George+Dewey+&+Seizing+the+Philippines

**George Dewey / Seizing the Philippines**

 George Dewey was born on December 26, 1837 and died on January 16, 1917. Throughout his lifetime, he achieved a lot success being the admiral of the United States Navy. Dewey is best known for his victory during the Battle of Manila Bay during the [|Spanish-American War]. Various historians referred to him as the "hero of Manila" not only for his success during the war, but also because he was the only person in U.S. history to attain the rank of Admiral of the Navy, the highest rank in the United States Navy.
 * __George Dewey__**
 * [[image:http://de.academic.ru/pictures/dewiki/71/George-dewey.jpg width="186" height="241" align="left" caption="Commander to the US navy, George Dewey, took a stand at Manila Bay against the Spanish"]]Background**

During this period, tension with the Spanish increased dramatically. Beginning in 1898, in response the sinking of the Maine in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, which killed 260 Americans, [|President McKinley] issued an ultimatum to Spain demanding they agree to a ceasefire with Cuba. The first shots of the Spanish American War were shot at Manila Bay in the Philippines, as the U.S. proved itself as a [|world power.]
 * Leading to the War**


 * __Battle of Manila Bay__**

**The battle** On April 27, 1898, Commander George Dewey sailed out with orders to attack the Spanish at Manila Bay. As he stopped at the mouth of the bay he uttered the now famous words, "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley."

In an effort to show off his new, all steel army, Theodore Roosevelt, McKinley’s secretary of the navy at the time, ordered a fleet commanded by George Dewey to the Philippines. America anticipate war and recognized the strategic significant of Spain’s territories, which aided by the war fever, allowed the U.S. to be successful. Shortly after war was declared, Dewey’s fleet opened fire on Spanish ships in Manila Bay, and shortly after that, the Spanish fleet fell into the submission of the U.S. navy. In the end, thanks to the naval strategies of both Roosevelt and Dewey, U.S. troops captured the city of Manila on August 13th.

 After the victory, Manila Bay was filled with the warships from the U.K., Germany, France, and[| Japan], all of which outgunned Dewey's force. The Germans caused the most adversity with the American nay. There to protect their respective interests, the Germans in turn “cut in front of American ships, refusing to salute the United States flag (according to customs of naval courtesy), taking soundings of the harbor, and landing supplies for the besieged Spanish.” The Germans were very willing to take advantage of whatever opportunity the conflict in the islands might afford. However, the Americans did not believe the Germans would go through with their threats, and the Germans subsequently backed down. With the news of the victory at Manila Bay, Dewey a hero in the United States and by an act of congress was made Admiral of the Navy in 1899. The Dewey Medal, a military decoration, was also named in his honor.
 * Aftermath**

· During the beginning of the war, America were significantly aided by the Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who, as Dewey attacked by sea, had been attacking the Spanish by land. · By the end of the war, the fact that Filipino forces were not permitted to enter the captured city of Manila, which was deeply resented by the Filipinos, led to the Philippine–American War in 1899.
 * __Did you know?__**

Extra Information [|Battle at manila bay FAQs] [|George Dewey]

Sources [|Manila Bay facts] [|Phil-Amer War]

Images [|Battle at Sea] [|American Flag] [|George Dewey] [|USS olympia]