The Splendid Little War

Expansion and Imperialism Before 1898, America had become involved in expansion in Latin America and the Pacific. When countries of Latin America broke off from Spain, America developed “business interests” there. In the Pacific, American businesses sought to establish hand-holds on the way to China and Japan.

Spanish Territory Spain retained very little of its former empire in 1898. Many Spanish wanted to retain the Philippines, Guam, Cuba, and Puerto Rico for their own value. Others sought to keep them to cling to Spain’s waning imperial glory.

Cuba At least as far back as Jefferson, Americans had been interested in obtaining Cuba. -”Logical Boundary.” Jefferson, Calhoun, JQA. -Slave State filibuster expedition, Narciso Lopez, 1851. -Ostend Manifesto, 1854. By the 1890s, 90% of Cuban exports came to the US; American investors owned much of the island.

Cuba American tariff on Cuba in 1894 (pushed by the American Sugar Trust) destroyed the island’s economy. Cuban revolutionaries living in exile led by Jose Marti saw their chance. Marti invaded, burned fields, attacked Spanish soldiers. Spanish government responded with concentration camps, imprisoning rebels.

Cuba McKinley inaugurated in 1897, said he wanted Spain out of Cuba. Americans sided with the rebels, led by the media (Hearst and Pulitzer). Fake News about Spanish atrocities in Cuba. Marti was cautious of US Support “To change masters is not to be free.” Spain was cautious of a war with the US – but public opinion on both sides became more belligerent.

Cuba February 1898 – USS Maine explosion kills 200 sailors in Havana. Americans convinced Spain did it without an investigation. Congress declared war without McKinley asking for it.

Invasion of Cuba and Puerto Rico Secretary of Navy Roosevelt resigned to lead troops in battle – took San Juan Hill with African American soldiers. In 4 months, 345 American killed while 5,000 died of disease. Once conquered in July, McKinley ordered the capture of Puerto Rico – they welcomed the overthrow of Spain and did not have a strong independence movement.

Philippines McKinley ordered the US fleet to attack the Philippines. Six ships under Admiral George Dewey quickly sank the Spanish fleet at Manila on May 1st. The US fleet also captured a Spanish garrison on Guam and took that over too, as well as the uninhabited Wake Island atoll.

Peace August 1898 Spain asks for peace. Declaration of War had included the Teller Amendment – America could not permanently annex Cuba. In the 1898 Treaty of Paris (yes, again) Spain ceded control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, to the US in exchange for $20 million. The US promised eventual independence for Cuba.

Occupying the PHilippines McKinley did everything he could to maximize US involvement with Cuba, including a perpetual lease on Guantanamo Bay. President McKinley planned to keep the Philippines, “educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them.” We could not give them back to Spain or another country, and they were unfit for self- government.

Occupying the Philippines The Philippines were already Catholic, and didn’t want to be annexed by the United States. McKinley let Protestant missionaries have free reign over the country. A revolt against the Spanish had already been underway when America attacked, and an interim Filipino government had already been set up. Their leader, Emilio Agunaldo, led a revolt against the United States.

Occupying the Philippines Between 1898 and 1902, thousands were killed in the fighting, and hundreds of thousands died from disease, hunger, and other war-related causes. The antiwar effort grew out of the Anti-Imperialist League based in Boston. Andrew Carnegie offered to buy the islands and grant them independence. Labor leaders, former abolitionists, capitalists and industrialists, even authors like Mark Twain and Booker T. Washington joined anti-imperialist movements.

Occupying the PHilippines Anti-imperialists said that “the Constitution follows the flag,” and that conquered peoples ought to have American rights and liberties. The Supreme Court disagreed – in a series of 5-4 decisions they held that the Philippines and Puerto Rico were territories, and not future states. The people were subjects, and not citizens. By 1901, the leader of the rebellion had been captured, and a truce was signed. American soldiers would stay until the beginning of WWII, when the Japanese invaded.