Final answer:
General Douglas MacArthur was referring to the Philippines when mentioning 'our colony', which was a U.S. territory during World War II; the Philippines served as a strategic military and economic base for the U.S., reflecting the era's imperialist policies.
Step-by-step explanation:
General Douglas MacArthur was referring to the Philippines when he spoke about 'our colony'. During the time of his service in the Pacific theater of World War II, the Philippines was a U.S. territory. Following the U.S. victory in the Spanish-American War, the Philippines came under American control and was considered an American colony. MacArthur's quote is emblematic of the American view at the time, seeing the islands as a strategic base and entry point for commerce and military operations in Asia, particularly in relation to countering Japanese expansion and as a gateway to the broader markets of China.
Historical speeches, such as that by Senator Albert Beveridge to the 56th Congress in January 1900, further illustrate this perspective. At the outset of the 20th century, American foreign policy embraced the idea that the Philippines would serve as a commercial and military stepping stone to the larger Asian markets. This colonial view has been debated and criticized, with arguments against imperialism stressing the importance of liberty and self-governance, as exemplified by the address from the Negro National Democratic League in 1900.