American Imperialism In Cuba Essay

Cuba “held an economical potential that attracted American business interests and a strategic significance for any Central American canal” (Goldfield, Abbott and Anderson, p 638). Cuban rebellion “erupted again in 1895 in a classic guerrilla war… [and] American economic interests were seriously affected” (book pg638). The Spaniards started confining the locals to concentration camps “where tens of thousands died of starvation and disease” (book pg 638). This gained a lot of publicity throughout America as journalist’s were reporting the harsh treatment, which helped persuade our nation to intervene. Furthermore, this led to growing tension between Spain and

Tensions between Spain and Cuba had already commenced; Spain had controlled Cuba through its means of imperialism. With Cubans causing a fight for its independence, the Spanish military would round up Cubans and place them in camps. Territorial expansion

economic growth comes from agriculture and exports to and from Europe. Since America has had an embargo on Cuba since 1962 neither countries trade with each other because of many disagreements about governing techniques and Fidel's unwillingness to comply with U.S. instructions. Cuba’s long history and culture has contributed to many economic and social growth through out the world, but Cuba is still struggling to try to stable their economy.

The Spanish-American war consisted of a series of influential battles that pitted America and many of Spain’s colonies against Spanish rule, and ended with Spain losing its colonies and America gaining control over more and more land. In 1898, America joined a war being pit against Spain to force the Spanish to relinquish all control of their colonies, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. This same war ended only a few months later, with Spain suffering huge losses and America gaining money and territories. The Spanish American war could be split into three main points of interest: How and why the Spanish American war started, The battles of Manila, Santiago de Cuba, Asomante, and Las Guasimas ( And the Rough Riders) , and the aftermath of the war. One of the most interesting territories was Cuba. Although the Spanish american war was not a long and costly war, it changed many people's lives indefinitely.

The Cuban people were in need of dire help, their citizens dying on the streets and in concentration camps. The U.S looked from afar, debating whether it was the right thing to do to get involved in a foreign conflict. Despite the majority of Americans wanting to go to war and defend the rights of the Cuban people, whether it was opinion conceived from yellow journalism, political influences or just a humanitarian responsibility, McKinley did not want any part in this war and he fought barrier after barrier to resolve the matter peacefully. When the extensive negotiations failed with the prideful Spanish, and after the Maine sinking, the De Lôme Letter, and increasing political and social pressure, McKinley finally saw no other way to resolve this matter than by war. Kagan believes that McKinley entered this war on an agenda of helping the Cuban people with their independence from Spain and stopping the brutal concentration camps and cruel policies of Weyler and the Spanish. Although I agree with this, I also believe that a secondary motive of wanting to get involved was because Cuba had many “negro” leaders and people living on the island. Politicians didn’t want colored people taking charge of the country so they deemed them unfit to govern themselves as Kagan puts it “[Cuban people] were unfit for democracy and incapable of establishing a stable and reliable

In 1895 Cuba rebelled against Spain to declare their independence. Americans were outraged with the Spanish after they had killed off a quarter of the Cuban population. Newspapers flooded with propaganda and pressure for the U.S. to intervene and help the Cuban revolution. Americans felt that it was there duty to help Cuba and freeing them from Spain’s control. Not only did they feel it was the humanitarian thing to do but the Cuban rebellion also damaged American business in Cuba.

This happened when Cuba revolted against Spain. Then the United States planters supported it because they had sugar plantations there. This led to the Spanish-American War.

The Cuba Policy came into effect to end all relations between the United States and Cuba. The U.S. policy toward Cuba is controlled by the embargo, which contains economic agreements and restrictions on travel to Cuba. The effect of this policy is to minimize commercial, political and resident relations between the United States and Cuba. The State Department indicated that the purpose of the embargo was to have a nonviolent transition to a secure, democratic form of government and respect for human rights in Cuba.

To encourage a war, in the hopes of selling more newspapers, publishers wrote articles about Spain treating the Cubans bad even if they weren’t true stories. Americans wanted to support Cuban independence when Cuba rebelled against Spain. US declared war against Spain lasting only four months, American ships quickly defeated the Spanish Navy in the waters off of Cuba. American troops remained in Cuba after the war to insure Cuba’s independence from Spain while also simultaneously limiting its independence from the US. The United States had also declared the right to intervene with Cuban government.

