U.S.S. Maine Captain Charles Sigsbee of the USS Maine, a battleship of the United State's Atlantic Fleet, was writing a letter to his wife about his hopefulness for the success of his mission in this foreign possession (Chidsey 54). Then it happened. Just as he sealed the envelope a small explosion shook the ship followed by a mammoth detonation that rocked her and the surrounding areas (Chidsey 57). Sigsbee ran for his life, collected what he could of his detachment and the rest of the crew, and moved to organize the ensuing chaos. The ship couldn't have been saved. Sigsbee was the last off as per naval tradition. He looked back as the ruined mass settled on the harbor floor (Chidsey 57). The call for war had arrived; now those who controlled the flow of information, the media, to have their way with it. Empire had been the word of the day. Germany, Italy, and Japan were working to catch up to the British and their two-hundred-year head start. Military theory and technology was changing. It introduced a new view of international geopolitics: the flags and politics of nations followed the economy of a nation, not the other way around, which had long been the accepted European idea (Reeder 29). Control of the sea was considered vital to all national interest: for the sake of communication to territorial possessions and for, most importantly of all, trade. But technology had also advanced. Coaling stations were now required at various intervals all over the world to keep the steam navies of the day going (Chidsey 15). For the United States an obvious coaling station would be on the Spanish colony/island of Cuba, just miles south of Florida and Key West. Cuba had long been a thorn in the side of both Spain and the United St... ... middle of paper ... ... States won a lot more than simply territory: it won national prestige and took its place among the world's empires. Spain was no longer a great power, and America certainly was. Works Cited: Cavendish, Richard. "The Sinking of the Maine." History Today Feb. 1998: 33. Ebsco Host. 14 Mar. 2006. Chidsey, Donald Barr. The Spanish-American War. New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1971. Haydock, Michael D.. "This Means War!" American History Jan./Feb. 1998: p42+. Ebsco Host. 14 Mar. 2006. McSherry, Patrick. "Battleship Maine." The Spanish American War Centennial Website. Spring 1998. 14 Mar 2006 . Reeder, Colonel Red. The Story of the Spanish-American War. Scarborough: Prentice-Hall of Canada Limited, 1966. Ritchie, David. Shipwrecks. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1996. Walsh, John. The Sinking of the USS Maine. New York: Franklin Watts Inc., 1969.
This book by Otis A. Singletary deals with different aspects of the Mexican war. It is a compelling description and concise history of the first successful offensive war in United States military history. The work examines two countries that were unprepared for war. The political intrigues and quarrels in appointing the military commanders, as well as the military operations of the war, are presented and analyzed in detail. The author also analyzes the role that the Mexican War played in bringing on the U.S. Civil War.
In the late 1800’s the American people and their government became more willing to risk war in defense of American interests overseas, support for building a large modern navy began to grow. Supporters argued that if the United States did not build up its navy and acquire bases overseas, it would be shut out of foreign markets by Europeans. Captain Alfred T. Mahan observed that building a modern navy meant that the U.S. had to acquire territory for naval bases overseas. This would enable them to operate a navy far from home. A country needed bases and coaling stations in distant regions, which was exactly what they did by having Havana, Cuba be one of its ports. Another factor that was part of the Navy’s modernization was the USS Maine, which was probably the most famous ship of its era. The USS Maine was one of the Navy’s first armored battle ships. It was one of the first U.S. naval vessels with electrical lighting. It had a top speed of 17 knots and a crew of 392 officers and enlisted men. On the evening of February 15, 1898 the USS Maine exploded. Of the 345 officers and sailors aboard the Maine, 266 died. There were many ideas of how this explosion occurred, namely: the ship’s ammunition supplies blew up, a fire accidentally ignited the ammunition, and that a mine detonated near the ship set off the ammunition. At the time Cuba was a Spanish colony, but it was in the midst of a revolution. The Cuban people were fighting for independence from Spain. During this Cuban revolt against Spain and the American battleship Maine dropped anchor in the Havana harbor to protect American interests in Cuba. Many Americans regarded the Spanish as tyrants and supported the Cubans in their struggle. This immediately made Americans jump to the Conclusion that Spain blew up the Maine. American’s felt that since they were allies with Cuba that Spain was trying to harm America, as to not interfere with Cuba’s revolt against them. Within a matter of weeks, Spain and the U.
Thompson, Robert. "Battle of Cold Harbor." History Net: Where History Comes Alive. http://www.historynet.com/cold-harbor (accessed March 21, 2014).
Schubert, Frank. Center of Military History: San Juan Hill. 1998. http://www.history.army.mil/documents/spanam/BSSJH/Shbrt-BSSJH.htm (accessed 12 3, 2013).
Farmers who lived west of the Appalachian Mountains shipped all their surplus produce by boat down rivers that flowed into the Gulf of Mexico. In a treaty of 1795, Spain agreed to give Americans the "right of deposit" at New Orleans. This right allowed Americans to store in New Orleans, duty-free, goods shipped for export. Arks and flatboats transported a great variety of products, including flour, tobacco, pork bacon, lard, feathers, cider, butter, cheese, hemp, p...
Mahoney, Harry Thayer, and Marjorie Locke Mahoney. Gallantry in action: a biographic dictionary of espionage in the American Revolutionary War. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1999.
22 Brinkley, Alan An Uneasy Peace 1988-, Vol. 10 of 20th Century America, 10 vols. (New York: Grolier 1995):22
Henretta, James A and David* Brody. America: A concise History . Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2010. Document.
Turner, Wesley. The War of 1812. The War That Both Sides Won. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1990
"Words of war." America's Civil War Jan. 2013: 17. Student Resources in Context. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
Keller, H. (1916, January). Strike Against War. Speech Presented at Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York.
The United States won the Mexican-American War. With several reasons behind this great victory, this event had caught the European governments by surprise. As American armies were outnumbered four to one, and while they were also fighting in foreign lands, the American army still defeated the Mexican army and gained many more territories. In winning this impossible war, the Americans had almost complete control over what is now the United States of America and using the idea of “manifest destiny” to be the driving force behind their out-numbered armies.
This statement begins to expose the fear felt by Britain of the imposing German fleet. Due to the militaristic views of Europe, many countries desired to have more power and control, by any means possible. This hunger initiated the Naval Arms Race, in which nations believed as one country increased its naval powers, they too were obliged to increase their armed forces, to maintain a balance of power. The British had dominated the seas and many far off colonies because of their naval fleet, granting them immense power. As the Germans began to propose a new and vast naval fleet, and France and Russia formed a new alliance sparking suspicion in Britain, Germany quickly became a threat to British supremacy. This created a chain reaction of stressed importance upon naval arme...
The late nineteenth century was an age of military rivalry, mainly amongst the main European supremacies. The strategy of building a bigger military was tried relative to neighbours, creating an ethos of suspicion that strengthened the search for alliances. It was fed by the social acceptance that war was good for countries. The Germans looked to expand its navy. However, the “naval race” was never a real competition – the British always sustained naval dominance.
Schweikart, Larry, and Michael Allen. A Patriots History of the United States. Sentinel: Penguin inc., 2007. 529-532. Print.