The Spanish American War

Beginning in 1898

Cuba – A Spanish Possession

• Spain only had Guam, Cuba, Philippines, and a few outposts in Africa in 1825.

• 1854 – US diplomats suggested buying Cuba

Leading up to the War

• 1868 – 1878, Cuba had first war for independence against Spain.

• Able to force Spain to end slavery, but no independence

• US sympathetic, but did not intervene.

• Americans began to invest $$$ in sugar plantations

• Cuba’s economy depended on sugar, America was their biggest market.

Second War for Independence• Jose Marti – Cuban in exile in NY

organized a Cuba resistance in Spain.

• Cubans deliberately damaged the island, especially American plantations

• Hoped to provoke US to enter to free rebels.

• Americans were split– Big Business – help Spain to protect

business– Help the rebels to Freedom. “Cuba

Libre”

Violent Retaliation

• Gen. Valeriano Weyler (“Butcher Weyler”) was sent by Spain to control order.

• Created hastily prepared concentration camps, where they died by the thousands, victims of disease and malnutrition.

Yellow Journalism

• Yellow Journalism – a sensational shocking style of writing

• 2 Newspaper Tycoons: Pulitzer vs. Hearst.

• Competed for publications – wrote scandalous and exaggerated news.

• When this news did not exist, they were not above creating it!

Yellow Journalism

• Cuban struggle as great opportunity to increase circulation,

• Exaggerated their reports of Spanish atrocities against the Cuban rebels– Poisoned wells– Children thrown to sharks

• Gained American Sympathy.

“You furnish the picture, I’ll furnish the war.”

William Randolph Hearst

Events which brought America to War

1. Dupuy de Lome letter

• Cuban agent in Havana stole a private letter written by Dupuy de Lome, the Spanish minister in Washington, and turned it over to the American press

• Described McKinley as a “weak” and a “bidder for the admiration of the crowd.”

• Many Americans felt this way, but created anger coming from a foreigner.

Events which brought America to War

2. The Maine• USS Maine blew up in Spanish harbor with

a loss of more than 260 people

• Naval court found - external explosion by a submarine or mine had caused the disaster (blamed Spain)

• War hysteria Swept the country.

USS Maine

The US Declares War

• WAR HAWKS pushed for war, McKinley hesitant

• McKinley gave Spain an ultimatum: 1. stop fighting2. eliminate concentration camps3. negotiate with the rebels

• Spain did all but #3. This did not satisfy the War Hawks

• April 25, 1898, McKinley and Congress declared war