Natives in Blue: The Employment of Armed Auxiliaries in the Philippines, 1899-1913

The United States, upon ratifying the Treaty of Paris, extended its empire beyond North America. The Spanish-American War's successful termination resulted in the acquisition of Puerto Rico, the West Indies, and Guam; the liberation of Cuba; and forced the sale of the Philippines to the United States. An insurrection in the Philippines (1899-1902), and several uprisings thereafter, delayed the transition from military to civilian governance and contributed to the creation and expansion of two native auxiliary forces: the Philippine Scouts and the Philippine Constabulary. The former, organized and controlled by the Army, and the latter, controlled by the Governor-General of the Philippines, played prominent roles in the pacification of the archipelago. Recent scholarship reinforces the narrative that auxiliaries were used solely to fight a counterinsurgency. This portrayal obscures an understanding of their actual role. Today, the U.S. Army faces budgetary constraints that require the reduction of the force structure while still maintaining it ability to fight and win anywhere in the world. These challenges may require the U.S. Army to consider raising and employing native forces to achieve its tactical and operational objectives.