The Spanish-American War

1. How was the United States connected to Cuba in the 1890s?

      Cuba had been a country of interest for Americans for many years prior to the 1890s. Because it was only 90 miles from the tip of Florida, many Americans believed it to be a natural extension of the US. During the 1890s it became a profitable source of trade for American businessmen. After the Cuban revolt against Spain ended the Americans poured investments over $50 million into Cuba and became the biggest purchaser of Cuban sugar.  The US removed tariffs making sugar cheap for Americans to buy. Both the US and the Cuban economies benefited and  the trade increased to $100 million. The depression of 1893, however, had a negative effect on both economies.  


2. What were the main reasons the United States intervened in Cuba? (i.e. went to war) Which reason do you believe was most important? Explain your answer.
 

     There were many causes which together led to the US intervention in Cuba.  Among them were: the role of the press in inflaming public opinion by reporting both facts and fiction regarding the war in order to sell newspapers; religious magazines and politicians with strong religious convictions who believed it was America’s duty to help those suffering abroad; sympathy for the Cuban war effort from the US black community because of the large black Cuban population; merchants who were alarmed that their trade had been reduced or stopped because of the conflict; and a letter from the Spanish ambassador which was published and in which he  sharply criticized the President, leading Americans to believe that their country had been insulted. However the most important was the attack on the U.S.S. Maine, a US warship making a courtesy call to Havana harbor. 260 US sailors were killed in an explosion which destroyed the battleship and the cry “Remember the Maine-to hell with Spain” became popular across the country, although there was no certainty that the Spanish government was responsible.  Because of this tragedy, McKinley came under increased pressure to enter the war from both the general public who were outraged by the “Maine” and businessmen who felt  a war victory  would create increased economic strength and stability for the US. If the US was victorious, it would control strategic ports enabling it to increase valuable trade with Asia.



3. Why were many African-Americans eager to serve in the Spanish-American War?
 

     Blacks faced continuing discrimination at home.  Military service was one of the few accepted ways that a black person in the US could advance, although even that was limited with blacks not permitted to become officers. Nonetheless, many blacks considered the war as an opportunity to raise the status of blacks in the US. They hoped that if they fought that they would gain an increased level of respect and that the levels of discrimination might be reduced.

4. How did racial attitudes at the turn of the century shape American peceptions of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines?

     

     The racial stereotypes of the day were applied not only to  African Americans in the US but also to the blacks and Asians who lived in Cuba, Puerto Rico , Guam and the Philippines. American leaders did not believe that these people could help with progress and did not think that they were capable of developing stable democracies.

5. Why did Emilio Aguinaldo feel that the United States supported his campaign for Filipino independence?

  

     Aguinaldo believed that the US supported his campaign for Filipino independence based on the help that he had received from the Commander of the Pacific Fleet, Commodore George Dewey. Dewey supplied them with rifles, ammunition and cannons. But Dewey did this not because he supported Filipino independence but because he viewed Aguinaldo’s troops as allies in the war against Spain. Although he was later criticized for his actions, Dewey remembered the help that the freed black slaves had given to the Union in defeating the Confederacy and realized that Aguinaldo’s troops could offer the same type of help to his campaign against Spain.

6. Why do you think the Spanish-American War was called "a splendid little war" by an American diplomat at the time? Do you think we could have a "splendid little war" today? Explain your answer.

     I believe that the Spanish – American War was referred to as “a splendid little war” because  it was extremely short in time and resulted in an overwhelming American victory. The American success restored a great deal of pride  in the US both in the country and the military.  The number of casualties was also relatively few and many people also believed that the US was now taking its rightful position as a world power.  No, I don’t believe that we could have the same type of war today.  Things are much more complicated in the world today and there are many more countries with military power or the ability to make things more complicated and difficult.  Whether it is  WW1, WW2, Vietnam, Afghanistan or Iraq,  wars since then have not been brief or without massive amounts of casualties.  With the exception of the World Wars, perhaps, the wars have not been considered something to be proud about and certainly none have been thought to be “splendid”.