Chapter 20 The Spanish American War
By: Jacob Reask
Section 2
I think that it is a good thing for people to be supporting the Cuban's and their journey to freedom. American people had to fight for their freedom not too long ago, the struggle on going through all of that deaths and revolts against Britain, I think that it is a good thing for the News to be stretching the truth about the Spanish leader, General Valerian Weyler. The accuracy of the story may not be 100% true, but you have to stretch the truth to appeal to the American people so they can help the Cuban's out to get their Independence. Also, we need to save the sugar plantations that has played a fairly decent role in the Americas. The General was putting Cuban's in reconcentration camps, they are unsanitary prison camps that provided little food or shelter and caused thousand of death from disease and starvation.
Section 3
Enrique de Lome, the Spanish ambassador to Washington, he wrote a letter to a friend in Cuba but the letter was stolen and sent to the Journal of publication. de Lome called President McKinley "Weak and catering to the rabble and, besides, a low politician." Americans viewed this and were offended, this caused increased anti- Spanish feeling in America. The USS Maine in Havana harbor, President McKinley sent the USS Maine to Cuba to protect Americans, the Maine sat outside the Harbor for two weeks and on the night of February 15, a tremendous explosion hit the battleship, more than 260 sailors died. Both events led to Americans wanting vengeance on the Spanish, news reports and Americans were insisting to start war with Spain.
Section 4
The U.S. Navy quickly set up a blockade on Havana and North coast of Cuba. On the eastern end of the island a Spanish squadron slipped into the Harbor of Santiago de Cuba. We began sailing to Santiago and arrived June 20, we joined with Rough Riders led by Colonel Leonard Wood, they were the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry. July 1, we began an attack by General Shafter, Roosevelt and the Rough Riders went up Kettle Hill. Other U.S. forces fought the even tougher battle of San Juan Hill. We were able to destroy the Spanish squadron as it was leaving the harbor, and we, the United States captured Puerto Rico, Spain finally signed a peace treaty on August 12. Only about 5,500 Americans had died, mainly from tropical disease like malaria and yellow fever. Despite that the Americans won a big war, their first over seas war.
Section 5
In this cartoon it has a man rasing the American flag while another is trying to chop it down. The picture represents the clashing views on the Philippines in the presidential election of 1900. The man chopping down the flag was, Democrat, William Jennings Bryan and he argued that the islands should be independent. The Anti-Imperialist League was an organization formed during the war to oppose the establishment of U.S. colonies The man raising the flag was President McKinley and the Republicans said that American control was needed to keep law and order. The Platt Amendment, allowed the United States to intervene in Cuban affairs and to buy or ease land for naval bases.