On April 25, 1898, the United States announced war on Spain takes after the submerging of the warship Maine in Havana port on February 15, 1898.The American entered into this war because neither of the quest for freedom nor internal conflicts, but because it wanted to expand its territories and the need to spread American control in the Caribbean and Philippines. One of the reasons that forced the U.S to enter into this war was Yellow Journalism. According to (Mosse 167) William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, who were journalists and covered the atrocities that the Spanish people were doing to the Cubans, reported to the public the progress in Cuba. This action compelled the public to pressurize the government to make plans to free Cubans from this oppressive slavery. One of the stories that were conveyed in this their daily paper was the activities of General Weyler. He assembled rebels to the Spanish rule in Cuba by taking them to camps where they were starved, and others died of various diseases. This action angered the U.S government.

In the early 1900’s, Cuba was a stomping ground for many of the rich and famous from the United States. Many famous movies stars and wealthy business entrepreneurs spend their vacations there along with a substantial amount of money. Trade and commerce between the United States and Cuba flowed freely and abundantly. Even with the Dictatorship-like regime of Batista, the countries benefited from the economic trade between them. This was all about to come crashing down as revolts against Batista occurred and Fidel Castro came to power within Cuba.

From the time, Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba tensions ran high between the Cuban government and the United States government. Relations between Cuba and the United States grew during Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. Not as much during the Eisenhower administration as the Kennedy administration did tensions between between the two countries intensify. Kennedy faced many a different situations as President. He faced such situations like the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Tensions have mounted high for a long time between Cuba and the United States.

Around the late 1800s, Spain was having a hard time with preventing Cuban’s from fighting for their independence. The revolts led Spain to send over General Valeriano Weyler, to put a stop to the protests. Consequently, he had anyone suspected of supporting independence, removed from the general population, and sent to concentration camps. Newspaper publishers, William R. Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, gave the word out to the American people, with the use of a little Yellow journalism--journalism based upon sensationalism and crude exaggeration, in an attempt to create disgust towards the Spanish government's actions. The American people, with their moral beliefs, and pride in their military might, decided to put into action the long-dormant

expanding it boarders in the early and mid 1800’s. Throughout the world in the 1880’s there was a large need for countries to gain places where they could get natural resources. Almost every Western European Nation was in need to imperialize. Examples of this were the scramble for Africa, and the spheres of influence. The cartoonist Thomas Nast depicts this in his cartoon “The worlds plunder” which appeared in Harper’s weekly in 1885. America’s need to I imperialize was similar to that of Europe. The way the U.S. went about gaining markets was no different then what they had done before to gain land. The U.S. looked to fighting to gain land and when they saw the Cubans wanted independence from Spain the U.S. looked to help Cuba to get land in return. Throughout the war there was yellow journalism to gain support from the American population. Also when the USS Maine got bombed the American immediately blamed it on Spain. Years later it was found the explosion happened internally and Spain couldn’t have bombed it. The U.S. easily defeats Spain and in return for helping Cuba the U.S. gained Puerto Rico, The Philippines, and Guam. After Cuba Got there independence the U.S. wanted to keep their influence in Cuba so they passed the Platt amendment which made Cuba a protectorate and gave the U.S. a naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It also would not let Cuba Make a treaty Without The U.S. The U.S. Justifies their actions for helping Cuba and gaining

In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on what is now Bariay, Holguin province. He claimed this piece of land for Spain and originally named it Isla Juana after the Prince of Asturias, Juan. In the mid-16th century an outbreak of measles wiped out two-thirds of the natives, which most of them had survived the outbreak of smallpox previously. In the 19th century Cuba’s people were slaves, outraged slaves began to rebel with the intention to win independence from the Spanish. In April of 1898 Spain and Cuba went to war with Americas involvement which resulted in the Treaty of Paris in August of 1898 where Spain ceded Puerto Rico, Philippines, Cuba, and Guam. On May 20, 1902 The United States of America allowed Cuba to gain its independence. The newly written constitution stated that the United States retained the right to intervene in Cuba’s affairs. In 1933 the Sergeants’ revolt occurred. Leader of the revolt, Sergeant Fulgencio Batista overthrew Cespedes. After Cespedes was overthrown Ramon Grau San Martin was named as provisional president, but in 1934 he resigned leaving Batista the presidency. Eventually Cuban natives were unsatisfied with the way Batista ran the country; exiled in 1959 Batista fled to Portugal. Eventually Fidel Castro took over and converted the country to communism, which led Cuba into the best and the worst of times.