SPANISH – AMERICAN WAR

1898

Imperialism

A stronger country taking over a weaker country; politically, economically, or socially

Factors that Fueled Imperialism Desire for military strength Thirst for new markets Belief in cultural superiority

Alfred T. Mahan

Urged gov’t officials to build up American naval power

“Seward’s Folly” (Icebox)

Secretary of State under presidents Lincoln & Johnson

Purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million

About 2 cents an acre

Hawaii

Am. Merchants stopped there on their way to China & Sugar Cane

They overthrew Queen Liliuokalani

Election of 1896

President Cleveland opposed expansion by force

President McKinley pushed for expansion

Reasons for War

Businesses wanted to protect their interests in the region

Other Americans were thinking we were being hypocrites WHY???

Humanitarian Causes

Americans had sympathized with the Cubans during the ten-year struggle

Spanish used savage methods of warfare

Known as the “Splendid Little War”

“Yellow” Journalism

Exaggerated news Joseph Pulitzer & William

Randolph Hearst; created “penny press”

Specialized in lurid & sensational news even if it did not exist

“You furnish the pictures, and I’ll furnish the war.”

The de Lome Letter

Letter intercepted by the U.S., called President McKinley a weak man

Sinking of the Maine

In Havana Harbor…260 killed Americans assume that the Spanish sunk

the ship Disaster was really the result of an

accidental explosion inside one of the engine rooms

“Remember the Maine!” became the war slogan

Jingoism

A super patriotism and demand for aggressive actions – warlike mood

The War in the Philippines

The Philippine Islands Filipinos

Problems the Army Faced

Ill-prepared volunteer force Lacked supplies Ineffective leaders Wool uniforms…YUCK!

Rough Riders

Volunteer cavalry under command of Teddy Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt considered the hero

Casualities

 

Total service members 306,760

Battle deaths 385

Other deaths in service (nontheater) 2,061

Nonmortal woundings 1,662

Treaty of Paris 1898

Cuba granted independence Teller Resolution

Stated the U.S. had no intention of taking over Cuba

Platt Amendment Cuba could not make treaties w/out

U.S. consent U.S. set up a naval station U.S. reserved the right to intervene in

Cuba

What else did we get?

U.S. received the Philippines for $20 million

Emilio Aguinaldo had been fighting the Spanish for Philippine independence

Spain ceded Puerto Rico & Guam to the U.S.

Philippine independence honored in 1946

Foraker Act – 1900

Ended U.S. military rule in Puerto Rico

Set up a civil government

What was the debate??

Treaty violated the Declaration of Independence and what we stood for

Protectorate

A country whose affairs are partially controlled by another power

Open Door Policy

Share trading rights; fear of being shut out of China

Boxer Rebellion

1900 rebellion in which members of a Chinese secret society sought to free their country from Western influence

How did U.S. get the Panama Canal?

Helped Panama rebel from Columbia; in exchange we acquired 10-mile wide zone

Review: Monroe Doctrine (1823) The U.S will NOT allow any new

European colonies in the Western Hemisphere.

Roosevelt Corollary

An extension of the Monroe Doctrine; The U.S. can intervene in L. America to

protect its economic interests by means of military intervention

Dollar Diplomacy

U.S. policy of using the nation’s economic power to exert influence over other countries

Moral/Missionary Diplomacy

U.S. had a moral responsibility to deny recognition to any Latin American gov’t the U.S. viewed as oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to U.S. interests