Spanish-American War 1898
• Cuba had been under Spanish control for hundreds
of years.
• The Cubans revolted from1868-1878 and the
revolution was revived in 1895.
– It was revived because the cost of sugar decreased; an American
tariff in 1894 coupled with the economic Panic of 1893.
• The US was heavily invested (businesses had $150
million) in Cuba
– 75% of Cuban sugar was purchased by the US
– American manufactured goods had a prosperous market in Cuba
– It was estimated that by the 1880’s, 25% of America’s trade was
with Cuba
Turn from noninvolvement to near
involvement
•
•
Although Pres. Cleveland appreciated the
economic stake in Cuba he refused to involve the
US military.
When Pres. McKinley took over he wanted to
continue Cleveland’s policy of neutrality.
–
He sent a letter to Spain stating three reasons he wanted
peace in Cuba
1. US trade was being disrupted and US property was being
destroyed
2. It was costing the US a substantial amount to keep neutral
3. The American people had sympathy for Cubans who wanted
independence
Spanish Response
• Because of internal politics in Spain, there was no
seek of a compromise with the US.
The End of Neutrality
• 09/02/1898: the “de Lome Letter” (Handout)
– Dupuy de Lome, Spanish Minister to the US, sent a letter to his
gov’t which stated:
• McKinley was a weak politician who played to the public
• Recent Spanish moves to institute self gov’t and other reforms in Cuba had
not been made in good faith
– The letter was stolen and printed in the New York Journal
• The Battleship Maine
– Was sent to Havana harbor to pressure Spain into ending the war
The End of Neutrality
– The Maine exploded in the harbor
• There is speculation on how it exploded; the inquiry at the time was unclear
– Some say the Spanish did it
– Others say it was an onboard explosion
• In 1976 there was an investigation into how it exploded
– There was no evidence of an external explosion
– The available evidence is consistent with an internal explosion
» The most likely source heat
from a fire in the coal bunker
adjacent to the 6-inch
reserve magazine.
The End of Neutrality
– There is also evidence that the Spanish gov’t was stalling for time,
they did not want the US to get involved.
• The determining factor in the end of neutrality was public
and commercial opinion.
– The blame of the blast on the Maine was unclear; the de Lome
Letter was stolen and printed
– The key element became public opinion
• The newspapers, which were printed on cheap yellow paper at the turn of
the century, were writing stories that influenced the public.
• They were using incorrect facts on the entire situation. This was known as
“Yellow Journalism”
• Apparently, de Lome was right about McKinley, he did pander to the public
and especially to commercial opinion. The big businesses wanted a war so
they could help manufacture wartime materials.
The End of Neutrality
• In March 1898, Pres. McKinley sent Spain an ultimatum.
– Demanded an immediate cease fire
– If no peaceful arrangement by 1 October, the Pres. Should be given
role as final arbiter to decide the conflict
• This implied Cuban independence since the American and Cuban public
would accept nothing else
– This was rejected by Spain; on 11 April, 1898 McKinley sent a
message of war to Congress (Handout)
• After bitter debate, and the passage of the Teller Amendment (pledged nonannexation of Cuba by the US) the act was passed on 21 April.
The War
• The war lasted around 4 months (ending on 12 August,
1898)
– Disease (5200) killed more than combat (460)
• In addition to taking Cuba, the US also took the Spanish
colonies of Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The US also
demanded and received the islands of Wake and Guam. The
Spanish were paid $20 million for compensation.
– The Philippines was a mess from the start, they looked at the US as
replacing the Spanish and did not want that. Look in The People’s
History of the United States (begins on page 312) for more detail.
The War
• The US army left Cuba in 1902. The Platt Amendment
made Cuba a US protectorate
– The provisions of the amendment also stated:
• The US could intervene in Cuba to restore order and preserve Cuban
independence
• It also gave the US a military base at Guantanamo Bay in perpetuity
– Using the provisions of this amendment the US occupied Cuba
several times in the future (1906-1909; 1912; 1917-1922.)
– The amendment was finally abrogated as part of FDR’s “Good
Neighbor Policy”.
Why war with Spain over Cuba?
•
Historians have debated this question for years. There
seems to be consensus on 8 reasons:
1.
The defeat of Spain would give the US the opportunity to acquire ports in the
Caribbean and the Pacific
–
2.
3.
4.
The US understood that industrialization was creating a global market and the
more contacts and ports they had in the world the better off they would be in a few
years time. (Raw materials, shipping)
The acquisition of the Spanish colonies in the Pacific would give the US navy
much needed coal stations and harbors; acquiring bases in Cuba and Puerto
Rico would protect the soon to be built canal on the isthmus of Central
America.
IN 1895, Japan defeated China in a war and the Chinese defeat opened the
Chinese market; US positions in the South Pacific would give them
penetration to those markets.
The US wanted to end an expensive and unsettling uprising 90 miles off its
coast. And it further did not want a strong foreign power to take Cuba if Spain
lost her.
Why war with Spain over Cuba?
5. America wanted to protect its investments in Cuba.
6. American’s sympathy had been roused by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph
Pulitzer because of the exaggerated Spanish atrocities and glorification of the
rebel cause (Yellow Journalism)
7. The Panic of 1893 had caused political and economic unrest. Some historians
believed that Pres. McKinley wanted an overseas venture to take the public
eye off the depression and stimulate the economy.
8. The search for “new frontiers” might have caused it as well. The official closing
of the Census Bureau in 1890 did state that as a goal.
Review Quiz/Notes
1. List and describe a reason the US decided to end
neutrality. (There are 3 reasons.)
2. Describe “yellow journalism”.
3. The Spanish American War is also known as the
“splendid little war”. What is your historical
opinion about this? (Use evidence from lecture
notes.)