Oregon volunteer soldiers fought two wars in the Philippines from 1898 to 1899, one against the Spanish colonial government (from May to August 1898), and one against the Philippine insurgency (beginning in February of 1899). This thesis examines the connections between Oregonians' racial characterization of Filipinos and their beliefs about the wars' purposes and moral characteristics. The source material is drawn from the personal papers of Oregon volunteer soldiers and from the Portland Oregonian.

This thesis is an annotated and edited typescript of a primary source, the handwritten diary of Chriss A. Bell, of the Second Oregon Volunteer Infantry state militia. The diary concerns the events of Oregon's National Guard state militia in the Spanish-American war in the Philippines, and the Philippine Insurrection that followed. The period of time concerned is from the beginning of May, 1898 to the end of June, 1899.