Cuban Revolutionary War

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

America’s support for the ongoing struggle by Cubans and Filipinos against Spanish rule and the explosion of the battleship U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor are the major influences that led to the Spanish-American War. The Spanish-American War was a conflict between Spain and the United States in 1898. As Cuba was controlled by territorial expansion by the Spanish, Cubans fight for independence from Spain will arise. Cubans fight for Independence from Spain is what brought the U.S to intervene.

There were a plethora of important events that took place that prompted the beginning of The Spanish American war. The war was officially started in 1898, bringing joy to the citizens of America and dismay to then president William Mckinley. Before the war, Cuba had been fighting for independence from Spain. The Cuban’s had already lost in the ten year war earlier, which had been fought to gain their independence from Spain. In the state's, newspapers and other media sources were greatly exaggerating the horrors and atrocities being

     While all of these political jobs we¹re going on for Theodore Roosevelt there were some serious problems going on down in Cuba. At that time Cuba was owned by Spain, and at the end of the 1890¹s people in the united states started reading horrible stories in the newspapers about how the Spaniards were treating the people down in Cuba. The united states decided to stay neutral until February 15, 1898 when the ³USS Maine,² a battleship that was docked in Havana exploded, killing over 250 soldiers and marines. about two months later the united states declared war on Spain, starting the Spanish-american .

The Spanish-American War in 1898 represented what many historians describe as a shift in American foreign policy. The war, perhaps more appropriately called the Spanish-Cuban-American War, occurred in 1898 due to tensions between the Cuban colony and Spain. When War broke out between Spain and Cuba in 1895, Americans rallied behind the idea of Cuba’s right to self-determination and the sentiment of “Cuba Libre!” After the unexplained sinking of the USS Maine, which was sent to Havana harbor to protect American business interests in Cuba, President McKinley asked Congress to declare war against Spain. The war lasted from April to August 1898 and ended with the Spanish defeat at the 1898 Treaty of Paris, largely due to the Cuban efforts before the United States entered the war. The United States had been, until this point in history, a relatively isolated nation in contrast to the imperialist European powers. Following the defeat of the Spanish, the United States annexed Puerto Rico and the Philippines and demanded the passing of the Platt Amendment to the Cuban Constitution to insure American political oversight of Cuban foreign policy. The 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, henceforth referred to as the Rough Riders, was the volunteer regiment for which former Assistant Secretary of the Navy and future President Theodore Roosevelt served as Lieutenant Colonel. The Rough Riders were one of the volunteer regiments called

The diifficult Spanish Caribbean fleet under Adm. Pascual Cervera was located in Santiago harbour in Cuba by U.S. reconnaissance (history.com). An army of regular troops and volunteers under Gen. William Shaft, and including Theodore Roosevelt and his 1st Volunteer Cavalry, the “Rough Riders”, landed on the coast east of Santiago and slowly advanced on the city in an effort to force Cervera’s fleet out of the harbour (history.com). Cervera led his squadron out of Santiago on July 3 and tried to escape westward along the coast. In the occuring battle all of his ships came under heavy fire from U.S. guns and were beached in a burning or sinking condition. Santiago surrendered to Shafter on July 17, effectively ending the war.

On May 15, Theodore Roosevelt began training the famous Rough Riders for battles in Cuba, which brought him the fame that made him vice president in 1901 and then president on September 13 . In Washington, President McKinley received the news of the great battle. However, the battle of Manila did not end the war. 100 miles off the US coast is where Spanish held Cuba, by a substantial army, and hostile to American interests there. No naval force could impose on Cuba, and in order to force the Spanish out, a full scale invasion would have to be mounted.

In the early months of 1898, fundamental events took place in fairly rapid succession that led up to the Spanish American War and in turn the Battle for San Juan Heights. Together, these events solidified U.S. public opinion towards the U.S. involvement in a war to liberate Cuba from Spanish rule. A war some saw as a necessity to end the appalling conditions on an island so close to the American mainland. Some American officials including the U.S. Consul-general in Havana, Fitzhugh Lee, believed that it was only a matter of time before Cuba would be annexed by United States. (The Spanish-American War: American Wars and the Media in Primary Document, W. Joseph Campbell 2005).

American ships were sent over to Cuba, where they blockaded the Spanish fleet. American soldiers would have to be sent in behind the Spanish to flank them and force them out. 17,000 American soldiers were landed near Santiago, and the fighting commenced from there. Colonel Roosevelt and his Rough Riders fiercely attacked the enemies, pushing them back. They were closing in on Santiago, which forced Santiago and his fleet to flee the harbor and into the Blockade of superior American warships that were waiting for them. Santiago surrendered shortly after.

In 1895, a journalist and poet Jose Marti ignited a spark in Cuba launching Cuba’s second fight for independence. To control the rebellion Spain sends General Valeriano Weyler to Cuba. General Weyler scheme to smother the revolt was to force citizens into concentration camps where citizens couldn’t aid in the rebellion. Around 30,000 citizens were forced into camps and thousands died due to disease and malnutrition.

In the wake of 1896, it was clear Spain had endured failure during the Cuban Rebellion. The Spanish and their leader, General Valeriano Weyler, had to come up with a way to take back control of their colony which the Cubans had seem to overtake. General Weyler was a cruel unjust individual who had mischievous ways of how he envisioned on taking back the control of his colony. General Weyler convinced a large segregation of Cubans to live in Concentration camp, claiming it was for their protection. What the Cubans did not know was that they going to endure torture and pain until the end of their life. With a reconcentration policy enforced by General Weyler, Cubans had to report to the camps within a certain amount of days, or else they would

Rough Riders Spanish-American War, war waged against Spain by the United States in 1898, to free Cuba from Spanish rule. The war grew out of the Cuba s struggle for independence. A strong reaction to this conflict developed in the United States. In 1897 Spain attempted to compromise by granting Cuba partial independence and abolishing the system of reconcentrados. The Cubans pressed for independence. On February 15, 1898 the U.S.S. Maine which was sent to the port of Havana to protect UNITED STATES citizens and property, was sunk by an explosion. The cause was unknown, but Yellow Journalism pointed to an enemy mine. Both the United States and Spain declared war. On May 1 the Spanish fleet anchored in Manila Bay was destroyed by United States naval forces. Later, on July 1 U.S.

On April 25, 1898 the United States declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. The war ended with the signing of

     The year following the Ten Years' War brought about the start of another attempt to gain independence for Cuba. The "Little War" began on August 29, 1879 and only lasted until September1880. La Guerra Chiquita, as it was known in Cuba, failed badly. It was followed by several other minor revolts which eventually led up to Cuba's second war for independence in 1895.

The Cuban revolution was the spark that ignited the flame of communism in Cuba. The developing nation gained independence only as recently as 1898, and was already filled with an atmosphere of distrust and resentment towards the United States. In July of 1953, a revolution began in Cuba between the United States backed President Batista and Fidel Castro. Fidel and his brother Raul Castro lead a series of guerilla warfare battles against the forces of President Batista. “I am Fidel Castro and we have come to liberate Cuba,” stated Fidel Castro. In January of 1959, Fidel Castro became the President of Cuba. With the regime of Fidel Castro, Cuba would fall to communism.