Spanish American War Essay

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The Spanish-American war of 1898 originated in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain. It began to heat up in February of 1895, when the brutally repressive measures of Spain began to halt the rebellion. Spain’s acts were graphically portrayed for the U.S. public by several sensational newspapers, and American sympathy for the Cuban rebels grew. The expanding popular demand for U.S. intervention became an almost unanimous decision that was determined after the unexplained sinking of the battleship USS Maine in Havana Harbor. USS Maine had been sent to protect U.S. citizens and property after anti-Spanish rioting in Havana.
An armistice was announced by Spain on April 9th of 1895, as they sped up their new program to grant Cuba a few
This decision was made retroactive on the 21st of April. The following war was one-sided, since Spain did not have its army or its navy for an overseas war with the growing power of the United States. Commander George Dewey led the United States naval squadron into Manila Bay in the Philippines in the May of 1898, and destroyed the Spanish fleet in a morning engagement that cost only seven wounded American seamen. Manila was then occupied by U.S. troops by August. The Spanish Caribbean fleet under Pascual Cervera was located in Santiago Harbor in Cuba by reconnaissance from the United States. An army of troops and volunteers under General William Shafter landed on the coast east of Santiago and advanced on the city in an attempt to force the fleet of Cervera out of the harbor. Cervera led his squadron out of Santiago on the 3rd of July and tried to escape westward along the coast. During the battle, all of his ships came under heavy fire from the United States. Santiago surrendered to the United States on July 17th. This led to the end of the war.
When Spain signed the Treaty of Paris, they renounced their claim to Cuba, ceded Guam along with Puerto Rico to the United States, and transferred the Philippines to the United States for $20,000,000. The Spanish-American War was an vital turning point in the history of both participants. Spain’s defeat

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