THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

Cuba vs. Spain

• Cubans tried to revolt against Spain between 1868-1878.– Not successful

• Spain did abolish slavery in Cuba

• U.S. businessmen started buying sugar cane plantations.

2nd War for Independence

• Jose Marti: Cuban poet that started the 2nd move for ind.

• Deliberately destroyed U.S. owned sugar mills– Tried to get U.S.

involved

Yellow Journalism

• Gen. Valeriano Weyler – sent by Spain to calm the resistance– Concentration

camps

• U.S. newspapers exaggerated facts to sway U.S. support for Cuba – yellow journalism.

Yellow Journalism• United States reporters William Randolph Hearst (New

York Journal) and Joseph Pulitzer (New York World) exaggerated stories of children being poisoned and thrown to sharks to deepen the American public sympathy.– This came to be known as “Yellow Journalism”– “You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war” -WRH

The De Lome Letter

• President McKinley tried diplomacy to ease tensions.

• Spanish Minster to the U.S. Enrique Dupuy de Lome– Intercepted from a

Havana post office– Called McKinley

weak and self-absorbant

U.S.S. Maine Explodes• Few days after the

publication of the De Lome letter

• Spain blamed– They did not take

responsibility.– 260 killed– Hearst reported “THE

WARSHIP MAINE WAS SPLIT IN TWO BY AN ENEMY’S SECRET INFERNAL MACHINE.”

War in the Caribbean

• Spanish navy was blockaded – trapped

• U.S. ground force:– Low #’s– Poorly equipped /

trained.

The Rough Riders

• Volunteer cavalry unit lead by Teddy Roosevelt.

• July 1, 1898: Battle of Kettle Hill– Rough Rider lead victory

opened up Cuba for the taking.

• San Juan Hill: strategically important victory.

• Two days later, Spanish Navy crushed.

War in the Philippines

• Philippines also belonged to Spain– Filipinos wanted ind.

(supposedly)– **Anti-American

feelings today **

• Commodore George Dewey– Took the islands in

four months

Treaty of Paris• December 10, 1898• Cuba freed• U.S. acquired Guam

and Wake Island in the Pacific and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.

• Spain sold the U.S. the Philippines for $20 million.– Filipinos then

revolted, war w/the U.S.