Alternate Philippine History 1898 (Hiatus)

22 - Turmoil

As soon as it was leaked that Congress is planning to allow the president to send troops to Africa, various local governments across the archipelago, protested saying they won't let their sons go to war for a foreign empire.

These local governments went as far as issuing ordinances banning the army from establishing centers for registering volunteers. Some even threatened to declare the president and his generals persona non grata in their territories.

Posters warning its citizens not to let their family volunteer go to war popped up in many towns across the country.

Many of the local governments also pressured the federal government to exclude soldiers from their regions in the deployment, threatening to force the president and his supporters in congress to resign.

The sudden expansion of the country's justification from taking back Palau to fighting in Africa didn't sit well with the populace. This meant that Filipinos will now be fighting and dying in a foreign land, which the Filipino people didn't agree to when they allowed the government to join the war.

Led by Jaime Mendoza, one of the senators from the influential State of Visayas. The opposition used the momentum given by the disapproval of the populace to file a resolution strongly urging the executive to make peace with the Central powers and save the country from further destabilization, and destruction.

The resolution, with the backing of a majority of the country's regional and local governments, centered around the fact that there is no need for the country to get closer to the front lines as the government had earlier assured that Germany will be confined in Europe because of the British Navy.
It also added that the events that started the war is very insignificant to matters relating to the Philippines.

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Contrary to what many expected, the government didn't back down and published another set of propaganda pieces announcing the threat of German U-boats to the British Navy.
The government used the sinking of the HMS Pathfinder, Aboukir, Cressy, and Hogue to exaggerate the growing strength of the German Navy claiming that the German High Seas fleet has the capability to strongarm its way through the North Sea and into the Atlantic.

The government claimed that once the Germans make it to the Atlantic they could threaten the British Isles then dominate the Atlantic, thus before it happens the Filipinos must help their European allies in any way they can.

"Participating in the African theater will help the British, and French by allowing a portion of their forces to be sent back to Europe and aid in the quick defeat of Germany" is the new justification the Philippine government put out.

Using the same argument by the government, the opposition argued that the country should make peace now before worst scenario for the Entente happens. This way the country could still have a upper hand in negotiations and keep Palau.
If they continue and The Entente collapses, the country may stand to lose its hard won independence.

Unfortunately for the opposition, many of their colleagues are already under the influence of foreign forces with some calling for deployment in France reasoning that the country can get more insights about the technologies and strategies used by the European powers.

These congressmen, mostly from areas with a lot of western investors, calling many in the opposition as "allies of the oppressors" referencing Germany's atrocities on Belgian citizens. They said that "Belgium was neutral, but Germany still decided to invade. There's no stopping them from doing the same to the country and our people"

While the opposition is still firm on its stand, they are being drowned out by their pro-war colleagues. And despite public opposition, Congress eventually approved the president's request to allow the country's soldiers to be deployed in Africa with the addition of giving the president discretion on where else he can deploy them should the need arise.

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As if knowing that the turmoil in Congress would end in favor of the government, the military had already ordered the troops in Palau to set sail towards Mombasa, British East Africa where they are to rendezvous with Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Wapshare.

The military had also already setup booths to gather volunteers in many parts of the country where they are not banned.
Although the initial turnout is low, the sweet deals of high pay, tax exemptions and other benefits lured many men into signing up eventually giving the military an additional hundred thousand more men.

The government also started taking in loans to fund its war and buy the necessary equipment
the military needs for an overseas deployment.

The government then gave incentives to fishermen and farmers in order to increase agricultural output and give ample supplies of food for the men fighting on the front.
They also gave local industries tax exemptions and subsidies to allow them to expand and produce military equipment ranging from small arms like rifles and hand bombs to transport ships that could be used to transport men and supplies.

As the Department of Finance is with the pro-war faction, the government is able to appease the concerns about the amount of loans the country is taking. Although some were convinced that this will translate to more earnings for the government, they saw that it is unhealthy and the country may not be able to pay it back if the expected earnings aren't realized.

Although things are still going relatively smoothly for the government on the political front, opposition to the war is still strong in some parts of the country who are currently continuously silenced by government propaganda.