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U.S attempt to purchase Cuba
The U.S has been wanting to purchase Cuba for the longest time. In 1854, the purchase of Cuba was put into the president at the time, Franklin Pierce. The idea of purchasing Cuba from Spain was sent to Spain. As soon as that happened, Spain said that “They would rather see Cuba sink in the Ocean”. -
Cuba’s First War of Independence
Caribbean began with a naval blockade of Cuba. Admiral William T. Sampson sealed the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. Dewey’s victory at Manila had testify the dominance of United States Naval forces. In differences, the Army maintained only a small professional force, add to by a large immature and unprepared volunteer force. -
Cuba’s First War of Independence
About 125,000 Americans had offered to fight. The new soldiers were sent to training camps that were under supplied and useful leaders, There was not enough guns to supply each new soldiers and the troops were outfitted with uniforms improper for Cuba’s hot climate. The officers that were supposed to be training were always talking about Civil War rather than training the new soldiers. -
José Martí led Cuba’s Second War of Independence
José Martí was a Cuban Poet and journalist that led the Cubans against Spain. They purposely destroyed properties like the sugar mills owned by Americans. They did this to gain their own independence. -
Valeriano Weyler was sent to Cuba by Spain
Valeriano Weyler was sent by Spain to stop the Cubans from their rebellion. He made everyone go to central or western Cuba where they would live in barbed wire concentration camps. There was about an estimated 300,000 Cubans at the camp. Thousands of them died from diseases and hunger. -
The Yellow Press began to shape American public opinion with respect to Cuba's Civil War-
The Yellow Journalism was a group that would make the situations that the Cubans in, sound worse than they actually were. Some stories that they published was that the children were being thrown to sharks and that there were poisoned walls. By them saying this made the Americans feel bad for the rebels and they wanted to help them out. Hearst and Pulitzer started everyone wanting to go to war. -
Publication of the de lome letter
New York Journal published a private letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lôme (who was the Spanish minister to the United States), criticizing President McKinley by calling him weak and bashing him. A Cuban rebel got ahold of the letter and put it on public newsletters. This made the Americans mad that they would bash their president and the Spanish minister apologize and resigned -
Explosion of the USS Maine
After the De Lome letter, Americans were outraged. President McKinley sent the USS Maine to Cuba to bring home the American citizens so they do not get hurt in the fighting and to also protect American property. -
US declares war on Spain
Despite the Spanish concession, the public were on the positive side of wanting/having war. On April 11, president McKinley tried to get permission for authority to use the military and as much force that he could get to use it against spain in an attempt to win war. After one week of many debates and arguments, the congress agreed to give McKinley to right to use force. And finally, on April 20 the United States declared war on spain.
