Spanish American
War
Steps to U.S. Involvement
American interest in
Cuba
• Geographic Location
(90 mi. south of FL)
– Panama Canal a
possibility
– Spanish Colony – too
close for comfort
• Business Investments
– Large sugar cane
plantations ($50 mil. – 1895)
Cubans Rebel Against
Spain
• 1st revolt (1868-1878) – unsuccessful
• Spanish Gov’t in Cuba
– Corrupt, no reforms, no self-gov’t for Cuba
• 2nd Revolt led to War for Independence (1895)
– Jose Marti – organized Cuban resistance
– “Cuba Libre!” – Free Cuba
– Guerilla campaign
• Hit & run, scorched earth policy – Destroyed Americanowned sugar mills & plantations
• Hoped to provoke US into intervening to help the rebels
Second War for
Independence
• Spanish Response
– Send 200,000 troops &
General Weyler “The
Butcher” to crush
rebellion
– Atrocities against
Cuban people
• Put peasants in
concentration camps
• Kill crops, animals &
people
American Public Opinion
• Originally split between:
– Supporting rebels in fight
for freedom
– Supporting Spain to
protect business
William
investments
• Headline Wars
– William Randolph Hearst
(New York Journal)
– Joseph Pulitzer (New
York World)
– Rally support for war
Randolph
Hearst
Joseph Pulitzer
American Public Opinion
• Yellow Journalism
– Journalism that
exploits, distorts, or
exaggerates the news
to create sensations
and attract readers.
• Jingoism
– Intense burst of
national pride &
aggressive foreign
policy
Hearst to Frederick
Remington:
“Please remain. You’ll furnish
the pictures, and I’ll furnish
the war!”
The De lome Letter
• President McKinley tried
to avoid interventionism
– He got Spain to recall
Weyler & modifiy
concentration camp policy
• NY Journal published
private letter from
Spanish ambassador to
US criticizing McKinley
• Americans angry over
insult to President
• De Lome Letter thwarted
progress by McKinley
“…shows what McKinley is, weak and a
bidder for the admiration of the crowd,
besides being a would-be politician who
tries to leave a door open behind
himself while keeping on good terms
with the jingoes of his party.”
~ De Lome Letter
USS Maine
• McKinley sends USS
Maine into Havana
Harbor
– Evacuate US citizens if
needed (riots)
• February 15, 1898
– Maine explodes in
harbor
– 260 Americans killed
– Press blames Spanish
sabotage
America Enters the
War
• “Yellow Press” continue
to whip up anti-Spanish
hysteria
• April 20, 1898
– US demands that Spain
withdraws
• Authorized President to
take military action
necessary
– Teller Amendment –
guaranteed US would not
annex Cuba
• April 25, 1898
– 25th –
• Spain declares war on US
• US declares war on Spain