Causes of the War
Background of Cuba
- Cuba is one of Spain’s last colonies in the western hemisphere
- Cubans want independence and begin to revolt, and formed a movement called the Cuba Libre, a movement within Cuba that wanted independence from Spain.
- Leaders are exiled and some come to the U.S.
- Prior to U.S. military involvement, Cuba Libre opened offices in Florida and New York in order to smuggle weapons and to gain U.S. support for their cause.
- To suppress the the revolt the Spanish cut military supplies and send Cubans to concentration camp
- As a result Cubans won Americans sympathy
- Public opinions escalated for America to intervene
- McKinley, the 25th president of the United States (1897-1901)
- The President strongly condemned the Cuban treatment by the Spanish.
- Even though he preferred negotiation over war, he run out of option after American naval ship sank in Havana Harbor killing 266 sailors.
The battle started
- Even if the battle was bitter at first for the Americans, they won with short period of time.
- Buffalo soldiers and Rough Riders (volunteer cavalry) play a large role in the battle
- The war was organized by . . . wait for it . .
The outcome of the war
- Cuba was freed from Spanish rule, but not from the Americans until 1902
- Spain gave up Puerto Rico and the island of Guam to the U.S
- The U. S. paid Spain $20 mil. for the Philippines
- Cuba must lease Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. for a naval station
All we do is war
- American Revolution (1775-1783)
- War of 1812 (1812-1815)
- Indian Wars (approx. 1817-1898)
- Mexican War (1846-1848)
- Civil War (1861-1865)
- Spanish-American War (1898-1902)
- World War I (1917-1918)
- World War II (1941 –1945)
- Korean War (1950-1953)
- Vietnam War (1964-1975)
- Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-1991)
- Global War on Terror (Oct 2001 - ???????????