The US Military and Amerasians in the Philippines: No Benevolent Assimilation

 

It's a story that accompanies any military action abroad, children born of local women and soldiers far from home whose paternity is formally unacknowledged. These offspring are subject to cultural, political and legal norms that often make positive personal, social and educational prospects out-of-reach. In particular, the first entered the Philippines in 1898, taking the islands from Spain. In the US in December, 1898, and in the Philippines in January, 1899, President McKinley announced his Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation assuring the natives personal, professional, political and religious freedom and protection, thus beginning a long, but not always benevolent, relationship between the people of the Philippines and the United States.

Here from BBC news  is a look at "Philippines' Forgotten Generation" about the return of the US military after a 20 year absence.

For more information, read, Dust-of-life. and watch Left by Ship.