By 1868, many countries in Latin America had obtained independence from Spain. In October 1868, Cuban planter and sugar mill owner Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and his followers proclaimed independence for Cuba. This proclamation led to the Ten Years' War with Spain and ended in the independence movement defeat in 1878. In August 1879, a second struggle ensued known as the Little War and lasted until September 1880 with the independence movement defeat once more.