Spanish-American War of 1898

Spanish-American War

• Took place in 1898

Background

• Preceded by three years of Cuban revolutionaries fighting for independence from Spanish rule
• The conflict in Cuba garnered American public attention from 1895-98 because of economic and political instability near the US
• The U.S. press and politicians played a role in inciting American sentiment

Key Events of 1898

• Tensions between the U.S. and Spain increased
• The Battleship Maine exploded in Havana harbor on February 15, sinking it
• 266 American sailors died when Battleship Maine exploded
• This event increased the likelihood of U.S. military intervention in Cuba
• On April 20, Congress recognized Cuba's independence through a joint resolution
• Congress demanded Spain relinquish control of Cuba
• President William McKinley was authorized to use necessary military measures to guarantee Cuba's independence
• Spain rejected U.S. demands and severed diplomatic ties
• McKinley ordered a naval blockade of Cuba
• McKinley called up 125,000 military personnel, termed "volunteers"

Naval Engagements

• The first battle occurred on May 1
• Commodore George Dewey ordered, "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley."
• The Navy's Asiatic Squadron defeated the Spanish squadron defending Manila Bay in six hours
• Spanish Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasaron commanded the Spanish squadron
• The Asiatic Squadron included cruisers Olympia, Raleigh, Boston, and Baltimore
• It also included gunboats Concord and Petrel, revenue cutter McCulloch
• Reinforcements came from cruiser Charleston and monitors Monadnock and Monterey
• The Asiatic Squadron forced Manila's surrender
• The entire Spanish squadron was sunk, including cruisers Maria Cristina and Castilla and gunboats Don Antonio de Ulloa, Don Juan de Austria, Isla de Luzon, Isla de Cuba, Velasco, and Argos

Capture of Manila

• Dewey silenced enemy shore batteries
• 11,000 U.S. troops arrived under U.S. Army Major General Wesley Merritt
• Manila fell by August 13

Cuba

• Admiral William T. Sampson and Admiral Winfield S. Schley successfully blockaded the port of Santiago on May 27
• U.S. Marines landed on Guantanamo Bay
• Additional forces landed near Santiago in late June
• U.S. ground forces defeated the Spanish army at the Battle of San Juan Heights from July 1-3
• Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete attempted to break the U.S. blockade of Santiago harbor
• The U.S. naval forces destroyed his squadron
• American ships destroyed Spanish destroyer Furor, torpedo boat Pluton, and armored cruisers Infanta Maria Teresa, Almirante Oquendo, Vizcaya, and Cristobal Colon
• The Spanish lost all ships, 350 killed, 160 wounded

End of War

• The war was almost over due to U.S. military dominance
• Spain was unprepared for war with the U.S.
• The French ambassador in Washington, Jules Cambon, approached the McKinley administration to discuss peace terms on July 26
• A cease-fire was signed on August 12
• The war officially ended with the Treaty of Paris, signed by the U.S. and Spain on December 10, 1898

Outcomes

• Spain's colonial empire in the western hemisphere ended
• The U.S. became a Pacific power
• Spain relinquished claims on Cuba
• Spain ceded sovereignty over Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, with the U.S. paying $20 million for the latter
• The U.S. annexed Hawaii
• The U.S. established its predominance in the Caribbean
• The U.S. pursued strategic and economic interests in Asia
• The construction of the Panama Canal was enabled, which linked the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Key Dates

• February 15: Battleship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, Cuba, killing 266 American sailors
• March 28: A U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry reported the Maine explosion was caused by a mine
• April 4: The New York Journal dedicated a million-copy press run to the war in Cuba, calling for U.S. entry into the war
• April 22: President William McKinley ordered a blockade of Cuba and suspended diplomatic relations
• April 24: Spain declared war against the United States
• April 25: Congress declared a state of war existed since April 21
• May 1: Battle of Manila Bay where Commodore George Dewey’s Asiatic Squadron destroyed the entire Spanish squadron
• May 10: Secretary of the Navy John D. Long ordered Captain Henry Glass to capture Guam on the way to Manila
• May 27: Blockade of the port of Santiago de Cuba by the U.S. Navy under Admiral William Sampson and Admiral Winfield Schley
• June 10: U.S. Marines landed at Guantanamo, Cuba
• June 18: U.S. Secretary of the Navy John D. Long ordered Admiral William Sampson to create a new squadron, the Eastern Squadron
• June 20: Spanish authorities surrendered Guam to Captain Henry Glass and cruiser Charleston
• June 20: Main U.S. force appeared off Santiago de Cuba
• June 22: U.S. troops landed at Daiquiri, Cuba
• July 1–3: Battle of San Juan Heights
• July 3: The Spanish fleet tried to escape Santiago Bay but were repulsed
• July 17: The Spanish surrendered to the United States at Santiago
• August 12: The United States and Spain signed the Protocol of Peace, ending hostilities
• December 10: A Treaty of Paris was signed by representatives from the U.S. and Spain
• December 23: Guam was placed under the control of the U.S. Department of the Navy
• February 6, 1899: The Treaty of Paris was ratified by the U.S. Senate where the U.S. acquired control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines