see small forms. We see the terrified faces. We see the tears. We see the small hands clinging in supplication to the mother; but we do not see those children that we are speaking about. We see in their places the little creatures whom we know and love.
Mark Twain
1906 US troops occupying the Philippines attacked the stronghold of an "unruly" band of hill Moros, mowing the stubborn tribespeople down with a combination of artillery fire and infantry assaults.
All these Moros – 600 men, women and children, were killed. Eight years previously, in 1898, philosopher William James and other prominent US intellectuals had formed the Anti-Imperialist League to educate the public on the horrors of US policy in the Philippines. Despite the group's efforts, however, there was no great public outcry, and US destruction and domination of the Philippines continued.
Major Littletown Waller [accused of killing 11 defenceless Filipinos] said that General Smith instructed him to kill and burn, and said that the more he killed and burned the better pleased he would be; that it was no time to take prisoners, and that he was to make Samar a howling wilderness. Major Waller asked General Smith to define the age limit for killing, and he replied “Everything over ten.”
An American military detachment attacked a village of Filipino Muslims (Moros) living in the hollow of a mountain in one of the southern islands. Every one of 600 men, women, and children were killed. This was the Moro Crater Massacre, which drew an angry response from Mark Twain and other anti-imperialist Americans. Twain led the Anti-Imperialist League which opposed the annexation of the Philippines by the United States. He wrote 'Incident in the Philippines' (1924) in response to the Moro Crater Massacre.
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
They were mere naked savages, and yet there is a sort of pathos about it when that word children falls under your eye, for it always brings before us our perfectest symbol of innocence and helplessness; and by help of its deathless eloquence color, creed and nationality vanish away and we see only that they are children – merely children. And if they are frightened and crying and in trouble, our pity goes out to them by natural impulse. We see a picture. We see small forms. We see the terrified faces. We see the tears. We see the small hands clinging in supplication to the mother; but we do not see those children that we are speaking about. We see in their places the little creatures whom we know and love.
Mark Twain
1906 US troops occupying the Philippines attacked the stronghold of an "unruly" band of hill Moros, mowing the stubborn tribespeople down with a combination of artillery fire and infantry assaults.
All these Moros – 600 men, women and children, were killed. Eight years previously, in 1898, philosopher William James and other prominent US intellectuals had formed the Anti-Imperialist League to educate the public on the horrors of US policy in the Philippines. Despite the group's efforts, however, there was no great public outcry, and US destruction and domination of the Philippines continued.
Major Littletown Waller [accused of killing 11 defenceless Filipinos] said that General Smith instructed him to kill and burn, and said that the more he killed and burned the better pleased he would be; that it was no time to take prisoners, and that he was to make Samar a howling wilderness. Major Waller asked General Smith to define the age limit for killing, and he replied “Everything over ten.”
An American military detachment attacked a village of Filipino Muslims (Moros) living in the hollow of a mountain in one of the southern islands. Every one of 600 men, women, and children were killed. This was the Moro Crater Massacre, which drew an angry response from Mark Twain and other anti-imperialist Americans. Twain led the Anti-Imperialist League which opposed the annexation of the Philippines by the United States. He wrote 'Incident in the Philippines' (1924) in response to the Moro Crater Massacre.
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
Pip Wilson posted item above at 3:41 PM | Permalink
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