American Interest in Cuba  In 1854 diplomats recommended to President Franklin Pierce that the U.S. buy Cuba from Spain  In 1860, Democrats called for the admission of Cuba to the Union as a slave state

Political Instability  From 1868 – 1878, Cubans fought their first war for independence  Failed to gain independence

Sugar Plantations  In 1884, tariffs were abolished on Cuban sugar, causing sugar production to skyrocket.  American capitalists had invested millions in large sugar cane plantations after  Cuba’s economy became dependent on sugar  The U.S. became Cuba’s main market.  High tariffs were restored in 1894, ruining Cuba’s economy.

Second War for Independence  Jose Marti, a Cuban poet, launched a revolution in  Cuban guerrillas destroyed American sugar plantations hoping to provoke U.S. intervention  The U.S. public was split on whether to get involved or not

Concentration Camps  Cuban General Valeriano Weyler Moved the entire rural population of central and western Cuba into concentration camps.  Approximately 300,000 people were imprisoned  Thousands died of disease and hunger

Yellow Journalism  Yellow Journalism – Reporting that exaggerates the news to lure new readers  William Randolph Hearst (New York Journal) and Joseph Pulitzer (New York World) printed exaggerated reports of Weyler’s brutality.  They said that wells were poisoned and children were fed to the sharks  American sympathy deepened

 Spanish authorities restricted the freedom of reporters and prevented them from entering combat areas.  Many reporters gathered in bars and made up reports of battles that never took place.

McKinley  William McKinley became president in 1897  McKinley tried diplomatic means to resolve the crisis in Cuba  Spain recalled General Weyler and offered Cuba limited self-government

The De Lome Letter  In February 1898, the New York Journal published a private letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome, the Spanish minister to the United States  The letter called McKinley “weak” and “a bidder for the admiration of the crowd.”  Theodore Roosevelt, assistant secretary of the navy, said McKinley had “no more backbone than a chocolate éclair”

The USS Maine  Early in 1898, McKinley had ordered the USS Maine to Cuba to protect American lives and property.  On February 15, 1898, the Maine exploded.  266 of the 350 men on board died.  A naval court of inquiry determined it was sunk by a Spanish mine

Yellow Journalists Cont.  Yellow journalists held Spain responsible  Hearst’s paper offered a $50,000 reward for the capture of the Spaniards who committed the outrage  “Remember the Maine!” became the rallying call for U.S. intervention in Cuba

War Breaks Out  On April 11, McKinley asked congress for authority to use force in Cuba.  After a week of debate, congress agreed.

The Philippines  The first battle of the war took place in the Philippines  In 1898 Roosevelt had ordered the Pacific fleet to sail for the Philippines  On May 1, George Dewey steamed into Manila Bay and destroyed the Spanish fleet.  Spain lost 381 men, the U.S. lost 1

Blockade  The U.S. blockaded Cuba

Untrained Troops  The U.S. army maintained a small professional army.  About 125,000 Americans volunteered to fight.  Training camps lacked the supplies and effective leaders to train troops properly.  Not enough modern guns to go around  Outfitted with wool uniforms that were unsuitable for Cuba’s tropical climate