Pushes forward amendment to funding for war o usa

Pushes forward amendment to funding for war
o USA gives up any claim on any territory coming from this war
except to restore a legit and functioning government in Cuba,
US will leave
 USA declares war on Spain at end of April 1898
°
° “Remember the Maine”: US Motives and War Aims
 public opinion?
 Humanitarianism?
 Imperialism?
 Economic imperatives?
 A desire to prevent Cuban independence?
 McKinley and policymakers don’t read yellow press
o Above that
o Make policy decisions based on other things
o Public understood war to be about freeing Cuba but in
Whitehouse and congress this wouldn’t be very motivating
 Humanitarianism?
o Maybe
o Then why when war is over, US suddenly in control of
Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico?
 Imperialism?
o Perhaps imperialism was at play all along
o Finally pushed McKinley into expanding US power overseas
o Connections to global markets and power
 Seward – commerce not conquest
o Maybe now belief you had to have military action to achieve
overseas commerce
 Economic imperatives?
o Sure maybe
 What about these insurgents in Cuba? Would war be fought
alongside them? Or was there a realization that insurgents were on
verge of winning in Cuba and if US didn’t get involved they would be
faced with truly independent Cuba that may or may not decide to
align with USA?
 More people volunteer than can be processed and enlisted – turned
away recruits
°
° A “Splendid Little War”

°
 The Battle of Manila Bay – Philippines
 The US war in Cuba and the Pacific Ocean

 The peace treaty
o US control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines and Guam
o No Cuban or Philippine voice in negotiations
 A balance sheet
o Positives: a quick victory that reaffirms manhood and heals
sectional wounds?
o Negatives: ominous questions for national identity
 Victory relatively quick
 US does not link up with Cuban insurgents
 Real US army effort bogged down from get go
o Meat – US forces sick
o No adequate rain gear
o Got to Cuba and sat and Cuban insurgents actually beat back
Spanish forces
 Philippines
o Commodore Dewey
o Battle of Manila Bay
 Only one death on US side – heat exhaustion
o Brings back Aguinaldo
 Fight against Spanish forces in Philippines
o Manly manner
 Early division – early signs of troubles of what purpose of war had
been
o Prevent Aguinaldo from capturing Manila – US captures it
themselves
 Occupation of Guam
o Spanish holding
o Captain of Charleston – Henry Glass
 Sales into harbor of Guam
 Peace treaty
o Was this really a war for Cuban and Philippine independence?
o What do we make of war?
 Vastly increased US global power
 Only 3,000 US deaths
 Mass patriotism
 Higher manhood
 Burying the hatchet from the Civil War ?
o Series of reunions between union and confederate veteran
groups
o Idea that south had buried disdain of treason
o Retired sectional differences

 Teddy Roosevelt and roughriders
o Uncle same now happy
o (images)
 US deaths in war of 1898
o Combat 345
o Disease and sickness – 2,565
 Idea of slam-dunk
o A lot of territory brought in
o