Introduction to Spanish-American

War

“A Splendid Little War” John Hay,

Secretary of State, 1898
 Background:
Who?
•Spain vs. America

Where?
•Phillipines, Cuba (Spain’s Colonies)

2
 USA
Cuba
The Philippines

3
 Why?
Help give freedom to Spain’s colonies!

4
 Spain’s Reconcentration Policy
What?
•General Weyler forced the rural
population of central and western Cuba
into barbed wire concentration camps.
Thousands died of starvation and disease.
Why?
•Spain was fighting a guerilla war for Cuban
independence and needed to separate “good” from
“bad guys

How did it lead to war?

•Made Spain look bad in American
eyes
5
 American Economic Interests
What?
•Many of Cuba’s sugar plantations were
owned by Americans. The US had offered
to buy Cuba from Spain, but the offer was
rejected.
Why?
•Protecting their economic interests

How did it lead to war?

•Made Americans more likely to help
out Cuba

6
 “Yellow Journalists”
What?
•Newspaper created highly exaggerated
stories

Why?
•Make more $ if they keep you scared
and interested

How did it lead to war?

•Made Americans want war!

7
 “Yellow Journalism”
“You furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the war
William Randolph Hearst

Frederic Remington’s
Disrobing Propaganda

8
 Slide Analysis: Judge Cartoon

9
 DeLome Letter

• NY Times published a
letter written by
Enrique deLome,
Spanish minister to the
US that criticized
President McKinley,
calling him weak and
self-serving.

• Spain apologized

• This further angered

the US
10
 Sinking of the Maine in Havana Harbor
What?
•USS Maine explodes in Havana, Cuba
Harbor,
•Most Americans believe it was Spain’s
fault

How did it lead to war?

•“Spark” that started the war

•“Remember the Maine! To hell with Spain!”

•War declared on August 20, 1898

11
 Slide Analysis: Headline of the Maine
Explosion

Maine Explosion Caused by Bomb or Torpedo?

12
2/17/1898 New York World
 Manila Bay: First attack of the Spanish-
American War
What Happened at Manila Bay?
•A Surprise naval
attack, led by
Commodore George
Dewey sunk the
crumbling Spanish
Navy.
•This allowed American
troops to land in the
Phillippines.
•Spain surrendered in
August.
13
 War in the Caribbean
• Hostilities started with a US blockade of Cuba.

• Although the US had a superior navy, the

ground forces were not prepared for war.
There was only a small standing army.

• 125,000 American volunteered to fight, but the

training camps lacked the supplies and
leadership needed to create an effective
fighting force.

14
 Rough Riders: Volunteer Infantry
Who were the Rough Riders? Who was their leader?

•Teddy Roosevelt
resigns as Asst Secy of
the Navy to lead a
“Cowboy Calvary”
•Brought his own
photographer
•Roosevelt’s
popularity from this
leads to his becoming
V.P. and President
15
 Rough Riders
What famous Battle did they participate in?

•San Juan Hill

•African
Americans
also helped
but get no
credit
16
 Teddy Roosevelt

17
 Results
•US defeats Spain & becomes a world
power
•US gained the Philippines, Puerto Rico
and Guam
•Teller Amendment -  the U.S. could not annex
 Cuba but only leave "control of the island to its
people." In short, the U.S. would help Cuba gain
independence and then withdraw all its troops from
the country.
•Platt Amendment - allowed the United States to
intervene unilaterally in Cuban affairs, and a pledge
to lease land to the United States for naval bases on
18
the island.