Transcript “The Splendid Little War” The Spanish American War

“The Splendid Little War”
The Spanish American War
Topic 3.6
The Monroe Doctrine – 1823
1) The United States would not get involved in European affairs.
2) The United States would not interfere with existing European
colonies in the Western Hemisphere.
3) No other nation could form a new colony in the Western
Hemisphere.
4) If a European nation tried to control or interfere with a nation in
the Western Hemisphere, the United States would view it as a
hostile act against this nation
• *In 1823, the U.S. was not powerful enough to enforce Monroe's
proclamation. Outside the United States, the "doctrine" went mostly
unnoticed.
• In the early 1900s, the U.S. emerged as a world power and the
Monroe Doctrine became the foundation of U.S. foreign policy
Displays of power
1. Chilean mob attacked a group of American sailors on
shore leave
• They killed two Americans and injured seventeen
others
• U.S. Government reacted
– pay 75,000 to the families of the soldiers
2. Rebellion threatened the friendly republican
government of Brazil
• President Cleveland ordered naval units to Rio de
Janeiro to protect U.S. shipping interest
• The show of force broke the rebellion
Displays of power
• 3rd and most important
• U.S. confronts nation considered the most powerful in
the world!!!! Great Britain
• Great Britain and Venezuela disputed ownership of
territory located at the border between Venezuela and
British Guiana
• Rumors of mineral wealth
Displays of power
• July 1895-President Cleveland’s secretary of stateRichard Olney
– Demanded Britain acknowledge the Monroe Doctrine and
submit dispute to arbitration
– Arbitration-the settlement of a dispute by a person or
panel chosen to listen to both sides and come to a
decision
• Eventually Britain backed down and agreed to
arbitration
• All of these actions reaffirmed the Monroe
Doctrine
Causes
-The Cubans rebel against
their Spanish colonial
masters
-By 1897 American
entrepreneurs had
invested $50 million in
sugar cane plantations
and other ventures in
Cuba
The Cuban Rebellion
• 1895-Economy collapsed Cubans
rebelled again
• José Martí launched a war for
independence from Spain
• Rebel fighters used guerilla tactics
• Spain-150,000 troops and general
Valeriano Weyler
• Cuban peasants vs. The Spanish
Empire
• Rebels destroyed U.S. sugar
plantations
– Business owners put pressure on
U.S. government to act
The Cuban Rebellion
• Instituted the reconcentration
policy
• Forced hundreds of thousands of
Cubans into Guarded camps
• Including Women, children,
elderly,
• Little food or sanitation
• Over 2 years disease and
starvation killed an estimated
200,000 Cubans
Valeriano Weyler
American press “Butcher
Weyler!”
Yellow Journalism and the Spanish
American War
• William Randolph Hearst-New York Journal
• Joseph Pulitzer-New York World
• Intense competition for readers!! (increase
circulation)
• Both took advantage of horrifying stories
coming from Cuba
– Butcher Weyler and his barbed-wire
concentration camps
• Yellow Journalism/yellow press- Sensational
news coverage, emphasizing crime and
scandal
Yellow Press and the Spanish American
War
• This yellow journalism
(yellow press) stirred up
American public opinion
in favor of the rebels
• Jingoism-Intense burst
of national pride and
the desire for an
aggressive foreign
policy
Yellow Press and the Spanish American
War
• The Spanish-American War is
often referred to as the first
"media war."
• During the 1890s, journalism
that sensationalized—and
sometimes even made up—
dramatic events was a
powerful force that helped
propel the United States into
war with Spain.
William Randolph Hearst
Joseph Pulitzer
The term yellow journalism came from a popular New York World
comic called "Hogan's Alley," which featured a yellow-dressed
character named the "the yellow kid." Hearst copied Pulitzer's
sensationalist style and hired "Hogan's Alley" artist R.F. Outcault
away from Pulitzer.
In response, Pulitzer commissioned another cartoonist to create a
second yellow kid. Soon, the sensationalist press of the 1890s
became a competition between the "yellow kids," and the
journalistic style was coined "yellow journalism."
Fueled by the new “mass media” President McKinley calls
upon Spain to seek peace with the rebels in Cuba. Spain
makes a few moves and offers some reforms. However,
the rebels want full independence.
McKinley orders the battleship MAINE to Havana harbor to
“protect U.S. citizens and U.S. interests”
The De Lome Letter
• 1898-U.S. newspapers
published a letter stolen
from the Spanish
ambassador (Enrique
Dupuy de Lome)
• Called President
William McKinley weak
and a stupid politician
• Angers the American
Public
Explosion of the USS Maine
• U.S.S. Maine Stationed in
Havana Cuba
• Six days after the letter
(February 15 1898)
• Explosion sank the U.S.S.
Maine
• Killing more than 250
American sailors
Explosion of the USS Maine
• The newspapers
jumped at the
chance to cover
the explosion and
stir up more bitter
feelings towards
Spain (Yellow
Journalism)
• Enraged American
public called for
war
The Last Straws
• Philippines-another one of
Spain’s territories was
rebelling
• Ultimate goal to get to China
(Asia) for new markets!!
