“The Splendid Little War”The Spanish American War

May - December 1898 Chapter 10, Section 2

Causes1. The Cubans

rebel against their Spanish colonial masters

2. Jingoism

• Displays of Power• Vs. Chilean Government

• Vs. Brazilian Rebels

• Vs. Great Britain

• All of these actions reaffirmed the Monroe Doctrine

The Cuban Rebellion

• Cuban peasants vs. The Spanish Empire

• “Re-concentration Camps” – 200k Cubans Dead

• US didn’t get involved until Rebels destroyed our sugar plantations

Jingoism• “We’ve got the men and guns…”

• Many Americans are pro-war (many aren’t)

• Yellow journalism whips up anti-Spanish Sentiments

Yellow Journalism and the Spanish American War.

The De Lome Letter

• Called McKinley weak• Angers the American

Public

Explosion of the USS Maine

• Stationed in Havana Cuba• Probably a coal fire or ammunition explosion• Killed 250 Americans

The Last Straws…

• Roosevelt tells the US Navy to prepare for war (with out permission)

• McKinley demands a truce, and Cuban independence.

• Spain refuses and WAR BEGINS!!

Naval Actions

• Simultaneous attacks on Spanish ships in Cuba and the Philippines.

• The Spanish Pacific fleet is wiped out in less than 7 hours.

• The Gulf of Mexico Fleet will be wiped out on July 3rd.

Land Actions

Land Actions

• San Juan Hill

• Only part of a much larger battle

• Made Teddy Roosevelt even more famous

Casualties

• 2500 Americans die, only 16% are battlefield casualties.

• MOST DIE FROM DISEASE.

Treaty of Paris, 1898• The US gets…

– Guam (unincorporated territory)

– The Philippines (unincorporated territory)

– Puerto Rico (unincorporated territory)

• Spain gets…– $20 Million

Cuba gets… INDEPENDENCE! (after the Platt Amendment)

Our new colonies…

• The Philippines (who had aided us vs. the Spanish) wanted independence.– Over 200k Filipinos

died fighting the US

• Puerto Rico was given gradual self control

Hawaii• Forced Annexation in 1898• Used for A Naval Base• Wanted access to their sugar cane

American Samoa

• Pago Pago harbor was used as a refueling station

• Set up Midway Island as a refueling station

China

• “Spheres of Influence”

• Open Door Policy (gives us access to China’s millions of consumers)