spanish – american war - tipp city · ... 1898 spanish forces in cuba ... roosevelt’s rough...
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Revolts in the Philippines and Cuba
Guerilla forces fighting for Independence from Spain
Spain is unwilling to give up the colonies it has left
Spain concentrates Cuba’s population into cities
Disease, starvation, execution of rebels, destruction of infrastructure
Cuban rebels had mostly defeated the Spanish by 1897
CAUSES
Yellow Journalism
Hearst and Pulitzer exaggerate the atrocities being committed in Cuba by the Spanish to sway public opinion in favor of intervention
CAUSES
Imperialism
Cuba negotiates for US intervention
US eyes the opportunity for new markets and raw materials
US Demonstrates military strength
CAUSES
USS Maine
Battleship in Havana Harbor
Feb 15, 1898 – explosion sank the ship
266 US Sailors died
Controversy
-Spanish mines, Dynamite – fire in a coal bin
Hearst and Pulitzer propagandized the event
“Destruction of the War Ship Maine was the Work of the Enemy!” – New York Journal
CAUSES
de Lome Letter
Written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome
Addressed to friend in Cuba and stolen from mail
Offended Americans
Called President McKinley “weak and catering to the rabble and, besides, a low politician”
Intensified Anti-Spanish feelings
CAUSES
President McKinley does not want war – too costly
Asked Spain if the US could help negotiate an end to the conflict
Spain told Cuba they could have their own government but must remain part of Spanish empire
Cuba says No!
Calls for War
After the USS Maine explodes McKinley goes to Congress
Congress authorizes $50 million for war preparations
Republican party pressures McKinley into war
April 19, 1898 Congress proclaimed Cuba independent and demanded Spain withdraw from Cuba
April 24- Spain declares war on the US
Calls for War
Battle of Manila Bay May 1 1898 – Naval battle between US and
Spanish navies in Manila Bay of the Philippines
US forces led by Commodore George Dewey aboard the USS Olympia defeats the Spanish
Casualties: US – 9 wounded Spanish – 161 dead, 210 wounded
3 Spanish ships sunk
Battle of Las Guasimas
First battle of the Cuban campaign
Spanish army was entrenched at Las Guasimas
Rough Riders and Buffalo Soldiers were ordered to remove the Spanish from their entrenchments
Spanish forces pepper US troops with gunfire and retreat in the direction of Santiago
Casualties: US – 16 killed, 54 wounded Spanish – 10 killed, 24 wounded
Battle of El Caney and San Juan Hill
July 1, 1898 San Juan Hill
800 Spanish soldiers were entrenched on San Juan Hill just outside Santiago
15,000 US soldiers lead an assault on San Juan Hill on their way to Santiago
Rough Riders under the cover of the Buffalo Soldiers take Kettle Hill next to San Juan Hill
Rest of American forces take San Juan Hill after a bloody conflict
US forces suffer 3 times the losses of the Spanish US – 124 dead, 817 wounded
Spanish – 58 dead, 178 wounded, 39 captured
Battle of El Caney and San Juan Hill
July 1, 1898 El Caney
Spanish forces were ordered to slow the American advance on San Juan Hill and Santiago
Spanish held 8,000 Americans for over 12 hours
Casualties: US – 81 dead, 360 wounded Spanish – 38 dead, 138 wounded, 130 captured
Siege of Santiago
July 3, 1898 Last major battle in the Cuban campaign
US begins the siege using artillery and cutting off supplies
July 4, 1898 A cease fire was enacted to evacuate 20,000
citizens from Santiago
July 17, 1898 Spanish forces in Cuba surrender to the US
The Soldiers
The average soldier in the Spanish-American War had the following characteristics
Height – 67.5 inches
Weight – 147 pounds
Age – 27 years
The Rough Riders 1st US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
Roosevelt’s Rough Riders Theodore Roosevelt resigned as Secretary of the
Navy and volunteered in the army, serves as a Lt. Colonel
Commanded by Colonel Leonard Wood
Ranch hands, Ivy League athletes, cowboys, policemen, and east-coast polo players
Most were recruited by Roosevelt Official strength was just over 1,000 men
The Rough Riders Trained in San Antonio, Texas before
deployment Rigorous training for a month at Camp Wood
Deployed to Cuba on June 22, 1898 from Tampa
First action at the Battle of Las Guasimas Outnumbered and forced a retreat of Spanish Troops
Most known for the Battle of San Juan Hill Suffered a casualty rate of 37% during the
war Most due to malaria, including Roosevelt
Buffalo Soldiers African American soldiers of the US 10th Calvary
Regiment Eventually included US 9th Calvary, 24th Calvary, and 25th Calvary
Formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
First peacetime all-black regiment Origin of the nickname
Hair of the troops resembled the mane of the buffalo Fought with the ferocity, strength, and stamina of the buffalo
Fought in the “Indian Wars” prior to service in Spanish-American War
Participated with the Rough Riders in the Battle of San Juan Hill
Earned 5 Medals of Honor during the Spanish-American War
Treaty of Paris
Cuba = Independence
Spain gives US Guam and Puerto Rico
Philippines????
An American Empire
Annexation
Support – economic and military benefits
US would have another Pacific naval base, a stopover on the way to China
Large market for US goods
America had duty to help “less civilized”
An American Empire
Annexation
Not everyone supported
William Jennings Bryan (Populist Party), Andrew Carnegie (Social Gospel), Jane Addams (Hull House), Samuel Clemens (writer, Mark Twain), Samuel Gompers (AFL)
Cost outweighed benefits
An American Empire
Annexation
Not everyone supported
Competition of cheap labor in Philippines would drive down labor
McKinley ultimately decides to annex Philippines
An American Empire
Dec 10, 1898
Cuba – independent
US has Puerto Rico and Guam
US pays Spain $20 million for Philippines
Treaty of Paris
Cuba could not make treaties with other countries that would weaken its independence
Cuba had to allow US to use naval bases in Cuba
Cuba had to keep debts low so foreign countries would not want land as a payment
US had right to intervene to protect Cuba’s independence
Stayed in effect until 1934
Platt Amendment
Foraker Act
Elected legislature
Governor and executive council appointed by the President
Puerto Ricans were not US Citizens so did not have US citizen’s rights
1917 granted Puerto Ricans American citizenship
1947 Puerto Ricans elect their own governor
Puerto Rico still a governing commonwealth of the US
Puerto Rico
Philippines viewed the US annexation as “violent and aggressive seizure”
Philippine-American War – Filipinos were unhappy and attacked Americans
4300 American soldiers died
50,000-200,000 Filipino soldiers died
Rebellion in Philippines
Americans used many tactics against Filipino forces as they condemned Spain for using in Cuba
Reconcentration Camps
Rebellion in Philippines
William Howard Taft was a civilian governor of the Philippines
Tried to win the people over with:
Improved Education
Transportation
Health Care – reduced cholera and smallpox
Railroads
Bridges
Rebellion in Philippines