One of the reasons the U.S. went to war with Spain was because of public opinion. Citizens began to sympathize with the Cubans after seeing the tragic reports presented in the newspaper. Even though most stories through yellow journalism were exaggerated, individuals felt that Cuban's fight for independence was much like their own from Britain. Without the help of France, Americans would most likely not have won their freedom. These feelings only heightened when Valeriano Weyler, a Spanish general, forced Cubans into barb-wired concentration camps, much like the Nazis did with the Jews, in order to stop the rebellion. As a result, American citizens pushed for war.
In addition to wanting to aid Cuba in winning their independence, American higher ups saw it was an opportunity for expansion. Taking control of Cuba's port would expand trade and cause recognition of the United States as a rising world power. The U.S. also felt the need to intervene because the war between Cuba and Spain was costing American businesses money due to being disrupted.
Then on February 8, 1898, According to The
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First of all, The Teller Amendment formally declared the abandonment of and U.S. interest in control in Cuba and pledged the America would withdrawal from the island as soon as independence was won. However, that was not the case because America decided that Cuba wasn't ready to be an independent nation. Cuba should not have been awarded as the "spoils of war." Additionally, The U.S. was not in anyway justified to go to war with Spain because its true motivations were to remove Spain's influence in the Western world. Also, Americans claimed that a reason they went to war was because the treatment of Cubans was harsh. Conversely, the U.S. did little to change that, even though the government had promised the public and Spain that it would make their lives
W. A. Swanberg argues that writers used crude exaggeration and sensationalism in the popular New York Journal newspaper to persuade the American citizens and President William McKinley to attempt to free Cuba by starting a war against Spain. William Randolph Hearst was the owner of this particular newspaper. Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer were both big names in the United States and had the power to sway popular opinion with their wealth. Their habits, personalities, and ways of life did not have much similarity. Immediately after the start of the trouble in Cuba, Hearst was ready to get involved with fighting in Spain. On the other hand, Pulitzer was not ready until after the war due to circulation. Just like other great leaders of the past, Hearst loved to be in control and have power. He used the newspaper as a way of influencing millions of people and masking his own beliefs behind the black and white pages.
The Spanish American war had a complex beginning. By the 1890’s, Cuba had unsuccessfully battled Spain for its independence for many years. Due to the US’s economic interests in Cuba, the US government sought to stabilize the situation. The United States and Cuba negotiated an agreement that Cuba would become self-governing on January 1, 1898. But
In June of 1895, President Grover Cleveland took a stance of neutrality toward the Cuban conflict, though many American citizens grew concerned that the fight was too close to home. (Spanish-American) By December of the next year, Cleveland declared that the U.S. might be forced to take action if Spain was unable to solve the Cuban crisis alone. (Library of Congress) Spain granted Cuba limited autonomy in January of 1897, but the natives were not satisfied. As the Spanish resorted to ruthless tactics to keep the Cubans in line, their brutality created much sympathy in the United States. Tensions rose between America and Spain. The other shoe dropp...
Comment on the consequences for the United States with regard to the statement made by Eric Foner in the text, “Thus, two principles central to American freedom since the War of Independence – no taxation without representation and government based on the consent of the governed – were abandoned when it came to the nation’s new possessions. The struggle of Cuba to gain its independence from Spain, which began in 1895, has captured the attention of many Americans. Spain’s brutal repressive measures to halt the rebellion were graphically portrayed to the U.S. public by American newspaper publishers, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. This caused the national mood to shift. Hearst and Pulitzer exaggerated the actual events in Cuba and how the Spanish brutally treated their prisoners by adding sensational words to catch the emotions of readers.
towards Spain on April 25, 1898. On the day war was declared, Spain issued that the United States add the Teller Amendment, which declared, "the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty..." (Teller Amendment). The actual fighting began on May 1, in the Philippines Islands at the Battle of Manila Bay where Commodore George Dewey reportedly said, "You may fire when ready, Gridley," and the Spanish fleet under Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo was
Hi I'm doing my report on the Spanish American War. In the following pages I will be giving information on how and why the war started, major battles, and the results of the war. I will also include stories from people on the battleship Maine.
In April of 1898, as Congress voted to go to war against Spain it also stated, in the Teller Amendment, that America was solely going to war against Spain in Cuba for the purpose of aiding the Cuban people in winning their independence. In many ways, the Teller Amendment was aimed at mollifying anti-imperialists who feared that the war might be an excuse for the U.S. to annex Cuba. Three years later the U.S. made their intentions with regard to Cuba clear when U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root pressured Cuban leaders to insert the Platt Amendment into the new Cuban Constitution. Both documents are below. Teller Amendment: That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control
The scene is set; America is the great power in the western hemisphere. Post Spanish-American War, America is faced with a dilemma of annexing the Philippines. In the winter of 1899 following the annexation of the Philippines, America had a problem. Filipinos had been fighting for independence from Spain and did not want to be seceded (83). Despite the Filipino objection, the United States displayed their assertion on the land. In conflict, both the Filipinos and American had many meetings with death. There were consequences and repercussions from invoking the American power on this foreign land. The American victory in the Spanish-American War helped propel the nation. Thesis: Although met with conflict from the natives, the
The event angered many Americans and their thoughts were backing up completely Cuba’s independence. To them the Spanish was at fault because at the time of the attack the Maine was displaying Cuba’s flag, where the Spanish were taking control over. People like President McKinley at the time tried to avoid a war unlike Theodore Roosevelt who was out for Spanish blood but because of all the pressure McKinley was under he decided to declare war officially on April 25th. War meant vengeance to the death of their people and showed that America will avenge their lost men. The war would display America’s power because with their strategies and army they could potential take over anyone’s spot in world power. After America’s win in the war they decided to help Cuba receive
Commercialism played the most important role in starting the Spanish American War. The US needed Cuba and the Philippines because they were essential to trade and business. American business had an investment of about $50 million in Cuba and an annual trade stake of about $100 million. Senator Lodge said that whoever has control of Cuba will be able to control the entire Gulf of Mexico, which was important because Cuba was in the direct line of the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal was a key feature to the US Navy, so a base was needed in the Caribbean in order to protect it. A free and independent Cuba would help the US because it could put a naval base there. The overseas market was also important to trade and business with other countries. By getting control of the Philippines, the US would form commercial relations with countries in Asia. Raw materials that originated from Cuba and the Philippines were...
