21 NOVEMBER

1564 - The Spanish colonial Legazpi-Urdaneta expedition bound for the Philippine Islands sails from Navidad, Mexico with the primary aim of discovering a new route to the Islands of the West; some four decades earlier, explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who would be slain by early native freedom fighter and Mactan chieftain Lapu-Lapu,"discovered" the Philippines for the King of Spain, King Philip II; the Legazpi-Urdaneta expedition will attempt to establish settlements in the Southeast Asian archipelago but will be met by defiant resistance by Filipino natives.

Imperialist U.S. Gen. Arthur MacArthur

1899 - The invading enemy American forces occupy Tarlac, the seat of the fledgling Philippine Republic -on-the-run, thus forcing Gen. Emilio F. Aguinaldo to further retreat to the mountains of northern Luzon, one year and nine months into the Filipino-American War (1899-1914);  three days earlier, imperialist United States General Arthur MacArthur began occupying the province of Tarlac amidst the Filipino generals' decision to continue to protect the independence of the Philippine Republic against the North American invaders through guerrilla warfare; Aguinaldo had earlier been conned into believing that the Americans were allies, leading him to allow the free entry of G.I.s into the archipelago until they have able to position themselves well for the wicked invasion of the Philippines.


Photo credit: http://philippineamericanwar.webs.com/battleofcaloocan.htm