Chapter 18: Elpidio Quirino Era 1948-1953 - Chris Pforr Homepage

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The Cold War comes to Asia and the Philippines Until 1949, the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was focused on Europe, far from the Philippines. But in October 1949, the Chinese Civil War came to an end when the the communists won and China became the People’s Republic of China. The United States now had two big communist enemies: The Soviet Union and China. The U.S. began a policy of “containment” to prevent the emergence of other communist regimes. The American bases in the Philippines now became very important. Chap 18, pg 2 1949 Mutual Defense Assistance Act In 1949 the U.S. Congress passed the Mutual Defense Assistance Act, promising defense assistance to any ally that might be attacked by the Soviet Union. The bill gave millions of dollars in military aid to the Philippines. Two Disturbing Reports 1. Bell Mission In 1950, US President Truman sent a mission headed by Daniel Bell to evaluate the economic development of the Philippines. The team reported: “the profits of businessmen and the incomes of large landowners have risen very considerably [but] the standard of living of most people is lower than before the war.” And: “the Quirino Government was in such a critical condition that only the most far-reaching program of reform and self-help, supported by technical and economic assistance from this country, could save the Philippines from total collapse.” The U.S. Government was worried that increasing poverty could lead to a revolution like China’s, with the obedient Philippine government being replaced by a communist government antagonistic to the United States. The investigating team recommended drastic reforms. However, the authority of the Philippine government rested on approval from the wealthy elites, and they blocked reform. 2. U.S. National Security Council Report Meanwhile, a top-secret 1950 U.S. National Security Council report similarly concluded: “Inequalities in the Philippines, always large, have become greater during the past few years while the standard of living of the mass of people has not reached the pre-war level. The profits of businessmen and the incomes of large land owners have risen considerably. The deterioration of the economic system has caused a widespread feeling of disillusionment.” Furthermore, the report continued, “The communist-led Huk movement has taken advantage of the deteriorating economic situation and exploited the antagonistic attitudes of the people toward the government in order to incite lawlessness and disorder.... The extent and manner in which the necessary influence is brought to bear on the Philippine Government to accomplish essential reforms presents to the U.S. Government a most difficult and delicate problem. Extreme care must therefore be exercised in the methods used to persuade the Philippine Government to take the necessary action, to do nothing would result in disaster.” How would the U.S. Government react?
Chap 18, pg 3 A Dilemma for the United States In 1950 the US Government found itself in a difficult position: To successfully wage the Cold War against the Soviet Union and Communist China, the U.S. needed its military bases in the Philippines in order to project military power throughout East Asia. So, it needed a stable and loyal Philippine government. However, the Philippine government in 1950 appeared unstable, and the U.S. feared that it might be overthrown by the Hukbalahap, who might establish a hostile regime which would cancel the American base leases and send the U.S. military home. To prevent this, the U.S. knew that popular support for the Huks could be reduced if economic and social reforms were made. But the Philippine economic elite were opposed to any changes which might compromise their economic and political control. Yet if reforms were not implemented, it increased the likelihood of a popular revolution. Would should the United States Government do? Rather than viewing the Huks as a legitimate rebellion of poor farmers who just wanted land and a chance to escape poverty by their own labor, American strategists chose to view them through the prism of the Cold War: the Huks were a local outbreak of the virus of global Communism who needed to be stamped out. Rather than trying to eliminate the cause of the rebellion by pushing the Philippine elites to implement reforms, the U.S. Government settled on a military solution to the problem: crush the Huks. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) The Central Intelligence Agency is part of the United States Government, established in 1947 to provide accurate information to government policymakers. In 1948 the CIA’s charter was expanded to include covert (secret) operational activities. These secret duties were run by the Office of Policy Coordination (OPC.) In 1950 the U.S. decided to use OPC against the Huks. Frank Wisner was the director of the Office of Policy Coordination. One of his CIA deputies was Lieutenant Colonel Edward Lansdale, an Air Force “psy-war” (psychological warfare) expert. Early in 1950, a delegation of Philippine legislators went to Washington D.C., to lobby for passage of the Rogers Bill, which would provide benefits to Filipino war veterans. One of the delegates was a Congressman named Ramon Magsaysay. In Washington, he met Colonel Lansdale, who introduced him to his boss Frank Wisner. Both Americans were impressed with the young Philippine Congressman. Since the CIA had been assigned the task of destroying the Hukbalahap insurgency, Frank Wisner offered Magsaysay a deal: the CIA would provide undercover support for Magsaysay’s political career if he would act as America’s surrogate. When Magsaysay returned to the Philippines, the U.S. State Department and the JUSMAG (Joint United States Military Assistance Group) pressured President Quirino to appoint Magsaysay as Secretary of National Defense, which he did. The CIA then had Colonel Lansdale assigned to the JUSMAG, to assist the Armed Forces of the Philippines against the Huks. The stage was set.
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Chapter 18: Elpidio Quirino Era 1948-1953 - Chris Pforr Homepage

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