History is not a collection of unrelated events, but it is instead an account of various causes and their effects. World War II was not an isolated event. It was a product of numerous events in Europe which included the Spanish Civil War. Spain prior to World War II was an area of crucial political and strategic importance. By analyzing the events of the Spanish Civil War, the events of World War II can be understood in greater detail. Hitler’s confident foreign policy, the quick surrender of France, the forging of unlikely alliances, and the diverse ideological state present in Europe can be understood more comprehensively by looking at the Spanish Civil War. The events of the Spanish Civil War changed the political atmosphere of Europe; these events influenced the beginning of World War II.
For 113 days during the summer of 1898, the United States was at war with Spain. Neither the president of the United States, nor his cabinet, nor the the queen of Spain, nor her ministers wanted the war wanted the war. It happened eventhough they made their best efforts to prevent it. It happened because of ambition, miscalculation, and stupidity; and it happened because of kindness, wit, and resourcefulness. It also happened because some were indifferent to the suffering of the world’s wretched and others were not (O’Toole 17). By winning the war the United States proved the the rest of the world and to itself that it could and would fight against foreign nations. For many years, world power had been concentrated in the countries in Europe. Nations such as Great Britain, France, Germany, and Spain had the most influence in global affairs. But a shift in power was gradually taking place as the United States matured. The young nation gained wealth and strength. Its population grew immensely, and many people believed it would become a major world power (Bachrach, 11) Spain was one of the many European countries that had territory in the United States. Spain controlled mostly some islands off the coast of Central America. The most important of these were Cuba and Puerto Rico. The United States was led to believe that the Spanish mosgoverned and abused the people of these islands. In fact, Spain did overtax and mistreat the Cubans, who rebelled in 1868 and again in 1895. Thus, the American people felt sympathetic toward the Cuban independence movement. In addition, Spain had frequently interfered with trade between its colonies and the United States. Even though the United States had been a trading partner with Cuba since the seventeenth century, Spain sometimes tried to completely stop their trade with Cuba. In Spain doing so, this sometimes caused damage to U.S. commercial interests. The United States highly disagreed with Spain’s right to interfere with this trade relationship. (Bachrach, 12) The United States was also concerned that other trading and commercial interests were threatened by the number of ships and soldiers Spain kept in the area. If the United States had to fight a war with Canada or Mexico, these Spanish forces could quickly mobilize against the United States.
The Spanish-American war was the first and biggest step that the United States of America took toward imperialism. It was the war that secured the US as the most powerful country in the world. This war was a benefit to the USA because we gained land, gained respect, and taught a lesson to one of our enemies. In addition to this, the losses that we suffered were almost nothing compared to other conflicts or wars. The Spanish-American war was by no means for the sole purpose of gaining land and respect, the United States freed an oppressed country and took pieces of land that were better off under US control.
In 1895, American citizens took notice of a Cuban revolt against their corrupt Spanish oppressor. The Cuban insurgents reasoned that if they did enough damage, the US might move in and help the Cubans win their independence. Not only did Americans sympathize with the Cubans upon seeing tragic reports in the newspaper, but they also empathized that the US once fought for their own independence from Britain. If France didn’t intervene, the Americans probably would not have won their freedom. As if this did not rally enough hate for the Spanish among the American Public, fuel was added to the flame by the Spanish General (“Butcher”)
This time on an international scale. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge wrote in a magazine article, “In the interests of our commerce… we should build the Nicaragua canal, and for the protection of that canal and for the sake of our commercial supremacy in the Pacific we should control the Hawaiian islands and maintain our influence in Samoa… and when the Nicaraguan canal is built, the island of Cuba… will become a necessity…” This idea from Henry Cabot Lodge proved why the government felt they had to do this, to protect the best interest of the American people. Before elected President, William McKinley said: “We want a foreign market for our surplus products… American factories are making more than the American people can use’ American soil is producing more than they can consume. Fate has written our policy for us; the trade of the world must and shall be ours.” This is economical and commercial ambition that is done for the best interest of the people. The Cuban invasion was viewed, by the Americans, as a reminder of what they had gone through with the British. Cuba at the time was fighting for independance from the Spanish. After the US helped defeat the Spanish, they moved into Cuba to assure that their Economic influence was established in Cuba. The only way to be sure this was done correctly was to settle in Cuba. The American business Cuba was influenced greatly due to the trade of surplus sources (farmers etc). To