The Spanish-American War

Cuban revolutionaries in Santiago in the late

1800’s

• Cuba was a Spanish colony

• America had economic ties with Cuba (sugar and railroads)

Explosion of the U.S. Battleship

Maine• 1898, President

McKinley ordered battleship Maine into Havana Harbor in Cuba to protect American citizens and property against Cuban uprising and Spanish hostility

Headline for

The WorldFebruary 17,

1898

•Yellow Journalism – reporting information to get readers to agree with a stance or policy

jingoism: extreme nationalism or chauvinism characterized by a belligerent foreign policy.

Supposed Reasons for War

• Sinking of USS Maine

• Sympathy for Cubans struggling for independence

• Anti-Spanish Sentiment

• Yellow Journalism

• Expansionism into overseas markets

DECLARATION OF WAR WITH SPAIN Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, First.  That war be, and the same is hereby, declared to exist, and that war has existed since the 21st day of April, A. D. 1898, including said day, between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain. Second. 

That the President of the United States be, and he hereby is, directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the United States and to call into the actual service of the United States the militia of the several States to such extent as may be necessary to carry this act into effect.

Approved, April 25, 1898.

Pacific Front in the Philippines (May 1)

• US Navy attacked Spanish fleet and easily won.

• Why? US Modern navy.

• US Army rushed to capture Philippines… and captured Guam along the way

Atlantic Front in Cuba (June-July)• U.S. Navy

blockaded Cuba

• To capture big guns at Santiago Harbor, U.S. Army invaded through San Juan Heights including San Juan Hill

• US Navy attacked fleeing Spanish Fleet

Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

How did Roosevelt participate in Spanish American War?

• Rough Riders: 2nd in command… but organizer– Mix of cowboys, miners, and law officers– Media Attention! Capture of San Juan Hill

Atlantic Front in Puerto Rico• Easily captured by U.S.

• Secretary of State Hay claimed that it was a “splendid little war”–Few American casualties, but

5,000 died from typhoid, yellow fever and effects of tainted meat

–Much of army had to be quarantined in New York’s immigration centers upon return home

• Cease-Fire signed between U.S. and Spain August 12, 1898

• In the peace treaty signed Dec. 10, 1898, U.S. acquires Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico. Cuba was granted independence, although the Platt Amendment gave the U.S. influence over its affairs.

The Spanish American War raised the awareness of….

• Lack of quality supplies for U.S. military

• Need for better sanitation

• Better plan for mobilizing army

The Spanish American War proved the bravery of…

– 9th and 10th Colored Cavalries crucial to taking the ridges around Santiago, Cuba

– Little notoriety or acclaim for it, though.

African American soldiers (1 of 4 soldiers), but in segregated units (4 medals of honor)

American Possessions in1900

• fsdfsdfdddCuban revolutionaries in Santiago in the late 1800’s

• Cuban hatred of Spanish rule and frustration with falling sugar prices led to a revolt. Spain responded to this with imprisonment and brutal treatment of the Cubans

• Leads to anti-Spanish feelings in U.S.

•

• Explosion of the U.S. Battleship Maine

• On February 15, huge explosion destroyed the battleship, killing 260 soldiers. No conclusive evidence to r eveal who had sunk the Maine

– Deep-sea divers sent by U.S. Navy to explore the wreckage. Concluded that underwater mine may have exploded under the ship.

• Many historians strongly doubt that Spanish mined the battleship: too much to lose by provoking the U.S. • Probably an accident

– Roused much anti-Spanish sentiment with suspicion that Spain was to blame for death of American sailors and loss of a battleship. Newspapers throughout U.S. continually called for U.S. intervention in Cuba to avenge the act of Spanish Aggression

Political cartoon depicting Spain as a bloodthirsty brute• This cartoon was part of the rebel publicity fed to newspapers to stir up support for their cause against Spain

• In the competition for readers in NY, publisher Joseph Pulitzer of the World and William Randolph Hearst of the Journal tried to outdo each other with more spectacular reports of Spanish cruelty in Cuba.

• …………………Pacific Front in the Philippines (May 1).• Fighting did not start in Cuba immediately, began in another Spanish colony, the Philippines• Entire Spanish fleet was sunk during the Battle of Manila by U.S. fleet based in Hong Kong under the command of Commodore

George Dewey. There was only 1 American casualty• Dewey got help from Filipino patriot Emilio Aguinaldo, who led an uprising against Spain in 1896. Organized an uprising against

Spanish forces & successfully ousted Spanish rule in all territories except Manila.• Aguinaldo under the impression that the U.S. would grant Philippines independence after Spain was defeated.• Later, Dewey denied that any such assurances were given and claimed that Aguinaldo was mistaken

• Atlantic Front in Cuba (June-July)• Bullet 3) On July 3, the U.S. Navy sank the Spanish fleet in a one-sided battle in Santiago Harbor that ended Spanish resistance in

Cuba

• Among those sent to Cuba was Theodore Roosevelt. He commanded a volunteer unit called the Rough Riders that consisted of cowboys, college students, and adventurers. Rumor had it that Teddy Roosevelt personally recruited the Rough Riders in the taproom of a San Antonio Hotel.

• Rough Riders became the symbol for national enthusiasm against Spain• Their spirit and determination became legendary after their charge up San Juan Hill (part of the ridges surrounding Santiago).• American troops demoralized Spanish forces and took strategically important hill

• It was also called "Wood's Weary Walkers" after its first commander, Colonel Leonard Wood as an acknowledgment of the fact that despite being a cavalry unit they ended up fighting on foot as infantry. When Colonel Wood became commander of the 1st Cavalry Brigade (1st U.S. Cavalry, 106th U.S. Cavalry, and 1st U.S.V. Cavalry) the Rough Riders then became "Roosevelt's Rough Riders".

• Atlantic Front-Puerto Rico• U.S. turned to Spanish-held island of Puerto Rico next, easily conquer in July: “moonlight excursion”• During May 1898, Lt. Henry H. Whitney of the United States Fourth Artillery was sent to Puerto Rico on a reconnaissance

mission, sponsored by the Army's Bureau of Military Intelligence. He provided maps and information on the Spanish military forces to the U.S. government prior to the invasion. On May 10, U.S. Navy warships were sighted off the coast of Puerto Rico. On May 12, a squadron of 12 U.S. ships commanded by Rear Adm. William T. Sampson bombarded San Juan. During the bombardment, many buildings were shelled. On June 25, the Yosemite blocked San Juan harbor. On July 25, General Nelson A. Miles, with 3,300 soldiers, landed at Gu nica and took over the island with little resistance. �

• Foraker Act: made Puerto Rico an unincorporated territory of the U.S.• Puerto Ricans were not citizens of US and had no rights.• 1917 Puerto Ricans were granted citizenship.• 1947 Puerto Ricans allowed to elect own government• Still debate over Puerto Rican citizenship

• Af-am soldiers were sent to storm the hill first

• Teddy Roosevelt had his personal publicist with him…made himself out to be a hero…given medal of honor