The 1986 Filipino crisis : triumph of democracy through U.S. intervention : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Abstract

In 1986, the United States faced a serious foreign policy dilemma in the Philippines. The U.S.'s main concern was the two military bases, Clark Air Force Base and Subic Naval Base, strategically located in the Philippines. The leases on these bases were obviously in jeopardy if the Filipino government turned Communist. Likewise, President Ferdinand Marcos' regime was in danger of falling due to the Communist insurgency. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) continued to add strength to their numbers as Marcos failed to enact meaningful reforms. The poorer class of the Philippines increasingly saw the Communists as a viable alternative to their economic hardships. Therefore, it was in the United States' best interest to either force Marcos to enact reforms necessary or support the creation of a democratic reform movement.This paper attempts to deal with the U.S.'s role in the complex situation of the 1986 Filipino election. The U.S. had an unique role in that it was invited by both parties, the Marcos regime and the opposition led by Corazon Aquino, to intervene. However, this intervention, while resulting in a democratic government for the Philippines, created considerable implications for other U.S. allies in the region and around the world. It also raised questions for U.S. foreign policy makers as to the criteria of support for Third World nations opposing Communism.