Emilio Aguinaldo in The Spanish-American War
Emilio Aguinaldo (1869–1964) was a Filipino general who played an important role in the Philippine Revolution against Spain, and later led Filipino insurgent soldiers against American forces.
In 1898, the United States supported Filipino general Emilio Aguinaldo in his efforts against the Spanish colonial government. Once Filipino forces expelled the Spanish colonial government, Aguinaldo appointed himself the new leader of the Philippines.
When the United States refused to recognize his authority and instead sent troops to occupy the islands, the Philippine Republic under Aguinaldo's leadership declared war on the United States.