The Spanish-American War

Chapter 10-2

Cubans Rebel Against Spain

• By the end of the 19th century Spain had lost many of her colonies

• However, Cuba still remained a vital holding• The U.S. had long had interest in Cuba as it laid only 90

miles from the coast of Florida & was rich in sugar• The U.S. even attempted to buy her from Spain, but Spain

replied that she would rather see Cuba sink into the ocean than sell her to the U.S.

• From 1868 to 1878 Cubans revolted against the Spanish gaining American support

• The revolt was not successful, they did get emancipation for Cuban slaves, but it did allow for American investment in the large sugarcane industry

The Second War For Independence

• The anti-Spanish sentiment would soon reappear into a second war for independence

• This revolution would be led by a Cuban journalist named Jose Marti

• Public opinion in the U.S. was split as business supported the Spanish, for protection of their investments, while the public supported the cries for independence

War Fever Escalates• In 1896 Spain sent in General

Valeriano Weyler to put down the revolution

• He would heard some 300,000 Cubans into a concentration camp where they were starved beaten, & tortured

• Weyler’s action would fuel a newspaper war, based on yellow journalism, to sell newspapers between the New York Journal & New York World

• This would fan the flames for support of the Cubans even more

The De Lome Letter• As the headlines grew so did support

for the Cubans so much so that by the time McKinley took office demands of American intervention were very high

• Preferring to avoid war with the U.S. Spain would recall Weyler, modify its policy regarding concentration camps, & offered Cuba limited self government

• However, in 1898 a letter was published written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome, Spanish minister to the U.S., where President McKinley was called “weak” & “a bidder for the admiration of the crowd”.

• This only angered Americans more calling for stiffer actions against the Spanish

The U.S.S. Maine Explodes

• Only a few days after the publication of the de Lome letter American anger turned to outrage as the battleship Maine would explode while docked in Havana, 260 were killed

• The cry became “Remember the Maine”

• At this point there was no turning back as the Spanish could not save themselves from conflict with the U.S.

• On April 20th the U.S. declared war

The War in the Philippines

• The Spanish thought the U.S. would immediately invade Cuba, however the U.S. would attack the Philippine Islands

• Commodore George Dewy would defeat the Spanish within hours destroying every Spanish ship

• Dewy had help from the Phillipino's as they wanted independence from the Spanish

• Within four months the Spanish surrendered

The War in the Caribbean

• Led by Admiral Simpson the U.S. Navy successfully blockaded Cuba cutting her off from Spanish reinforcements

• The Navy had demonstrated its superiority but the army left something to be desired

• The 125,000 new troops that had volunteered were ill equipped & trained

• There were not enough modern guns, heavy wool uniforms (tropical climate), & poor leadership

Rough Riders• Despite its handicaps American

forces, 17,000 strong, landed in Cuba in June of 1898

• Within the first troops was group of volunteers known as the Rough Riders

• This group of men were led by Leonard Wood & Teddy Roosevelt

• It would be the Rough Riders, along with two African American units, who would charge & capture San Juan Hill

• Although TR & his men only a played a minor role the newspapers hailed TR the hero of the attack

• Two days later the Spanish Navy attempted to escape the blockade & was totally destroyed by the U.S. Navy

Treaty of Paris• After the U.S. victory in Cuba the

U.S. & Spain signed an armistice end the 15 week war

• In the end Spain agreed to turn over Guam & Puerto Rico to the U.S. as well as sell the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million

• There was much debate over whether the U.S. had the right to annex the Philippines

• In the end the Senate agreed & on February 6, 1899 the Senate approved the Treaty of Paris officially ending the Spanish-American War & annexed the Philippines