American History
Period 9
The Spanish-American War
What a splendid little war!
-John Hay
November 14th, 2013
Important Dates:
January 24th,
1898
February 15th,
1898
March 25th,
1898
April 19th-20th,
1898
April 21st,
1898
April 24th,
1898
U.S. President William McKinley
sends the battleship USS Maine to
Havana to protect U.S. interests
in Cuba.
The Maine explodes in
Havana Harbor killing 266
men.
An inquiry conducted by the U.S
Navy concludes that the
explosion was caused by the
detonation of a mine under the
ship.
The U.S. Congress adopts the
Joint Resolution for war with
Spain and sends an ultimatum
to the Spanish government.
The U.S. orders a blockade of
Cuba.
Spain declares war on the
United States, and the U.S.
Congress responds on April
25 by issuing a formal
declaration of war.
Written by:
Alyssa Blackman
Opposition To the War
In 1895-1898 Cuba and the Philippine Islands revolted against Spain.
This was a controversial topic of which included different opinions from
various people involved. U.S president William McKinley was strongly
against military intervention, but was forced to demand Spain that they
grant independence to Cuba. Although McKinley opposed war, congress
responded to a request for armed intervention.
Eventually there was a peace treaty between Spain and the
United States that placed Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam
under U.S control. The Americans who opposed the treaty formed the
Anti-Imperialist League. They accused the U.S of building a colonial
empire. Although there were many protests, the treaty was approved by
the Senate.
Spain had surrendered to the Philippines in a deal for $20 million
from the United States. People wondered why their country wanted the
islands. Some people thought it would be immoral to annex the islands
without permission from the Filipinos. On the other hand, many citizens
agreed with McKinley who said the U.S would benefit from the island’s
naval and commercial value. It was also argued that annexing the islands
would prevent Europeans from taking control of them.
Like Cubans and Filipinos, Puerto-Ricans had also hoped for
independence after the war. Instead, Puerto Rico became a U.S territory.
They now can have their own constitution as long as it does not affect the
United States’ constitution. Cubans received independence as well as the
Filipinos in 1946.
Events Leading To the
Spanish-American War
By: Maia Gingrich
When the Cubans revolted
against Spanish rule in 1895, the
Spaniards threw many of them
into reconcentrados, or
reconcentration camps. A great
number of Cubans died in these
terrible camps from nutritional
deficiency and lack of sanitation.
When news hit United States of
the harsh conditions Cuban rebels
were forced to endure, many
Americans decided to support the
rebels’ fight for freedom from
Spain. The problems even
attracted the attention of president
William McKinley:
first task as an illustrator was to get
pictures of Cuba and the condition
it was in. Frederick Remington then
sent a telegram to Hearst saying,
“Everything is quiet. There is no
trouble here. There will be no war.”
It is said that William Randolf
Hearst replied with a response of
“You furnish (provide) the pictures
and I’ll furnish the war.”
On February 9th, 1898,
journalist William Randolf Hearst
published a letter from the Spanish
minister, Señor Don Enrique Dupuy
de Lôme. In the letter, Dupuy
stated:
We could not leave them to
themselves -- they were unfit for
self-government -- and they would
soon have anarchy and misrule
over there worse than Spain's was
... there was nothing left for us to
do but to take them all, and to
educate the Filipinos, and uplift
and civilize and Christianize them.
(McKinley)
Besides the natural and inevitable
coarseness with which he repeats
all that the press and public opinion
of Spain has said of Weyler, it
shows once more what McKinley is:
weak and catering to the rabble,
and, besides, a low politician, who
desires to leave a door open to me
and to stand well with the jingoes of
his party. (Dupuy de Lôme)
More rising actions leading to the
Spanish-American War include
yellow journalism, a letter from
the Spanish minister addressing
the United States and the sinking
of an American ship, the U.S.S
Maine.
Yellow journalism is the
exaggeration of news stories in
order to sell more newspapers.
