De Lôme Letter
“Remember The Maine
Dupuy de Lôme, Spanish
Ambassador to the U.S.
Criticized President
McKinley as weak and a
bidder for the admiration
of the crowd, besides
being a wouldwould-be politician
who tries to leave a door
open behind himself while
keeping on good terms
with the jingoes of his
party.
To Hell With Spain”
Remember the Maine
and to Hell with Spain!
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The Dogs of War
McKinley
wanted
peace
Wall Street wanted
peace
Spain has larger
navy
So
So---who
who
wants it?
The People
The Press
Teddy
Roosevelt
Feb. 25, 1898
TR orders
Navy to the
Philippines
How did the war start?
William McKinley asks for permission on April 11, 1898 to intervene in Cuba
with a clear objective of ending the war between Spain and Cuban
revolutionaries.
On April 13, 1898 two critical movements by Spain and the United States occur:
A. The United States grants President McKinley permission to intervene, but will not
recognize the new Cuban government
B. Spain declares the sovereignty of Cuba has been threaten and sets aside funds for
war expenses
What are the two theaters of war?
On April 19, 1898, the U.S. Congress by vote of 311 to 6 in the House and 42 to
35 in the Senate adopted the Joint Resolution for war with Spain.
◦ Included in the Resolution was the Teller Amendment, named after Senator
Henry Moore Teller (Colorado) which disclaimed any intention by the U.S. to
exercise jurisdiction or control over Cuba except in a pacification role and
promised to leave the island as soon as the war was over.
War is formally declared on April 25, 1898. The same day that Spain gives in to
ALL US demands
A Tiny Conflict
The first action of the war actually occurred
on May 1, 1898, in the Philippines, not in
Cuba like most people believe.
◦ Admiral George Dewey, a brilliant naval
commander, steamed into Manila Bay in the
Philippines and destroyed Spain’s entire Pacific
fleet in a little over seven hours.
◦ Please note, why would America care about the
Philippines?
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Dewey Captures Manila!
Emilio Aguinaldo
Leader of the Filipino
Uprising.
July 4, 1946:
Philippine independence
Is He To Be a Despot?
Philippines
May
1st Dewey’s
navy attacks
Manila Bay,
Philippines
Aug. 13th 1898
Filipino rebels
take Manila by
land
The
“Rough
Riders”
What are the two theaters of war?
“That Splendid
Little War”
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CUBA & Puerto Rico
San Juan Hill????
TEDDY RESIGNS TO FORM Rough Riders
July 1st1898 San Juan and Kettle Hill taken.
17,000 US “soldiers” Vs. 200,000 Spanish--but
only 2,000 show up to fight.
July 3rd Spanish navy defeated. 500 dead
Spaniards, one dead American.
Puerto Rico--no Resistance at all
August 12th 1898 Spain sues for peace.
Theodore Roosevelt
Assistant Secretary
of the Navy in the
McKinley
administration.
Imperialist and
American nationalist.
Criticized President
McKinley as having
the backbone of a
chocolate éclair!
Resigns his position to
fight in Cuba.
Peace of Paris
1898
Filipino’s Too??
What does she
represent, and is
it the same for
all groups?
US Gets:
◦ Guam
◦ Puerto Rico
◦ Cuba (temp)
LATER--US gives
Spain $20,000,000
for Philippines. NO
it IS NOT part of
the treaty
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A Case Study: The Platt Amendment
Remember
Teller???
After the war, President McKinley, in violation of
the Teller Amendment, installs a military
government in Cuba to ensure the economic
markets sought by American businesses.
Cubans are ticked-off because the United States
did not follow up on its purpose of securing
independence for Cuba, but rather it secured its
own AMERICAN interest.
Cuban Independence?
New Colonial Laws: 1898
1900 - Foraker Act
Act..
Limited Independence.
Senator
Orville Platt
19011901
-1903 the Insular Cases.
Cases.
1917 – Jones Act
Act..
Platt Amendment (1903)
1. Cuba was not to enter into any agreements with
foreign powers that would endanger its independence.
gives Philippines
2. The U.S. could intervene in Cuban affairs if
necessary to maintain an efficient, independent govt.
territorial status,
& promises future
3. Cuba must lease Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. for
naval and coaling station.
independence.
4. Cuba must not build up an excessive public debt.
American Casualties
400
dead from bullets
5,000 dead from
◦ “embalmed” beef
◦ tropical diseases
◦ woolen uniforms
Our ideals???? What would we do with
these islands?
The Effects of the War
The United States was certainly conscious
of its military might and new global
strength
The army became frightfully aware of
certain ineptitudes
◦ Fighting in a tropical climate – 5,000 men died
due to food poisoning, yellow fever, malaria, and
other diseases
◦ Jim Crow entered into the army
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Puerto Rico: 1900 limited self-gov’t, 1917
becomes a US Terr with citizenship but
w/out taxation.
Philippines: Aquinaldoes forces have been
fighting for 20 years and expect
independence….
Philippines becomes America’s 1st
Vietnam
The American AntiAnti-Imperialist
League
Founded in 1899.
Mark Twain, Andrew
Carnegie, William
James, and William
Jennings Bryan among
the leaders.
Campaigned against the
annexation of the
Philippines and other
acts of imperialism.
Anti--Imperialist League before the war
Anti
A
very loose cooperation of
mismatched special interest groups:
◦ Businessmen (become imperialist afte
the war)
◦ Old Mugwump Republicans
◦ Idealists (Twain, etc)
◦ Racists
◦ DOVES: if we take this—what’s next?
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William H. Taft, 1st
Gov.--General of the Philippines
Gov.
Great administrator.
The Imperialist Tailor
Our “Sphere of Influence”
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