Race and Imperialism

Iraq Now and the Philippines Then

By: William Loren Katz

Narrated by: William Loren Katz

William Loren Katz explains the occupation of Iraq from the perspective of the 1898 U.S. invasion of the Philippines and the murderous colonial rule that lasted there for 12 years. The racism, cruelty, and economic greed the U.S. brought with it became the template for 20th-century imperialist interventions.

Katz is best known for his 40 history books, including such award-winning classics as Black Indians, The Black West, Black Women of the Old West, and The Cruel Years: American Voices at the Dawn of the 20th Century. Katz hosts his own history interview program on WBAI-FM (Pacifica Radio) in New York City and since 1986 has served as the station's historian-in-residence.

Recorded live on May 8, 2006, at the Brecht Forum in New York City.

©2006 Radio Free Maine (P)2006 Radio Free Maine

stunning

William Loren Katz's quick-moving informal lecture is filled with little known details of American history in 1898 -- in a few weeks the US gained control of Cuba, the Philippines and Hawaii. Many of the American troops were the Black "Buffalo Soldiers", re-deployed to fight in Cuba and the Philippines. Katz is pretty matter-of-fact in tone while acknowledging the very difficult relationship of business and government with Indians, Philipinos, Blacks, Cubans, Hawaiians and more Indians. He doesn't spend a lot of time talking about the American mission in Iraq, but it's an obvious comparison because of the similarities to the Philippine involvement, including 10 weeks that stretched into 15 years, war frenzy at home and an intention to open up foreign markets. Katz is known as an historian of the old West, and especially for his book "Black Indians."