• Places like the Philippinesstepping stones to these
markets
• Philippines could become a
key base from which the
Unites States could protect
Asian trade
The Last Straws
• Roosevelt tells the US Navy to
prepare for war (without
permission)
• While his boss (Secretary of the
Navy) was out of the office
• Cabled naval commanders in
the pacific to prepare for military
action against Spain
• President McKinley finds out orders most to withdraw
• One exception-Admiral George
Dewey
– Told to attack the Spanish fleet in
the Philippines if war breaks out
Theodore Roosevelt (Assistant
Secretary of the Navy)
The Last Straws
• McKinley could not
resist growing cries for
war April 22, 1898
president McKinley
announced a blockade
of Cuba’s northern
coast and the port of
Santiago
– Under international law
this was an act of war
• War begins!!!!!
The Teller Amendment to the War Declaration
•The Teller Amendment states that the U.S. can
only get involved with Cuba in regards to
smoothing over conflict and helping them with
stability. Once their duty of preservation is over,
the United States must relinquish control and
allow Cuba to be governed by its people.
•The Teller Amendment simply ensured that the
United States could not permanently acquire
Cuba.
Naval Actions
• May 1, 1898-In the
Philippines
• Admiral Dewey
launched a surprise
attack on Spanish
ships in Manila Bay
• Destroying Spain’s
entire Pacific fleet
Emilio Aguinaldo
• In 1898, the United States supported Filipino
general Emilio Aguinaldo in his efforts against
the Spanish colonial government. Once Filipino
forces expelled the Spanish colonial
government, Aguinaldo appointed himself the
new leader of the Philippines.
• However…after the Spanish American War
ends…
• When the United States refused to recognize
his authority and instead sent troops to occupy
the islands, the Philippine Republic under
Aguinaldo's leadership declared war on the
United States.
Naval Actions
• Meanwhile….
• U.S. navy blockaded
the Spanish navy at
Santiago (Cuba)
• On July 3rd Spanish
fleet tried to escape
Santiago harbor
• U.S. Navy sank every
Spanish ship
Land Actions
• U.S.
troops
gathered
in Tampa,
Florida to
prepare for
invasion of
Cuba
Land Actions
• Roosevelt quit the Navy
Department soon after war
was declared
• Ordered a custom fitted
uniform
• Rushed to help organize a
volunteer regiment
– Ivy League athletes
– Indians
– Southwestern sharpshooters
The Rough Riders!
Land Actions
• Roosevelt and
the Rough
Riders led attack
Kettle and San
Juan Hill
• Made Teddy
Roosevelt even
more famous!!
Casualties
• About 3000
Americans die,
only about 400 are
battlefield
casualties.
• MOST DIE FROM
DISEASE.
• Malaria and yellow
fever
• Spanish Government
recognized Cuba’s
independence
• The U.S. gets…
– Guam
(unincorporated
territory)
– The Philippines
(unincorporated
territory)
– Puerto Rico
(unincorporated
territory)
– Unincorporated
territory-not intended
for eventual statehood
• Spain gets…
– $20 Million
Treaty of Paris,
December 1898
Cuba
• American involvement did not end with the
victory over Spain
• President McKinley installed a military
government
– Remained in power for 3 years
• Organized a school system and restored
economic stability
• 1900 U.S. military government-Cubans begin
to draft a constitution
• U.S. government agreed to remove its troops
if Cubans included Platt Amendment
– Cuban government could not enter any foreign
agreements
– Must allow U.S. to establish naval bases
– Must give U.S. right to intervene whenever
necessary
• Platt Amendment remained until 1934
Cuba gets… INDEPENDENCE!
(after the Platt Amendment)
Our new colonies…
The Philippines
•President McKinley
– Unfit for self-government
– If we don’t act first others will (European powers)
•The Philippines (who had aided us vs. the Spanish)
wanted independence.
– Mounting tensions between rebel forces and American
soldiers
– Erupted into war
– Over 200,000 Filipinos (rebels) died fighting the U.S.
•Bitter war
•Occasional fighting continued for years
•Gained independence until 1946
Our new colonies…
Puerto Rico
• U.S. Military government
• Passage of Foraker Act in 1900
– U.S. removed military control
– Established a civil government (still under U.S. control)
• Given gradual self control and more freedom to
Puerto Rican people
• Jones Act 1917- granted American citizenship
• Could now elect their own local legislatures
– U.S. could still appoint key officials (governor)
American Samoa
• 1878 U.S. negotiated
a treaty with Samoa
– Protection for access to
harbor at Pago Pago
• 1899-Divided between
the United States,
Germany, and Britain
• Pago Pago harbor
was used as a
refueling station
• Set up Midway Island
as a refueling station
Hawaii
• Wanted access to their sugar cane
• Used for A Naval Base
• Sanford Ballard Dole-wanted US military intervention in
Hawaii Overthrow Queen Lilliuokalani
• Provisional American Government (U.S. control but not
annexed)
• Forced Annexation in 1898
• President McKinley appointed Dole first governor of the
territory