Two main yellow journalists in
this time period that had the
greatest affect on the war were
Joseph Pulitzer and William
Randolf Hearst. The two of them
were both quite critical of the
Spanish. At one point, William
Randolf Hearst hired a man by the
name of Frederic Remington to
illustrate his articles. Remington’s
Thus calling McKinley a weak
leader and low politician. Outraging
many Americans, it fueled people
to become anti-Spanish and also
started pro-war feelings in the
United States. The letter also
embarrassed the Spanish
government since it was a personal
letter from the Spanish minister to
his friend, José Canalejas who was
in Cuba. In the process if being
sent, Cuban rebels got their hands
on it and took the letter to the U.S.
Secretary of State William R. Day
exposing his thoughts about
McKinley. The story quickly
became international as news of the
insults were printed on newspapers
across the country.
The U.S.S. Maine entered the
Havana Harbor in Cuba to protect U.S
business and military interests on January
25, 1898. About three weeks on February
15th, 1898 after arriving in Cuba and six
days after the De Lôme letter was
published in the New York Times, the
unexpected happens. The vessel explodes
killing about two hundred sixty-six
American sailors. Although the U.S Navy
believes that the explosion was caused by
the detonation of a mine that was
underneath it, the exact cause for the ship
to explode is unknown. After the news of
the catastrophe reaches the United States,
a large amount of Americans immediately
blamed Spain. Hearst as well as Pulitzer
published the tragedy claiming that Spain
had caused the spontaneous and saddening
event.
President William McKinley
requested $50million from Congress in
order to prepare for war. After negotiating
the situation, Spain still wouldn’t consider
Cuban independence. Congress declared
Cubans as independent from Spanish rule
and allowed Spain three days to clear out
and get off of the island. Congress also
passed the Teller Amendment stating that
the United States had no interest in taking
control of Cuba. After not abiding to the
United States’ declaration, Spain
proclaimed war on the U.S on April 24th,
1898. The next day Congress passed and
McKinley signed a declaration of war
against Spain beginning the SpanishAmerican War that was sparked by yellow
journalism, a letter from the Spanish
minister addressing the United States and
the sinking of an American ship, the U.S.S
Maine.
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Battles of the
Spanish-American
War
By: Alyssa Kline
There were many
battles during the Spanish
American War, two of the most
important battles where the
Battle of San Juan Hill and the
Battle of Manila Bay along
with the Battle of Santiago
which also played a significant
role in the war. The Battle of
San Juan Hill and Battle of
Santiago took place in Cuba,
while the Battle of Manila Bay
took place in the Philippines.
The Battle of San Juan
Hill took place in Cuba on July
1st in 1898. American troops
experienced fire from Spanish
snipers and skirmishers.
(Infantry or Calvary soldiers
stationed ahead or alongside a
larger body of friendly troops.)
Around 10:00 AM, the guns on
El Pozo opened fire on the San
Juan Heights. Americans were
taking casualties from Spanish
fire; parts of the San Juan River
valley were dubbed "Hell's
Pocket" and "Bloody Ford".
Americans were left with 205
killed and 1,180 wounded,
while the Spanish had 58 dead,
170 wounded, and 39 captured.
The Battle of Santiago
took place in Cuba on July 3rd
in 1898. It resulted in a victory
for the US Navy and the
complete destruction of the
Spanish fleet. The Spaniards
had lost 323 and had 151
wounded. 70 officers and 1,600
men were taken prisoner by the
American forces. Only 150
sailors or so made their way
back to the Spanish lines at
Santiago. The Battle of
Santiago marked the end of
large-scale naval operations in
the war.
American War. Around 400
Spanish sailors were killed and
ten warships were wrecked or
captured while only six
Americans were wounded.
The Battle of San Juan
Hill, Battle of Manila Bay and
Battle of Santiago were three
of the most well known battles
of the Spanish-American War.
In conclusion, America won
and Cuba was freed of Spanish
colonial rule. The war lasted a
short span of four months and
because of this, it earned the
name of “a splendid little war.”
The Battle of Manila
Bay took place in the
Philippines on May 1st in 1898.
