Post on 31-Dec-2015
The Spanish American WarCauses for the War
War in Cuba Anti-Imperialism Advocates
War in the Philippines
Events Leading to War
• Cuban Revolt 1895: Spain sent 200,000– Weyler’s “reconcentration camps,”
starvation• Cuba Libra Movement: New York
junta– Propaganda campaign for support
• Yellow Journalism: Hearst & Pulitzer• Cleveland favored neutrality• McKinley: sent agent to Cuba
– Tries to mediate Cuban independence• The de Lome Letter • The sinking of the Maine (Photos)
Congress Declares War
• McKinley delays, Congress $50 million – diplomacy breaks down
• War declared April 1, 1889• Platt Amendment: US will not annex
– Cuba if there is a war• George Dewey orders to leave Hong
Kong and prepare attack on Manila.
War Starts
• First steam powered, armored naval battle
• America wins due to new navy• Dewey surprises Spanish fleet in
Manila• Two American ships sink whole
Spanish fleet of 8 with only one death
• Dewey a hero
War In Cuba“The Splendid Little War”
• Building an American Army: volunteers, community militias, Smoked Yankees,– 25,000 US v. 200,000 Spanish
• Rough Riders: Teddy Roosevelt • Guantanamo, Kettle Hill & San Juan
Hill• Spain caught in Santiago de Cuba• Puerto Rica captured• 5,500 U.S. dead; 379 from battle
Cuban Independence
• US takes control of Puerto Rico & Guam
• Cuban reconstruction and freedom in 1902
• Platt Amendment– A) No treaties with other countries which
Could lead to Cuba loosing independence
– B) No debt it cannot pay– C) U.S. can return to protect government
Debate on Philippines
• Paris Peace Treaty: $20 million for Phil.• Loud Opposition to Imperialism: Carnegie,
– Mark Twain, Mugwumps, Bryan
• McKinley struggles to make up his mind– Decides in favor annexation, then freedom
• Senate approves treaty by two votes• Emilio Aguinaldo leads insurrection; A.
McArthur• 3 year War: 50,000 to 200,000 Filipinos die• Taft civilian government: good
organization • Public distaste: American Imperialism ends
China
• Japan, England, German, Russia and France break China up into “Spheres of Influence”
• Hay’s Open Door notes: One & Two– A) Each sphere respect rights of others– B) China should collect duties at ports– C) All spheres same train & port rates
• The Boxer Rebellion: Chinese nationalists– Hole up the foreign embassies for 2 months– US joins European powers to put down
insurrection