On September 28, 1901, Filipino fighters ambushed American soldiers in Balangiga, Samar, killing over 40 US troops. This surprise attack triggered a brutal retaliation by the US, led by General Jacob Smith, who ordered Samar to be turned into a "howling wilderness."

After the Spanish-American War, Filipino revolutionaries sought independence, but the US had its own plans, leading to the Philippine-American War. Samar, rich in Manila hemp, was a stronghold of resistance led by Vicente Lukban. Despite Emilio Aguinaldo's capture and surrender, Balangiga's mayor, Pedro Abayan, secretly pledged loyalty to Lukban and planned deception against American forces.

American troops initially seemed friendly in Balangiga, but tensions rose after Captain Thomas W. Connell forced male residents to clean the town and help fortify the area. An incident where two drunk American soldiers harassed a local girl, leading to a confrontation and Connell's retaliation of imprisoning 143 men and destroying their bolos and rice, pushed the people of Balangiga to plan their revenge.

On September 28, 1901, Filipino fighters, disguised as civilians, launched a surprise attack on American soldiers in Balangiga. Triggered by a signal from Acting Police Chief Valeriano Abanador and the ringing of the church bell, the fighters, armed with bolos and captured rifles, overwhelmed the unprepared American troops. The ambush resulted in over 40 American casualties and significant captured weapons, marking a major victory for the resistance.

Following the ambush, American reinforcements returned to Balangiga, burying their dead and burning down the town. News of the attack shocked the US public, prompting President Theodore Roosevelt to demand retaliation. Major General Adna R. Chaffee ordered Brigadier General Jacob H. Smith to pacify Samar, leading to Smith's infamous command to kill everyone over the age of 10 and turn the island into a "howling wilderness." US troops engaged in scorched-earth tactics, destroying homes and crops, torturing prisoners, and causing widespread death among Filipino civilians from hunger, disease, and violence.

The brutality of the American retaliation sparked outrage in the US. General Smith was court-martialed, reprimanded, and forced to retire. Lieutenant Colonel Littleton Waller was also court-martialed for executing Filipino porters, but acquitted, arguing the killings were acts of war. Waller also acknowledged the use of the 'water cure' during interrogations. Smith became a symbol of the darkest chapters of America's war in the Philippines.

During the rampage, American troops seized three bronze church bells from Balangiga as war trophies. Two were sent to Wyoming and one to South Korea. For over a century, these bells served as a painful reminder of the war for Filipinos, who continuously called for their return. In December 2018, after generations of diplomatic efforts, the bells were finally returned to the Philippines in a solemn ceremony, marking a significant moment of historical justice.

The term "Balangiga Massacre" carries dual interpretations. American accounts often refer to the initial ambush by Filipino fighters on US troops, while later interpretations highlight the brutal US retaliation and scorched-earth campaign across Samar as the true massacre. The events remain a sensitive and complex topic, raising questions about historical justice and who defines a massacre in the Philippines and US relations.