Chapter 10 Section 2 The SpanishAmerican War Evangelina

Chapter 10: Section 2 The Spanish-American War

Evangelina Cisneros • New York Journal – staged the rescue of somebody they described as a beautiful, young Cuban girl, being held prisoner by the Spanish • done to attract readers to the controversy in Cuba

Displays of US Power • Chile (1891) – angry mob attacks a group of American sailors in Valparaíso • Brazil (1893) - rebellion threatens the friendly republican government; President Cleveland orders naval units to protect US shipping interests

• Venezuela / British Guiana (1895) – border dispute leads to America proposing arbitration (settlement of a dispute by a person or panel chosen to listen to both sides and come to a decision)

The Cuban Rebellion Begins • 1868 – Cubans begin fight • 1878 – rebellion collapses • José Martí – exiled leader, began preparing for a new revolution • 1895 – Cubans rebel against Spain

• El Carnicero “The Butcher” – General Valeriano Weyler put in charge of stopping rebellion – “reconcentration camps” – forces hundreds of thousands of Cubans into guarded camps • more than 200, 000 die from starvation and disease

• Cuban exiles in the US urged the US to intervene • guerrilla war – destroyed American property (railroads, sugar plantations, & mills) in Cuba hoping America would intervene

Raising Support • American support came from dramatic stories – William Randolph Hearst • New York World – Joseph Pulitzer • New York Journal

• yellow journalism – printed sensational headlines and stories to whip up favor for the rebels – jingoism – intense burst of national pride and the desire for an aggressive foreign policy • strengthened American sympathy for Cuban rebels

Steps to War • The de Lóme Letter – from Spanish ambassador Dupuy de Lóme, describing President Mc. Kinley as “weak and a bidder for the admiration of the crowd” – press had an opportunity to intensify anti. Spanish sentiments

Explosion of USS Maine • 266 dead of 354 • no one knows why it exploded – ammunition blew up – accidental fire ignited ammunition – mine detonated near the ship sparked the ammunition

• blamed it on Spain • jumped to conclusion that Spain blew up the USS Maine – Spain and US at War

Calling Out for War • President Mc. Kinley – tried negotiation • Spain – Cuba can be autonomous (right to own government) if they stay in the Spanish empire • Cuba – no deal, wanted full independence

• angry at Mc. Kinley for not going to war • Theodore Roosevelt – “[Mc. Kinley] has no more backbone than a chocolate éclair” • does eventually ask Congress for permission to use force to end the conflict in Cuba

• April 19 – Congress declares Cuba independent – demands Spain withdraw – authorizes president to use armed force if necessary • April 23 – Spain declares war on the US • first time in 50 years, US at war with another nation

• Congress – authorizes the president to spend $50 million for war preparations • “Remember the Maine!”

A War on Two Fronts • Problems for Spain – tropical disease – old warships – crews poorly trained • United States – more battleships – need to defeat Spain’s fleet

Preparing in the Philippines • could be a key base for the United States to protect Asian trade • Admiral George Dewey – told to attack the Spanish fleet in the Philippines if war broke out with Spain

“A Splendid Little War” • Dewey – launches a surprise attack on the Spanish ships in Manila Bay, destroying Spain’s entire Pacific Fleet in 7 hours • also seized Guam – another Spanish possession

American Forces Battle in Cuba • Navy – efficient mobilization • Army – poorly conducted – lacked resources – epidemics • more dead in training camps than in actual battle

• in Cuba, Spain’s Atlantic fleet was bottled up in Santiago Harbor • when attempting an escape, the US Navy sank or beached every Spanish ship

• “Rough Riders” – First Volunteer Cavalry – flamboyant mix of cowboys, miners, policemen, and college athletes – Colonel Leonard Wood – commander – Theodore Roosevelt – 2 nd in Command

• attacked – El Caney Village, San Juan Heights, San Juan Hill, Kettle Hill • 9 th and 10 th Cavalry – all black • 2, 500 Americans died – only 400 in battle • most from food poisoning, yellow fever, malaria, and inadequate medical care

