Fighting Islam's Fierce Moro Warriors (America's first jungle war)

Military History Magazine ^ | April 2002 | David S. Woolman

[Sparta]

America’s first war with suicidal Islamic warriors took place a century ago in the Philippines and rings familiar today as the Moros continue what they call ‘the longest, bloodiest struggle for freedom in history.’

By David S. Woolman for Military History Magazine

America’s first jungle war remains largely unknown, except in the Philippines where it began in 1900. Even those rare Americans who have heard of the U.S. jungle war against the Moros often connect it erroneously with the Philippine Insurrection. But with world attention now riveted upon Islamic jihad, we can expect to learn more about the volatile Islamic Moros, especially since they openly supported Afghanistan’s Taliban government and are an ongoing problem for the Philippine government.

Mutual revulsion between the Islamic Moros of the southern Philippines and the Western world goes back a long way. For more than two centuries before their defeat by U.S. forces at the end of the 1800s, Spain attempted unsuccessfully to subjugate the diminutive but fanatical Muslim Moros, who average slightly over 5 feet in height. Spanish soldiers had been captured by the Moros, dragged into the jungle and tortured for hours on end, finally dying in utter agony over a slow fire after being emasculated. Add to that the Moro practices of polygamy, slavery and rape of infidels, and it is easy to see why the American forces in 1898 saw Moros as horror and depravity incarnate.

[Sparta]

The m1911 Colt .45 pistol was adopted because of this uprising. The .38s in use lacked the firepower to kill the drug-crazed Moros and the Lugars we were trying out kept breaking down in the hostile environment.

[Sparta]

I'm attempting to provide historical background to the current US actions in the Philippines. Please leave this in the news and activism section.

[Sparta]

The United States took part in a jungle war many do not know about. The Moro uprising, which took place before WWI.

If you want on or off the Western Civlization Military History ping list, let me know.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

GARRY OWEN, Sir

1st Cavalry Division in the Phillippines =

World War II

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the ping Sparta. The Phillipine Insurrection is a pretty unknown campaign now-a-days. Thanks for the post

[Sparta]

The Phillipine Insurrection is a pretty unknown campaign now-a-days.

There were two Philippine Insurrections. One by nationalists(mostly Catholic) and one by the Moros (the one I'm covering on this thread). The Moros were fighting for the same thing they're fighting our Philippine allies and our Special Forces for, an Islamic state.

[liberalnot]

first jungle war not.

[Larry Lucido]

The sultan of Sulu warned against further attacks on the newcomers. “Americans,” he said, “were like a match box. If you strike one they all go off!”

[Finalapproach29er]

(From a previous post)

I say we treat them the way Pershing treated the Muslim fanatics (Mohomudans) in the Phillipeans after the church slaughter. Following the end of the war with Spain, but before World War I, we had trouble pacifiying them (like now). They slaughtered a bunch of Christians coming out of church on Sunday.

As I remember the story, this was the last straw for Col.,Gen ?)Pershing, who was in charge at the time. He ordered all the male muslims in the immediate area to be slaughtered except for one, as a witness.

The dead Muslims were wrapped in pig meat and splattered w/pig blood. Muslim zealots only fear was dying in an "unclean" state. They think you can't get to heavan if your "unclean".

This witness runs away to tell the other Muslim fanatics what Pershing and the Americans had done.
Pershing had no more trouble during the occupation.
The Muslims stopped targeting Christians.

There is a lesson here for some of these South Pacific trouble-makers.

[Savage Beast]

"Moro practices of...slavery...rape," torture, piracy, war, and murder

Any question who the "god" is that these fanatics worship? Their "god" delights in such evil. These devil-worshippers certainly do not serve God.

"the Moros reacted with increased fear that their children would learn English and subtly become Christianized."

Obviously, that's the best thing that could happen to these Satan-worshippers!

"Although certain of their own extinction, those fanatics were secure in their belief that they would be whisked to the Muslim paradise for their valorous self-sacrifice, where, among other glories, they would be serviced by 16 virgins."

Sound familiar? Maybe if the "Liberals" hear these same stories enough times reality will begin to sink in.

"He believed that the Moros were savages who respected nothing but force."

I believe the same thing.

"the Moros could not understand why the Americans did not destroy every cota in the area. On the contrary, Pershing ordered his men to mix with the locals in a sincere attempt to establish friendly relations."

This strategy failed a century ago. It has failed ever since. It has never succeeded. Yet "Liberal" fools today still insist on trying it. These people are murderous fanatics, and the only way to deal with them is force--relentless, unyielding, overpowering force.

"The only way to handle Moros was to be just and firm: 'Every concession to them is a mistake.'

Does this sound familiar:

"...now too-familiar objectives: 'To make supreme the Word of Allah and implement Shari’ah [Islamic law].'"

The objective of Islam is the establishment of a world-wide Islamic theocracy with the Koran as the only constitution and the Shari'ah as international law.

"Those who cannot learn from history are condemned to repeat it"--again--and again--and again-- !

[SAMWolf]

Yep. Those Moros were tough to bring down, someone already mentioned the M-1911

[Travis McGee]

Great history post!

Do you know if the tales of Pershing burying Moros in swineskins as a lesson to the others is true, or apocryphal?

[Centurion2000]

Phillipines right ? Where they ultimately deployed the .45 ACP because the 38 special didn't have the punch to put the moros down. Also the origin of the english term "to run amok" if I recall.

[watchin]

I thought it interesting, though not too surprising, that the phrase to "run amok" comes from the peace-loving murderous pirates of Islam.

My only beef with the article was the notion that Christianity was forced on the Philippines, while the impression is given that islam was always there.

Islam has never spread but by force.

[MarkDel]

Travis,

No one can say for sure if this story is true or not, but it has been reported in many unofficial histories of the Pershing campaign there. It actually reeks of local legend designed to increase anti-american sentiment in that country, further perpetuated by left wing historians who like to make the US look bad. Personally, knowing what I've heard of Pershing in other history, this strikes me as potentially a true story. Sadly, I think this sort of behavior would be our best course of action against terrorists who only seem to understand greater violence and a greater will to engage in barbaric behavior.

[Drammach]

Excellent article..

Footnote: I knew a lady whose father served with "Black Jack Pershing".. She recalled to me that, as a child, she remembered a fire on the post where her parents were stationed, and that it was the Pershing home. I think she said some of the children died.

She recalled playing with those children next to the fields where soldiers practiced drill & ceremony, and even at her age, late 60's, and this some 40 years ago, still showed sorrow at the loss of her playmates.

[Savage Beast]

Keen observations, Watchin. It may be that that which is spread by force can be stopped only by force.

[FreedomPoster]

JMB Bump!

[FreedomPoster]

>>What audience of dolts does Mr. Woolman write for?? This is basic U.S. history.

Basic U.S. history isn't taught much any more.