June 12th

After the first uprising in Asia against a colonial power, the Philippines proclaimed its independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. But the declaration didn't lead to independence. The United States sent troops to put down the independence movement that would kill between 200,00 to half a million Filipino freedom fighters. Remember the Balangiga Massacre? Mark Twain called the Philippine-American War "a mess, a quagmire from which each fresh step renders the difficulty of extrication immensely greater." The US "granted" the country its independence on July 4, 1946 but with economic strings attached. If you're in the mood for a little light reading, check out Colossus The Rise and Fall of the American Empire.

Cut to 60 years later: Filipinos still not free from poverty, corruption, political violence, election fraud. Happy Independence Day!