It was one of the two major
American Naval victories in
the Spanish American War. At
Manila Bay, the U.S. destroyed
the Spanish Pacific fleet in the
first battle of the Spanish-
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Transcript of the De Lôme Letter (1898)
(Translation of letter written by Señor Don Enrique Dupuy de Lôme to Señor Don José Canelejas. Undated, but from
internal evidence probably written about the middle of December 1897.)
LEGATION DE ESPANA, WASHINGTON
Eximo Senor DON JOSE CANALEJAS:
My Distinguished and Dear Friend: - You need not apologize for not having written to me; I also ought to have
written to you, but have not done so on account of being weighed down with work and nous sommes quites.
The situation here continues unchanged. Everything depends on the political and military success in Cuba. The
prologue of this second method of warfare will end the day that the Colonial Cabinet shall be appointed, and it
relieves us in the eyes of this country of a part of the responsibility for what happens there, and they must cast the
responsibility upon the Cubans, whom they believe to be so immaculate.
Until then we will not be able to see clearly, and I consider it to be a loss of time and an advance by the wrong road the sending of emissaries to the rebel field, the negotiations with the Autonomists not yet declared to be legally
constituted, and the discovery of the intentions and purpose of this government. The exiles will return one by one, and
when they return, will come walking into the sheepfold, and the chiefs will gradually return. Neither of these had the
courage to leave en masse, and they will not have the courage thus to return.
The message has undeceived the insurgents who expected something else, and has paralyzed the action of Congress,
but I consider it bad.
Besides the natural and inevitable coarseness with which he repeats all that the press and public opinion of Spain has
said of Weyler, it shows once more what McKinley is: weak and catering to the rabble, and, besides, a low politician,
who desires to leave a door open to me and to stand well with the jingoes of his party.
Nevertheless, as a matter of fact, it will only depend on ourselves whether he proves bad and adverse to us. I agree
entirely with you; without a military success nothing will be accomplished there, and without military and political
success, there is here always danger that the insurgents will be encouraged, if not by the government, at least by part
of the public opinion.
I do not believe you pay enough attention to the role of England. Nearly all that newspaper canaille which swarms in
your hotel are English, and at the same time are correspondents of the Journal, they are also correspondents of the
best newspapers and reviews of England. Thus it has been since the beginning. To my mind the only object of
England is that the Americans should occupy themselves with us and leave her in peace, and if there is a war, so
much the better; that would further remove what is threatening her - although that will never happen.
It would be most important that you should agitate the question of commercial relations, even though it would be only
for effect, and that you should send here a man of importance in order that I might use him to make a propaganda
among the senators and others in opposition to the Junta and win over exiles.
There goes Amblard. I believe he comes deeply taken up with little political matters, and there must be something
very great or we shall lose.
Adela returns your salutations, and we wish you in the New Year to be a messenger of peace and take this New Year's
present to poor Spain.
Always you attentive friend and servant, who kisses your hands,
ENRIQUE DUPUY DE LOME
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Essay Citations
Palladiou, Orestis. "RICENPEAS.COM." RICE N PEAS.COM. RiceNPeas, 2008. Web. 13
Nov. 2013.
Wright, General Marcus J., Wright's Official History of the Spanish-American War.
(Washington: War Records Office, 1900, p. 63-64.)
"Enrique Dupuy De Lôme." - The World of 1898: The Spanish-American War (Hispanic Division,
Library of Congress). Library of Congress, 22 June 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
PBS Online. "Crucible of Empire." PBS. PBS, 1999. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
Researchers. "Topics in Chronicling America - The Sinking of the Maine." The Sinking of the
Maine. Library of Congress, 3 May 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
"The Spanish-American War." Call to Freedom. 1865 to Present. Austin, TX.: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, 2000. 294-95. Print.
Hickman, Kennedy. "Spanish-American War: Battle of San Juan Hill." About.com Military
History. About.com, 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
"The Spanish-American War." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
"Spanish-American War: Battle of Santiago De Cuba." About.com Military History. About.com,
2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
DiGiantomasso, John. "Santiago." Santiago. N.p., 2003. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
"The Battle of Manila Bay." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
"Introduction." Reporting the War. Library of Congress, 2011. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
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