THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION AND IT’S INFLUENCE ON INDONESIAN REVOLUTION

Abstract

The Philippine revolution in 1896 was the first armed struggle for independence against foreign domination. This armed struggle, despite the absence of financial or moral supports from other Asian countries, had been successfully carried out against Spain which led to the proclamation of Philippine independence. While other Asian countries were still under the claws of European colonizers  before the turn of the 20th century, the Philippines had already established the Malolos Republic, First Republic in Asia. This armed struggle influenced other Asian countries in their fight against foreign domination and one of those countries is Indonesia.

This paper traces how the Philippine revolution against Spain inspired the Indonesian political leaders to have their own revolution,  the Indonesian National Revolution, against the Dutch East Indies rule. This armed struggle commences from 1945 when Indonesia declared its independence following the end of World War II until the Dutch recognition of that independence in 1949.  The paper argues that the Philippine revolution in 1896, in one way or another, influenced the Indonesian revolutionary leaders in their determination to fight for their freedom against the Dutch Empire which catapulted them into one of the free nations in the world today.