Final answer:
Cartoons from the Philippine-American War era provide insights into the patronizing attitudes of American imperialism and justify the idea of 'civilizing' conquered peoples, often with brutal consequences that were later criticized by anti-imperialists and revisited during the Vietnam War.
Step-by-step explanation:
Clues from Cartoons During the Philippine-American War
The Philippine-American War, known by various names such as the Philippine Insurrection or the Philippine War of Independence, is a pivotal event in history that showcases the American expansionism and conflicts with Filipino nationalism. Propaganda cartoons from that era, like one depicting Cuba, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines as unruly children needing to be educated in civilization, offer insight into the patronizing attitudes and justifications employed by the United States during this period of imperialism.
The official war between Aguinaldo's forces and the United States, which occurred between 1899 and 1902, is characterized by multiple perspectives. American imperialism and attitudes are represented in statements by Senator Albert J. Beveridge, and the US-led Battle of Manila Bay that ultimately resulted in the US purchasing the Philippines from Spain. This act negated the efforts of Filipino nationalists who had been fighting for their independence.
Opponents of imperialism, such as antiwar activists and anti-imperialists in America, challenged the morality of the war and the resulting human consequences. Reports of atrocities committed by American soldiers and the use of torture techniques like the "water cure" culminated in an eroded image of the American intervention, leading to critical evaluations of American imperialism. This questioning was revisited and intensified during the Vietnam War, as aging veterans came forward with stories of similar atrocities committed during the earlier conflict in the Philippines.