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In the Spanish American war the United States defeated Spain and acquired vast amounts of territory, and the conflict was soon referred to as “a splendid little war,” but for the U.S. army troops fighting Muslim fanatics in the Philippines things weren’t so splendid. The initial conflict only lasted four months, but as so many times before the mission was far from accomplished, and U.S. forces went from liberators to enemies quickly.  While the conflict had come to the end by the end by 1902, several groups held out and among them were the Moros who’d fought the Spanish for the last 300 years, and they weren’t about to back down in the face of the U.S. Army.  What would follow would be some of the most brutal fighting in the island nation’s history, but American forces would prevail thanks to their determination and weapons.

While some groups stopped fighting and negotiated a treaty the Moros of Mindanao Island weren’t interested, and stayed out of the earlier fighting because they simply didn’t want the territory America had.  A warlike culture that had taken part in slavery and piracy they believe that if you died in battle you’d arrive in paradise on a white horse surrounded by those who you killed who’d be your slaves in the after life.  Also like fanatical fighters today they were promised virgins if they died well.  They were called juranmentado by the Spanish who applied the term to any Moro who swore an oath to die killing infidels.

An American soldier encountering one of these tribesmen wouldn’t easily forget it.  They’d probably wear very little clothing, but for light armor which included a Spanish helmet taken from a man one of their ancestors killed.  They’d wield a round shield with elaborate decorations, and would probable be carrying a kris a razor sharp double edged, wavy steel blade that is about a foot long.  This was a warrior’s prize weapon and it would be taken care of, and included in his pre-battle ritual.  Other weapons included the barong a long single edge blade, and the campilan an impressive two handed sword.  All the weapons could easily cut a man to pieces, and the Moro weren’t opposed to using captured firearms.

The Moro would launch fanatical charges into large groups of American forces regardless of position, and when they got close they’d begin screaming “There is no God but Allah.”  An individual warrior’s objective was to be martyred, and in many cases troops found bodies of warriors wounded multiple times.  These warriors were so driven that they’d take hits from the army’s .38 caliber revolver and keep coming.  This would lead to the military adopting the semiautomatic .45 caliber pistol from Colt for use in close combat situations.  In almost every fight troops ended up in hand to hand combat, and had to repel sword and shield with bayonets.

It would take 15 years in hot jungles against a determined enemy before peace could officially be declared, and even than there were Moro fighters who would resist.  The fighting in the Philippines saw great heroics and fanaticism, and savagery on both sides.  Military leaders used good tactics and weapons as well as diplomacy to prevail, and leaders today could benefit from studying their missions.  So remember when you’re face a fanatic give it everything you’ve got, because you know he is, and don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.  American soldiers prevailed against religious fanatics once and they will do it again if given the chance.