The Spanish American War Essay Research Paper

The Spanish American War Essay, Research Paper

The preceding events, battles, and results of the Spanish American war are very important to American s short but lustrous history. American started the war as a new and weak nation. By the end of the war however, we emerged as a great world power to be feared.

There were many reasons for the initiation of the Spanish American War. It started mainly because of a series of resolutions that Congress ratified on April 19, 1898, which virtually ended the friendly relations between the United States and Spain. The reason for passing these resolutions were because of the brutal treatment of Cuba which was reminiscent of the treatment Americans received from the British over one hundred years earlier. It was ordered on January 24 by the Secretary of the Navy that the U.S.S. Maine would be ordered to Havana. Some people wanted the U.S.S. Maine to start the war with Spain, but its intentions while in Cuban waters were harmless. It was a scouting mission to see if any preparations for war were taking place in Cuba. It was believed that a torpedo blew up the ship killing 260 men. On February 8, 1898, the publication of a letter written by Senor Dupuy de Lome, who was Spanish Minister of the United States, speaking disparagingly of President McKinley leads to the Minister s resignation of his post, and the appointment of Senor Luis Polo y Bernabe who orders Cervera to attack the battleship U.S.S. Maine. The U.S.S. Maine s captain, Captain Sigsbee, wrote an account of the explosion. He said it came from the bow of the vessel. He telegraphed his account to Congress who then ruled that it was a Spanish attempt to weaken US forces.

According to the President, he believed that war was necessary in order to preserve the Union. He said that Spain is a direct threat to the Union and it must not be tolerated. President McKinley was empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the US military. In addition to this, he was allowed to call on the militias of states if necessary.

There were also reasons to end the war though. During wartime, food was scarce, and month by month the death rate increased at an alarming rate. By March 1908, the mortality rates among the people who were not in the military exceeded fifty percent.

To prepare for the war, our government had begun to train many men for service in the navy and the army. We had also joined forces with some countries such as France and some aid from England to secure a powerful navy. In the south, the US government had stationed armed forces anticipating that Cuba would be a battleground in the war. Congress also unanimously voted to give a $50,000,000 appropriation to the war efforts, which was used by the navy to purchase hundreds of torpedoes, the enlistment of thousands of new soldiers, and three new battleships. Congressman Sayers of Texas stated that in the presence of a possible threat, this appropriation would be used to defend us. It was to be used as a precaution because the US would not fight an offensive war.

Even after the loss of the U.S.S. Maine, most Americans still wanted peace. War is always a lose-lose situation because war always costs a lot of money and lives. This is why McKinley s conservative acts concerning the war were warmly embraced around the country.

In 1823, James Monroe issued a bold proposal called the Monroe Doctrine that stated one of the goals of the U.S. government was to prevent further European influence in the Western Hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine proclaimed that the United States would fight rather than to have Europe to obtain more land or interfere in the western world.

At the beginning of any hostilities, Commodore Dewey and a squadron of war vessels was dispatched to Asia to operate against the Philippine Islands. At first, this seemed insignificant to most, but after a while it was obvious that a naval battle would result. Dewey was known as an offensive fighter and an aggressive leader. On the night of May 1, Dewey signaled to his ships in Subic Bay to prepare to follow him. At 4:15 in the morning, the lookout on the masthead of the leading ship saw the Spanish fleet off the port lined up between Cavite and the mouth of Manila harbor. On May 4, Dewey had taken possession of a naval station at Cavite on the Philippine Islands, and destroyed its fortifications. Speculation of what exactly happened in Manila ended when Dewey gave an official report. He stated that they immediately engaged in battle with the following Spanish vessels: Reina Christina, Castilla, Ulloa, Isla de Cuba, General Lezox, Del Duero, Correo, Velasco, Mindanao, Don Juan de Austrian, Isla de Luzon, and the water battery at Cavite.

On May 12, 1898, Admiral Sampson s squadron of the U.S. Navy bombarded the forts at San Juan, Puerto Rico. This was the first battle of the way and was won with the gunboat Nashville. Unlike many other admirals in the navy, Sampson earned his spot not by using connections, but because of his great judgment. He was well respected by his peers and this helped him win so many battles.

After defeating the Spanish at San Juan, there were rumors circulating that the some of Admiral Cervera s ships were trapped in Santiago harbor. On June 11, 1898, he sent Lieutenant Blue to investigate. Blue landed on the same day with some local guides to the hills overlooking the Spanish ar