“The Splendid Little War”
The Spanish American War
May - December 1898 Chapter 3, Section 6
Causes
1. The Cubans
rebel against
their Spanish
colonial
masters
2. Jingoism- is
patriotism in the form of
aggressive foreign policy.
Jingoism also refers to a
country's advocacy for
the use of threats or
actual force, as opposed
to peaceful relations, in
efforts to safeguard what
it perceives as its national
interests.
U.S. begins to show its power in the Western Hemisphere
• Displays of Power
•
•
•
•
Vs. Chilean Government
Vs. Brazilian Rebels
Vs. Great Britain
All of these actions reaffirmed the Monroe
Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine – 1823*
1) The United States would not get involved in European affairs.
2) The United States would not interfere with existing European
colonies in the Western Hemisphere.
3) No other nation could form a new colony in the Western
Hemisphere.
4) If a European nation tried to control or interfere with a nation
in the Western Hemisphere, the United States would view it as a
hostile act against this nation
*In 1823, the U.S. was not powerful enough to enforce Monroe's
proclamation. Outside the United States, the "doctrine" went mostly
unnoticed.
In the early 1900s, the U.S. emerged as a world power and the
Monroe Doctrine became the foundation of U.S. foreign policy
The Cuban Rebellion
• Cuban peasants vs.
The Spanish Empire
• “Re-concentration
Camps” – 200k
Cubans Dead
• US didn’t get involved
until Rebels
destroyed our sugar
plantations
• “We’ve got the men
and guns…”
• Many Americans are
pro-war (many aren’t)
• Yellow journalism
whips up anti-Spanish
Sentiments
Jingoism
Yellow Journalism and the Spanish
American War.
The Spanish-American War is often referred to
as the first "media war." During the 1890s,
journalism that sensationalized—and
sometimes even made up—dramatic events
was a powerful force that helped propel the
United States into war with Spain.
Led by newspaper owners William Randolph
Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, journalism of the
1890s used melodrama, romance, and
hyperbole to sell millions of newspapers--a style
that became known as yellow journalism.
The term yellow journalism came from a popular New York World
comic called "Hogan's Alley," which featured a yellow-dressed
character named the "the yellow kid." Hearst copied Pulitzer's
sensationalist style and hired "Hogan's Alley" artist R.F. Outcault
away from Pulitzer.
In response, Pulitzer commissioned another cartoonist to create a
second yellow kid. Soon, the sensationalist press of the 1890s
became a competition between the "yellow kids," and the
journalistic style was coined "yellow journalism."
Fueled by the new “mass media” President McKinley calls upon Spain to seek
peace with the rebels in Cuba. Spain makes a few moves and offers some
reforms. However, the rebels want full independence.
McKinley orders the battleship MAINE to Havana harbor to “protect U.S.
citizens and U.S. interests”
Explosion of the USS Maine
• Stationed in Havana
Cuba
• Probably a coal fire or
ammunition explosion
• Killed 250 Americans
The Last Straws
• Asst. Sec. of the
Navy, Teddy
Roosevelt tells the US
Navy to prepare for
war (with out
permission)
• McKinley demands a
truce, and Cuban
independence.
Off on a tangent, but hey, it’s about TEXAS! Did
you see this on the previous slide?
The USS TEXAS was the United States' first battleship,
being commissioned a month earlier than USS MAINE.
USS TEXAS took part in the bombardment of the
fortress on Cayo del Tore, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in
concert with USS MARBLEHEAD. She also took a very
active part in the Battle of Santiago.
On February 15, 1911, the USS TEXAS was renamed USS SAN MARCOS so
that the old name could be given to a new battleship (BB-35).
And now, back to the war…
The Teller Amendment to the War Declaration
The Teller Amendment states that the U.S. can
only get involved with Cuba in regards to
smoothing over conflict and helping them with
stability. Once their duty of preservation is over,
the United States must relinquish control and
allow Cuba to be governed by its people.
The Teller Amendment simply ensured that the
United States could not permanently acquire
Cuba.
Naval Actions
• Simultaneous attacks
on Spanish ships in
Cuba and the
Philippines.
• The Spanish Pacific
fleet is wiped out in
less than 7 hours.
• The Gulf of Mexico
Fleet will be wiped out
on July 3rd.
In 1898, the United States supported Filipino general Emilio Aguinaldo in his efforts
against the Spanish colonial government. Once Filipino forces expelled the Spanish
colonial government, Aguinaldo appointed himself the new leader of the Philippines.
However…after the Spanish American War ends…
When the United States refused to recognize his authority and instead sent troops to
occupy the islands, the Philippine Republic under Aguinaldo's leadership declared war
on the United States.
Before becoming President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt was the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He resigned in 1898 to organize the Rough
Riders, the first voluntary cavalry in the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt
recruited a diverse group of cowboys, miners, law enforcement officials, High
Society gentlemen, and Native Americans to join the Rough Riders.
Land Actions
Land Actions
• San Juan
Hill
• Only part of
a much
larger battle
• Made Teddy
Roosevelt
even more
famous
Casualties
• 2500 Americans
die, only 16% are
battlefield
casualties.
• MOST DIE FROM
DISEASE.
Treaty of Paris, 1898
• The US gets…
– Guam
(unincorporated
territory)
– The Philippines
(unincorporated
territory)
– Puerto Rico
(unincorporated
territory)
• Spain gets…
– $20 Million
Cuba gets… INDEPENDENCE!
(after the Platt Amendment)
Our new colonies…
• Puerto Rico was
given gradual self
control.
• The Philippines (who
had aided U.S. vs. the
Spanish) wanted
independence.
• Over 200k Filipinos
died fighting the US
On another tangent, the .45 caliber bullet is created during this conflict.
Hawaii
• Forced Annexation in 1898
• Used for A Naval Base
• Wanted access to their sugar cane
American Samoa
• Pago Pago
harbor was
used as a
refueling
station
• Set up
Midway
Island as a
refueling
station
McKinley is re-elected with Teddy Roosevelt as his Vice-President