Battle of Manila (1898)

Battle of Manila
Part of the Spanish–American War and the Philippine Revolution
"Raising the American flag over Fort Santiago, Manila, on the evening of August 13, 1898." drawing from Harper's Pictorial History of the War with Spain.
Date August 13, 1898 Location Manila, Philippines Result Filipino-American victory Spanish forces surrender the city to the Americans American occupation of the Philippines begins End of the Spanish–American War in the Philippines, leading to the Treaty of Paris Territorial changes Establishment of the United States Military Government of the Philippine Islands
Belligerents
United States Revolutionary Government of the Philippines	Spain Captaincy General of the Philippines
Commanders and leaders
Wesley Merritt Arthur MacArthur Jr. George Dewey Emilio Aguinaldo Artemio Ricarte Antonio Luna Mariano Noriel Pio del Pilar Pantaleon Garcia Gregorio del Pilar	Fermin Jáudenes Basilio Augustín
Strength
10,700 40,000	13,000
Casualties and losses
19 killed, 103 wounded	49 killed, 1 fort

The Battle of Manila (Filipino: Labanan sa Maynila; Spanish: Batalla de Manila), sometimes called the Mock Battle of Manila,^[1] was a land engagement which took place in Manila on August 13, 1898, at the end of the Spanish–American War, three months after the decisive victory by Commodore Dewey's Asiatic Squadron at the Battle of Manila Bay. The belligerents were Spanish forces led by Governor-General of the Philippines Fermín Jáudenes, and American forces led by United States Army Major General Wesley Merritt and United States Navy Commodore George Dewey. American forces were supported by units of the Philippine Revolutionary Army, led by Emilio Aguinaldo.

The battle that took place in Manila during the Philippine-Spanish War is commonly referred to as the "Mock battle of Manila". This unique and covert operation was meticulously planned by the local commanders of the Spanish and American forces, who were legally at war with each other. Their clandestine collaboration aimed to orchestrate a simulated battle that would facilitate the transfer of control over the city center from the Spanish to the Americans, all while ensuring that the Philippine Revolutionary Army would be kept at bay. The underlying motivations for this meticulously coordinated sham battle were multi-faceted, encompassing both racist and political elements. Spain, being a predominantly white nation, sought to avoid perceived humiliation on the international stage by losing to the predominantly nonwhite indigenous Austronesians, Negritos, Malay Filipinos, and mestizos of Hispanic and Chinese descent who comprised the Filipino forces. By preventing the Filipino forces from achieving victory at this crucial juncture, Spain hoped to maintain its image and reputation.^{[citation needed]} Consequently, the outcome of this strategic maneuver left the American forces in control of Intramuros, the heart of Manila, while being encircled by Philippine revolutionary forces.

As a result of the battle, American forces gained control of Intramuros, the center of Manila, while being surrounded by Philippine revolutionary forces. This event set the stage for the Battle of Manila in 1899 that marked the beginning of the Philippine–American War.