Written By: Brynn H.
The problems began when Spain, with determination, tried to extinguish the Cuban independence movement. Cuban nationalist responded by organizing an uprising against the Spanish authorities. Native insurrectos, or Filipino nationalists, burned crops of sugar and attacked trains. America, who was outraged because of the demand of and investments of the Cuban industry, had no sympathy for the insurrectos. The Spanish military gathered the rebels and put them into concentration camps. America chose to interfere. Through the spread of news and two big newspaper publishers (William R. Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer) atrocities were lightened against Cuba. Their two papers also engaged in yellow journalism, the eye-catching, exaggerated news. The U.S. wanted to help create an independent Cuba. Spain offered to give Cuba partial freedom, but Cuba demanded full independence.
The USS Maine, a U.S. battleship, went to Havana in December of 1897 in order to evacuate Americans, if needed. On February 15, 1898, the ship was sunk by an explosion, killing 260 officers and men. April was a busy month for America’s military. First, the United States called for immediate Spanish withdrawal from Cuba. This sparked Spanish to declare war on the U.S. on April 24, 1898. The U.S. responded by declaring war on Spain on April 25, 1898 for Cuban's independence. "The Rough Riders," a group of Americans led by Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, prepared to invade Cuba. This war was short, due to the inferior Spanish forces. A few battles were fought, but with the Cuban coast cleared of the Spanish and the capture of Santiago, the war had ended.
The Treaty of Paris of 1898 was signed by the Spanish. This showed the Spanish agreed to remove all of their soldiers and become aware of that America now owned Cuba. Spain forfeited Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States, and asked the U.S to pay back Spain for their losses in the amount $20 million. Though the treaty was signed, it still needed to be approved by 2/3 of the senate. Still it looked as though the democrats could easily stop the treaty. William Jennings Bryan, a democratic leader, agreed to the helping of the treaty, which was passed in February of 1899. Bryan hoped win the elections by making the Republicans responsible for helping with the treaty. Bryan who was running against McKinley (a pro-imperialist) wanted imperialism to become disfavored. Bryan mentioned that the quicker the U.S. annexed the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam, the sooner the U.S. could prepare them for independence. The Philippines had a problem though. They fought alongside America thinking that they would get the same independence as Cuba. The Filipinos felt betrayed and even elected a president, Emilio Aguinaldo. The Filipinos fought against former alliance America for two years, but lost. America captured Aguinaldo, who took an oath of loyalty never to lead any future revolts.
The Rough Riders
The beginning of the Spanish-American-Cuban-Filipino War of 1898 was only the start of a new trend in journalism. The exageration of news to catch the American public's attention and sway their opinion had become common practice by journalists. The public had no way of validating whether or not the news was unbiased. This new practice was and is still to this day known as yellow journalism.
Resources:
Resources:
Jones, et al. Created Equal: A History OF the United States. New Jersey: Pearson, 2008. Print.
The Free Dictionary: http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Spanish-American-Cuban-Filipino+War
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