Spanish–American War

The Spanish–American War was a war fought between Spain and the United States in 1898, partly because many people in Cuba, one of the last parts of the Spanish Empire, wanted to become independent. Many Americans also wanted their country to get a colonial empire.

Spain lost the sea war and so had to give up Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. All of those colonies, except for Cuba, became American colonies after the war, and Cuba became an independent country but with much US influence.

 Background 
Following reports of Spain abusing and killing Cubans, the United States sent warships to Cuba. Spain was losing control of Cuba and so put Cubans into concentration camps. The US sent ships to Cuba to try to make Spain to give up Cuba. The USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, which killed about 260 people on board.

"Remember the Maine" became a common wartime saying. US newspapers blamed Spain for the explosion without proof. Spain tried to avoid going to war, but pressure from US newspapers, which had "yellow journalism," and from ordinary people persuaded the US government to go to war. Some Americans wanted Cuba to become independent, but others hoped that the US could build a colonial empire overseas since many European countries had already done so.

Course of war
Volunteers throughout the country signed up for the war. Future US President Theodore Roosevelt raised troops and became famous by leading the Rough Riders during the Battle of San Juan Hill. 

In a large naval battle in Manila Bay, an American fleet, commanded by George Dewey, destroyed the Spanish fleet.

Ground battles took place in Cuba and Puerto Rico.

 Aftermath 
The US won the war and soon began to occupy and to take control of the colonies after Spain had surrendered. Almost 400 American soldiers had died during the fighting, but more than 4000 Americans died from diseases such as yellow fever, typhoid, and malaria.

The Treaty of Paris was signed on December 10, 1898 by the United States and Spain. The United States now controlled Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Later, it also got the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and Cuba became an independent country but with much US influence.

Notes

References

Sources




 . An encyclopedia






 Cervera Y Topete, Pascual. Office of Naval Intelligence War Notes No. VII: Information From Abroad: The Spanish–American War: A Collection of Documents Relative to the Squadron Operations in the West Indies, Translated From the Spanish. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1899




  (full text available here )


 . short summary







 Nofi, Albert A. The Spanish–American War, 1898. Conshohocken, Pennsylvania: Combined Books, Inc., 1996. 



 Pérez, Louis A. Cuba and the United States: Ties of Singular Intimacy. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2003. Print





 Santamarina, Juan C. "The Cuba Company and the Expansion of American Business in Cuba, 1898–1915". The Business History Review 74.01 (Spring 2000): 41–83. Print

 Smith, Mark. "The Political Economy of Sugar Production and the Environment of Eastern Cuba, 1898–1923". Environmental History Review 19.04 (Winter 1995): 31–48. Print

 Tone, John Lawrence. War and Genocide in Cuba 1895–1898 (2006) online review 





Category:1898 in the United States
Category:Wars involving Spain
Category:Wars involving the United States
Category:19th-century conflicts
Category:Spanish Empire