7.2 Spanish-American War

Spain’s Empire in 1800’s:Cuba, Philippines, and Guam

Cuba’s Independence• Cuba was a colony of Spain and

was mounting a uprising or war for independence.

• General Wehyler of Spain put down the uprising

• 300,000 Cubans go into concentration camps as punishment

• This simply inspired the Cubans even more to fight for independence

Cuban Insurgence

Cuba’s Independence • The U.S. was VERY interested in the uprising

because of the money invested in Cuban railroads and various plantations.

• These American investments were getting destroyed by Spanish soldiers.

• Over 200,000 Spanish troops were sent to Cuba to put down the rebellion.

• The Spanish general in charge was Valeriano Weyler.

• He quickly earned the nickname “The Butcher” because of his harsh treatment and policies.

American Involvement and Yellow Journalism

• The United States was unofficially neutral in the start of the conflict.• The New York Journal and the New York

World were spreading lies and half truths about the Cuban war for independence.• What led to most Americans supporting

the Cuban rebels was the yellow journalism.

Yellow JournalismA type of journalism that distorts and exaggerates the

news to create sensations and attract readers

William Randolph Hearst vs Joseph Pulitzer. New York Journal New York World

“You furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the war.”

William Randolph Hearst

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“Yellow Journalists”

• Make more $ if they keep you scared and interested

What?

Why?

•Newspaper created highly exaggerated stories

•Made Americans want war!

How did it lead to war?

Characteristics of Yellow Journalism

• Headlines in HUGE PRINT, often of minor news

• Many pictures, or imaginary drawings• use of faked interviews, misleading headlines,

and false information from so-called experts • dramatic sympathy with the "underdog"

against the system. • Emotional words and symbols; scare tactics

Does Yellow JournalismStill Exist?

America gets involved• President McKinley did not want to involve the U.S. in any

war with Spain.• McKinley sent the U.S. battleship Maine to Havana if any

American citizens were harmed.• February 15th 1898 the Maine went down in the harbor of

Havana Cuba.• This would trigger the Spanish American War.• 266 of the 354 crew died.• When the Maine was attacked, this signaled war for the

U.S.

U.S.S. Maine

1.What is most noticeable about the example? 2. How is this media making people feel? 3. How would this influence or change peoples mind?

The Spanish Perspective

Spanish American War• On April 23rd, 1898 Spain declared war on the United

States.• The U.S. had a better Navy plus better trained soldiers

than the Spanish forces.• On June 14th, 1898 about 17,000 troops landed in

Cuba.• The one thing America did not do was train troops fast

enough. Many troops got sick in the summer heat waiting for deployment.

Around the Same Time In the Pacific Ocean

• Admiral Dewey attacks a Spanish fleet at Manila Bay in the Philippines

• Taking the Philippines by land we tell the locals we are there to liberate them from the Spanish

• Dewey travels to Hong Kong to get Emilio Aguinaldo, and leader of the Phillipino independence movement

Fighting the Spanish on Opposite Ends of the Earth

• War on two fronts

Spanish American War • The Rough Riders were a group of soldiers

that helped to capture San Juan Hill which ultimately led to the end of the war.

• The commander was Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.

• On December 10th, 1898, the U.S. and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris.

• This allowed Cuba to become an independent country.

• The U.S. also gained Spanish territories of Puerto Rico and Guam.

• The U.S. also agreed to pay $20 million for the Philippines.

Charge of the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill

African American soldiers at San Juan Hill

Effects of the Spanish American War• US becomes an Imperialist Power• Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines become

colonies of the US (we pay 20 million)• Cuba gains its independence from Spain, but

becomes a US Protectorate– US will “protect” and partially control Cuba

• Philippine rebels wanting independence declare war on US

• War with the Philippines begins!

Music of the War

“I walked the floor of the White House night after night until midnight; and I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that I went down on my knees and prayed Almighty God for light and guidance more than one night. And one night it came to me in this way--.... (1) that we could not give [the Philippines] back to Spain--that would be cowardly and dishonorable; (2) that we could not turn them over to France or Germany--our commercial rivals in the Orient--that would be bad business and discredible...; ...that there was nothing left to do but take them all, and educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize them, and by God’s grace do the very best by them as our fellow-men for whom Christ also died. And then I went to bed, and went to sleep and slept soundly.”

Gen. Arthur MacArthurEmilio Aguinaldo

Filipino casualties

Philipino Casualties

The Water Cure"His sufferings must be that of a man who is drowning, but cannot

drown." -Lt. Grover Flint, Philippine-American War.

20 million bag

"I have been criticized a good deal about the Philippines," McKinley said, "but I don't deserve it. The truth is . . . they came to us as a gift from the gods."

"Congratulations," Andrew Carnegie wrote to a leading expansionist. "You seem to have about finished your work of civilizing the Filipinos. It is thought that about eight thousand of them have been completely civilized and sent to heaven. I hope you like it."

“Civilization begins at home”

A contemporary observer of the 1900 election campaign remarked:

“Democrats howling about Republicans shooting

negroes in the Philippines and the Republicans

objecting to Democrats shooting negroes in the

South. This may be good politics, but it is rough on the

negroes.”

-- The Philippines are US territory. Can the US give up its own territory?

-- If whites were “morally bound to abandon the Philippines, we were also morally bound to abandon Arizona to the Apaches.”

-- “The barbarian will only yield to force.”

ROOSEVELT’S ARGUEMENTS IN THE 1900 ELECTION CAMPAIGN:

Andrew Carnegie

Anti-Imperialist League

Mark Twain

"Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth into battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended in the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames in summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it -- For our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimmage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

The War Prayer– Mark Twain

USING GOD FOR WAR“Above all, we must love the Great Spirit: He is for us; He will destroy

our enemies, and make all his red children happy.” – Tecumseh

“I have benefited so greatly from the jihad in Afghanistan. So our experience in this jihad was great, by the grace of God, praise and glory be to Him.” – Osama Bin Laden

"God told me to strike at al Qaeda and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam [Hussein], which I did, and now I am

determined to solve the problem in the Middle East.” – George Bush

Bob Dylan“With God on Our Side”

• Oh my name it is nothin'My age it means lessThe country I come fromIs called the MidwestI's taught and brought up thereThe laws to abideAnd that land that I live inHas God on its side.

• Oh the history books tell itThey tell it so wellThe cavalries chargedThe Indians fellThe cavalries chargedThe Indians diedOh the country was youngWith God on its side.

• Oh the Spanish-AmericanWar had its dayAnd the Civil War tooWas soon laid awayAnd the names of the heroesI's made to memorizeWith guns in their handsAnd God on their side.

• Oh the First World War, boysIt closed out its fateThe reason for fightingI never got straightBut I learned to accept itAccept it with prideFor you don't count the deadWhen God's on your side.

• When the Second World WarCame to an endWe forgave the GermansAnd we were friendsThough they murdered six millionIn the ovens they friedThe Germans now tooHave God on their side.

• I've learned to hate RussiansAll through my whole lifeIf another war startsIt's them we must fightTo hate them and fear themTo run and to hideAnd accept it all bravelyWith God on my side.

• But now we got weaponsOf the chemical dustIf fire them we're forced toThen fire them we mustOne push of the buttonAnd a shot the world wideAnd you never ask questionsWhen God's on your side.

DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE SPANISH

AMERICAN WAR AND WAR AGAINST

THE PHILLIPINOS