In the Philippine War, Linn argues for a middle ground perspective on the American involvement that many readers will find refreshing. Although Linn does admit that the United States Army was guilty of torture and brutality, the author pushes those realities inside to focus instead on the broader strategies used. Success in the Philippines depended on the complex interplay of realities, argues Linn. On the one hand, Emilio Aguinaldo's tactics failed miserably because there was no indigenous nationalistic movement. Without a unified front, Aguinaldo failed whereas the Americans seized the opportunity to rescue a fractured archipelago and somehow emerge as heroes rather than Imperialist invaders. Even when America did play the role of the Imperialist invader, the nation did so with aplomb that would establish the United States as a dominant world power. Linn does not linger too long on the implications of the Philippine War but does suggest...

What went right in the Philippine conflict seems to be precisely what went wrong in Vietnam. Taken on its own, though, the Philippine War is a springboard for exploration of what is often an under-appreciated military intervention. Linn demonstrates the role that nation-building played in the Philippines, for example, Building infrastructures including hospitals and schools not only engendered trust among the civilian population but also ensured long-term stability and later, a national identity.
Reference

Linn, Brian McAllister. The Philippine War: 1899-1902. University Press of Kansas, 2000.