The Spanish American War
Causes 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 USS Maine: Before
USS Maine: After
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
Commodore George Dewey
USS Massachusetts
USS Norwalk
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
Battles in Cuba
Roosevelt takes San Juan Hill
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
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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
Emilio Aquinaldo
U.S. Troops in the Philippines
U.S. Troops in the Philippines
Filipino Rebels
U.S. Teacher in the Philippines
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