Spanish American War

The war neither Spain nor the US wanted….so how did it come to war?

Post Civil War

The US is wary of getting involved in war

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The US is isolationist

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BUT - as other nations start “taking over” parts of the world such as Europe and Asia, America wants to get in on the action! To be a world power they feel they need “colonies”

Imperialism

IMPERIALISM: (1876 – 1915)

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The quest for colonial empires. (an industrialized nation goes in and takes over various nations who can’t fight back) Africa, Asia and Latin America fall to Industrialized nations. (Social Darwinism – fittest survive makes this ok)

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What drives imperialism?

Need for Raw Materials

Need for New Markets

Desire for Power

Desire for Prestige

What will make the US “great”

Belief that if they acquire colonies they will be seen as a world power.

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Also belief that they were culturally superior

First Target: Hawaii

What makes Hawaii so desirable?

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Location

Fertile Soil

Perfect location for a naval base in the Pacific (Pearl Harbor)

How do we take over Hawaii?

Americans view Hawaiians as “uncivilized”

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Business owners go in and take over

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If Hawaii was deemed to be so desirable and vital to US interests, what other island can you think of that might also be vital to US interests?

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Back to the Spanish American War….

Newspapermen travel to Cuba to cover their war for independence from Spain, they reported Spanish abuses and gained sympathy from Americans for Spain. They weren’t unbiased – newspapers often exaggerated stories to boost sales and to provoke American intervention in Cuba.

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19^th century Spain colonies: Philippines, Guam, some places in Africa, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

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Spanish American War Video

Cuba

Why was American so interested in Cuba?

• 90 miles from Florida
• Americans invested millions in sugar cane plantations on Cuba (there was an attempt to purchase Cuba from Spain to which the Spanish responded by saying they would rather see Cuba sunk in the ocean)

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1895: Second Cuban War for Independence – Cuba Libre!

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Jose Marti, a Cuban exile wants to provoke American intervention to liberate Cuba

Public opinion split - some want American interests (sugar plantations) protected, others wanted to support the rebels in their quest for liberty

1896 – Spain responds to revolt by sending General Valeriano Weyler to Cuba

• Imprisons the entire population of rural and central Cuba in concentation camps
• 300,000 were imprisoned and thousands die from hunger and disease

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Newspapers want War

A war would drive up circulation

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Published exaggerated accounts of what was going on in Cuba to get readers pumped for war -- (YELLOW JOURNALISM)

Spain has insulted the US!!!

De Lome Letter

• President McKinley takes a diplomatic approach which is somewhat successful (concentration camps closed, Cuba given limited self-government)
• Feb. 1898 – a stolen letter from Spanish minister Enriuqe Dupuy de Lome, Spanish minister to US is leaked to the press which called President McKinley “weak” this upset Americans. DeLome is asked by the Spanish govt. to resign.
• Americans still upset about insult

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Remember the Maine!

• After publication of the DeLome letter, the U.S.S. Maine, being sent to Havana to protect American citizens and property, blew up in the harbor of Havana. 260 men are killed.
• Newspapers cry “Remember the Maine” -- no one knows if the Spanish actually blew up the ship or if there was an internal explosion
• US declares war on Spain on April 20, 1898 even though there was no proof Spain blew up the ship. Public opinion and the newspapers fueled the war.

War in the Philippines

• Spain expects Americans to first target Cuba but they are taken by surprise by an attack in the Phillippines
• The Secretary of Navy, anticipating war with Spain, sends the fleet out early so when war is declared they can attack immediately.
• Fillipinos support Americans because they want freedom from Spain.
• George Dewey leads attack – every Spanish ship is destroyed in Manila. Spanish troops surrender to the US in August 1898.

War in the Caribbean

Naval blockade of Cuba by United States

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125,000 Americans volunteer to fight - most not prepared for hot climate

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Teddy Roosevelt resigns post as Sec. of Navy and volunteers to lead a group of calvarly - the Rough Riders

He emerges a war hero when they capture San Juan Hill (TR leads the “charge” up the hill)

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Spanish Fleet destroyed when they tried to break through blockade

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Treaty of Paris Dec. 1898

Spain freed Cuba/gave Cuba independence

(the US could not control Cuba because technically we fought the war for Cuban independence)

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Spain turned over Guam and Puerto Rico to US

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Spain sold the Philippines to the US for $20 million

Did the US have a right to annex the Phillippines? President McKinley said God told him to annex the islands so we could educate and Christianize them. (despte the fact they already were Christian…)

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Some felt US had no right to annex because it violated the Declaration of Independence, others felt should tackle issues at HOME before taking on issues in other countries.

Whats next?

How would we deal with these newly acquired lands?

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What conflicts arise?