Spanish American War
April 24th, 1898-August 12th, 1898
Causes of the Spanish American
War
•
•
Cuban Revolution
Cubans fighting for independence from Spain.
–
–
Cubans used guerrilla warfare to disrupt the island
economy
US had major economic interests in Cuba
•
Economic interests disrupted by fighting
–
–
–
$30-50 million dollars in direct investments
$100 million dollars in trade
revolution was causing major interruptions in this
business
Spain put many
Cubans into
detention centers.
– as many as
200,000 died
of starvation
and exposure
Yellow Journalism
•
Sensationalizing
stories to sell
papers
•
The American media
sent reporters to Cuba
to cover the war.
–
they sent back sensation
stories, and stories about
atrocities the Spanish
committed against the
Cubans
• .
De Lome Letter
•
•
•
A letter from Spanish
Minister De Lome in
which he made
negative comments
about Pres. McKinley
was stolen by Cuban
agents and sent to
American newspapers.
Headline started to
appear in American
Newspapers such as:
“Is the U.S. preparing
for War”
Other Causes
1. US dislike of Spanish Imperialism and
presence in Western Hemisphere
2. McKinley political pressure if he wants to
maintain control in next election
3. Cuba accuses US government and/or
US individuals supplying weapons to
rebels
a. Individuals in the South were supplying
weapons.
- Rioting in Havana prompts US consul Fitzhughs
Lee to ask for a US Warship to protect US
interests in Havana.
• .
The US sends the Battleship USS Maine.
Entered Havana Harbor Jan 25th, 1898
“We’ll never get out of here alive”
• .
USS Maine
• ..
Feb 15th, 1898 Maine Blows Up
• .
266 sailors died
only 88 survivors
• .
• .
• .
Pres. McKinley and Spain want to
avoid war
• .
• US Congress demands:
•
a. Independence for Cuba
•
b. Teller Amendment-April 20th,
1898
•
i. disclaim any US claims to
Cuba
•
c. demands Spain accept
conditions by April 23rd
•
d. Starts blockade of Cuba April
22nd
• Spain Declares War on April 24th, 1898
• US declares War April 25th-retroactive to
April 21st
What Happened to the
U.S.S.Maine
•
1898 investigation
– . -large mine
1911 investigation
1. smaller
mine
• a. lucky spot
• b. set off
magazine
•
i. outer
plate of ship
blown in
(Click above for larger image)
AME/National Geographic
The 1911 investigation used the above
photo to bolster its case that a mine
caused the Maine to sink. The upturned
outer bottom plating seemed to be the
tell-tale evidence. Admiral Rickover's
study concluded, however, that the
plating "was bent inward by the dynamic
effects of the magazine explosion and
the sinking of the ship." Ironically, the
recent AME study returned to the same
photo to reach its conclusion—that a
mine probably caused the initial
explosion that eventually sank the ship.
1976 investigation
• 1. 1985-Navy discovered a
design flaw in “Maine” class
BB. Coal storage next to
gunpowder and ammo
magazine. Coal fire
spontaneously combust. Fire
on New York, and Cincinnati.
• 2. Study blamed a coal firetemps in coal storage as high
as 645 degrees
• .
Who
• a. Spanish government didn’t want
war
• b. Some Spanish in Cuba wanted
war, for reason of National honor
• c. Cubans to get US into war with
Spain
1998 investigation by National
Geographic’s
• 1. Can’t explain inward buckling of hull, but
probably not enough damage to have been
from a mine.
• 2. Cause still unclear
• .
Spanish American War
•
•
•
Battle of Manila Bay
Commodore Dewey
leads US Pacific
Fleet
Attacks Spanish
Navy in Manila Bay,
Philippines-April 30,
1898
•
Wiped out Spanish fleet-sinks 7
Spanish Ships
-only
1
US
sailor
dies
of
heart
.
attack-8 wounded
• .
USS Oregon
Sailed from the east coast to the west coastshowing a need for a canal across Central
America
USS Nebraska
• .
Cuba
• US army only has 28,000
troops, & 100,000 militiamen,
has not fought a war in 33
years, and not against a
European country since 1812.
• Very poorly equipped. Spanish
army is better armed. Except
for Gatling Gun .
• US navy vastly superior.
Spanish fleet slips into Santiago
Harbor, Cuba
• June 22nd US troops land in Cuba ---Rough Riders---with Teddy Roosevelt’s
volunteers.
Battle of San Juan Hill
• Captured San
Juan Hill
overlooking
Santiago
Harbor- forces
fleet to leave
harbor.
• US fleet wipes out
Spanish fleet when
they try to get away.
•
Spanish Fleet Wiped Out
• Spanish Lost all ships
-474 dead
• US -1 dead 3
wounded
• July 16, 1898 Spanish surrender in
Santiago
Puerto Rico
•
captured a July 1898
Treaty of Paris
•
•
•
Spain must leave Cuba-independent
Puerto Rico, Philippine Islands, Guam to
US
US pay Spain 20 million for the
Philippines.
Fight against Treaty
•
Anti-Imperialists League -----Argue that
keeping the Philippines is against the
ideal of Democracy & Self-Government.
Filipino Rebellion again US
• Fighting between US troops and Filipino
rebels last until 1902
• 4000 U.S. troops and tens of thousands
of Filipino’s killed
America & Asia
• “The power that rules the
Pacific rules the world”
• .
1855 US Commodore Mathew
Perry-forced Japan to open to
Western Trade
• .
•
Japan and the European powersEngland, France, Germany, Russia,
Portugal, Austria, and Italy expanded
their spheres of influence over China
Spheres of influence
• foreign nations claim special rights &
economic privileges
Open Door Policy
•
US Sec of State John Hay develops the
Open Door Policy-China should be
open to equal access to all countries.