FOUR THINGS ABOUT BALANGIGA BELLS
1 HISTORY LESSON
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is attacking the United States again — this time going back to the 1900s when Filipinos fought for independence from American control. Duterte, during his second State of the Nation address on Monday, brought up the topic of three church bells that American troops took as spoils of war after burning down Balangiga, a small seaside village on the island of Samar in the Visayas region of the Philippines, in retaliation against Filipino guerrillas.
2 SPOILS OF WAR
One of the bronze bells was taken to a military museum in South Korea. The other two have been on display at the Francis E. Warren Air Force base in Cheyenne, Wyo. But for Filipinos, the bells are rightfully theirs, a reminder of the slaughter of thousands of civilians, including women and children.
3 RETURN THE BELLS
“Those bells are reminders of the gallantry and heroism of our forebears ... who resisted the American colonization and sacrificed their lives in the process. Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are ours. They belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage,” Duterte said toward the end of a lengthy address in which he frequently veered off script, lashed out at critics and political enemies, and used an informal tone sprinkled with Tagalog expletives. After applause that lasted a few seconds, he added, in Tagalog: “Return them. It’s painful for us.”
4 CALL TO ARMS
What those bells signify for the United States, especially for veterans, is entirely different. They’re to honour the American soldiers who were killed in September 1901, when Filipino guerrillas disguised as women carrying coffins infiltrated Balangiga and ambushed an army base. According to the Francis E. Warren Air Force base website, the bells were tolled as a signal for the guerrillas to start attacking. About four dozen Americans were killed, prompting a swift and brutal retribution from the United States. Brig.-Gen. Jacob W. Smith ordered his men to kill anyone who can bear arms. To him, that meant anyone age 10 and older.