• Santiago – surrendered 2 weeks later • Americans – occupied Puerto Rico • August 12, 1898 – Spain and US agree to a cease fire

The Treaty of Paris • signed with Spain in December 1898 • Spanish government recognizes Cuba’s independence • for a payment of $20 million, Spain also gave up the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Island of Guam – lands were not intended for eventual statehood

An American Empire is Born What to do with land? • Cuba – freedom • Guam & Puerto Rico – annexed by US • Philippines - ? ? ? – remain true to republican ideals or become more imperialistic

“And one night late it came to me this way … (1) that we could not give them back to Spain – that would be cowardly and dishonorable; (2) that we could not turn them over to France or Germany … that would be bad for business and discreditable; (3) that we could not leave them to themselves – they were unfit for self-government … and (4) that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them. ” - President William Mc. Kinley A Diplomatic History of the American People

The Debate Over Annexation • Supporters – economic and military benefits – naval base in Asia – stopover on way to China – large market for American goods – teach “less civilized” peoples how to live properly”

• Anti-Imperialists – included Andrew Carnegie, Jane Addams, Samuel Clemens, Samuel Gompers – believed imperialism violated American principles • decision islands would be annexed (Mc. Kinley)

Rebellion in the Philippines • Emilio Aguinaldo – called the American takeover a “violent and aggressive seizure” – launched a new guerrilla war • attacked American troops

• General Arthur Mac. Arthur – used tactics in the Philippines we had condemned Spain for using in Cuba – reconcentration camps

• William Howard Taft – first US civilian governor of the islands – reformed education, transportation, and health care – helped to reduce Filipino hostility • Aguinaldo captured & war ends • 1946 – Philippines granted independence

The Fate of Cuba • Teller Amendment – promised that the US would not annex Cuba • General Leonard Wood – in charge of a military government put in place in Cuba for three years • 1900 – Cuba authorized to start drafting their own constitution • US would only remove troops if Cubans included the Platt Amendment

• wanted to keep Cuba tied to the US Platt Amendment 1. Cuba could not make any treaty with another nations that would weaken its independence or allow another foreign power to gain territory in Cuba

2. Cuba had to allow the United States to buy or lease naval stations in Cuba 3. Cuba’s debts had to be kept low to prevent foreign countries from landing troops to enforce payment 4. the US would have the right to protect Cuban independence and keep order

• Cubans rejected amendment, but realized they were going to be forced to accept it • Platt Amendment – would continue to govern relations between the US and Cuba until it is repealed in 1934 • made Cuba an American protectorate

Governing Puerto Rico • Foraker Act – made Puerto Rico an unincorporated territory – not US citizens and had no constitutional rights – Congress – can pass whatever laws it wanted for the island • • granted a certain degree of self-government 1917 – Puerto Ricans made citizens 1947 – elects their own governor debate over status continues today

Annexation of Hawaii • Hawaii – leased Pearl Harbor to the US as a fueling and repair station for naval vessels • Queen Liliuokalani – opposed US control of the islands and sought to reduce the power of foreign merchants

• Sanford B. Dole – with the help of US Marines, removed the Queen from power and proclaimed Hawaii a republic – requested annexation to the US – 1898 – Congress approves annexation

Samoa • Polynesian Islands • negotiated a treaty offering protection in return for a lease on Samoa’s fine harbor at Pago • today the US still has jurisdiction over Western Samoa

An Open Door to China • huge population and vast markets of the Chinese became increasingly important • other countries were also interested in establishing spheres of influence (areas of economic and political control) – Russia, Germany, Britain, France, Japan

• Open Door Policy – US would have equal access to China’s millions of consumers • many Chinese resented the foreign influence – created the Righteous and Harmonious Fists (Boxers) and started a rebellion in the spring of 1900 • Secretary Hay – reaffirmed the ODP in his Open Door Notes – the US would work to preserve the ODP in China