With the loss of the Philippines, Spain's remaining Pacific possessions in the Caroline Islands and Mariana Islands became untenable and were sold to Germany[157] in the German-Spanish Treaty (1899). In the fall of 1897 a new Spanish ministry offered concessions to the insurgents. In 1898 Cuba was a geopolitical aberration. While Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he placed the Navy on a war-time footing and prepared Dewey's Asiatic Squadron for battle. On the same day, the U.S. Navy began a blockade of Cuba. He was assassinated in 1897 by Italian anarchist Michele Angiolillo,[45] leaving a Spanish political system that was not stable and could not risk a blow to its prestige. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/event/Spanish-American-War, Library of Congress - The Spanish American War, Florida Center for Instructional Technology - Exploring Florida - Spanish-American War for Cuba's Independence, National Park Service - Golden Gate National Recreation Area - Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War, 1898-1902, Social Studies for Kids - Spanish-American War, U.S. Department of State - Office of the Historian - The Spanish-American War, 1898, Kansapedia - Kansas Historical Society - Spanish-American War, Spanish-American War - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Spanish-American War - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Explore the ruins of the battleship “USS Maine” in Havana harbour, Cuba. Benjamin Wetzel, "A Church Divided: Roman Catholicism, Americanization, and the Spanish–American War.". Spanish-American War. While McKinley urged patience and did not declare that Spain had caused the explosion, the deaths of 250 out of 355[60] sailors on board focused American attention. The 1,612 Spanish sailors who were captured, including Admiral Cervera, were sent to Seavey's Island at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, where they were confined at Camp Long as prisoners of war from July 11 until mid-September. The U.S. became interested in a trans-isthmus canal in either Nicaragua or Panama and realized the need for naval protection. The higher naval losses may be attributed to the disastrous naval defeats inflicted on the Spanish at Manila Bay and Santiago de Cuba. Nimbler, more compact and faster-firing machine guns were beginning to dot the globe’s conflicts — including the one in Cuba and the Pacific. 0 0. [163] The Platt Amendment also provided for a permanent American naval base in Cuba. [161]The Teller Amendment, which was enacted on April 20, 1898, was a promise from the United States to the Cuban people that it was not declaring war to annex Cuba, but to help it gain its independence from Spain. The Spanish-American War began on April 25th, 1898 and ended on August 12th, 1898, lasting three months, two weeks and four days. One of the earliest examples is US intervention in Cuba’s struggle for independence from Spain, which led to the Spanish-American War in 1898. San Juan Hill. These conditions were graphically portrayed for the U.S. public by sensational newspapers, notably Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World and William Randolph Hearst’s recently founded New York Journal. In early 1895, after years of organizing, Martí launched a three-pronged invasion of the island. [101] On June 12, Aguinaldo proclaimed the independence of the Philippines.[102][103]. Joseph Pulitzer of the New York World and William Randolph Hearst of the New York Journal recognized the potential for great headlines and stories that would sell copies. Hi the Spanish - American lasted 3 months, 2 weeks and 4 days, so the answer is c. Historian Louis Pérez notes that "The proposition of war in behalf of Cuban independence took hold immediately and held on thereafter. [149] John Hay (the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom), writing from London to his friend Theodore Roosevelt, declared that it had been "a splendid little war". Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. We've got the damn Yankees on the run again! [44] He had long dominated and stabilized Spanish politics. Because of these considerations I favored war. The Spanish-American War was the last great conflict the Gatling gun would take part in. The Cubans harbored a great deal of discontent towards the Spanish government, due to years of manipulation on the part of the Spanish. On the insurgent side, the war was waged largely against property and led to the destruction of sugarcane and sugar mills. Due to the United States' powerful influence diplomatically and militarily, Cuba's status after the war relied heavily upon American actions. The Platt Amendment was pushed by imperialists who wanted to project U.S. power abroad (in contrast to the Teller Amendment which was pushed by anti-imperialists who called for a restraint on U.S. rule). Both the U.S. regular cavalry and the volunteer cavalry used smokeless ammunition. Fighting will be short and decisive. At the age of 42 he became the youngest man to become president after the assassination of President McKinley. John Hay (the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom), writing from London to his friend Theodore Roosevelt, declared that it had been "a splendid little war". Only Oklahoma Territory Pawnee Indian, Tom Isbell, wounded seven times, survived. Proctor concluded that war was the only answer. Grenville, John A. S. and George Berkeley Young. "Nuestra América: Latino History as United States History. It tries to inspire (motivate) American sailors by saying that we are weak, they are encouraged to keep on with an undertaking that can be accomplished; namely of substituting the Catholic religion with Protestantism, they consider you as a people who impedes growth; they will seize your wealth as if you do not know your rights to property; they will snatch away from you those they consider as useful to man their ships, to be exploited as workers in their fields and factories. Meanwhile, the "Cuba Libre" movement, led by Cuban intellectual José Martí until he died in 1895, had established offices in Florida. [95], With interests of their own, Germany was eager to take advantage of whatever opportunities the conflict in the islands might afford. [91][92] With the German seizure of Tsingtao in 1897, Dewey's squadron had become the only naval force in the Far East without a local base of its own, and was beset with coal and ammunition problems. [19] President William McKinley ignored the exaggerated news reporting and sought a peaceful settlement. The U.S. would, however, respect the status of the existing European colonies. Purpose: Liberate Cuba from Spanish Rule Duration: April 25- August 12, 1898 Casualties: 5462 American soldiers (379 Americans died in combat—the majority of the deaths were caused by typhoid and yellow fever.) "The Political Economy of Sugar Production and the Environment of Eastern Cuba, 1898–1923". All military actions in Puerto Rico were suspended on August 13, after U.S. President William McKinley and French Ambassador Jules Cambon, acting on behalf of the Spanish Government, signed an armistice whereby Spain relinquished its sovereignty over Puerto Rico.[129]. [163] Guantánamo Bay was established after the signing of the Cuban–American Treaty of Relations in 1903. These officers included Matthew Butler, Fitzhugh Lee, Thomas L. Rosser and Joseph Wheeler, though only the latter had seen action. The insurgent leaders would now settle for nothing short of complete independence. The U.S. victory results in the U.S. taking control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, while Cuba was permitted to be an independent nation. Newspapers in the U.S. printed sensationalized accounts of Spanish atrocities, fueling humanitarian concerns. [64] A study commissioned by National Geographic magazine in 1999, using AME computer modeling, stated that a mine could have caused the explosion, but no definitive evidence was found. Though President William McKinley had wished to avoid war, American forces moved swiftly once it began. American opinion generally saw Spain as a hopelessly backward power that was unable to deal fairly with Cuba. As Maine left Florida, a large part of the North Atlantic Squadron was moved to Key West and the Gulf of Mexico. Lv 4. [163] The notion of the United States as an imperial power, with colonies, was hotly debated domestically with President McKinley and the Pro-Imperialists winning their way over vocal opposition led by Democrat William Jennings Bryan,[163] who had supported the war. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. To pay the costs of the war, Congress passed an excise tax on long-distance phone service.