Why were the first shots of the spanish-american war fired in the philippines rather than in cuba? the filipinos began a rebellion against their spanish rulers as soon as the united states entered the war against the spanish. the declaration of war allowed the american fleet to sail to the caribbean only after spanish fleet in the philippines had been defeated. realizing the strategic value of the philippines, the united states ordered a surprise attack on the spanish fleet as soon as war was declared. anticipating a defeat in the caribbean, the spanish tried to capture new territories in asia, attacking the philippines once war had been declared.