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U.S. Attempts to Purchase Cuba
Diplomats in 1894 recommended to President Franklin Pierce that the US should purchase Cuba from Spain. The Spanish said they would rather see Cuba sink in the ocean. Americans gave sympathies went out to Cuban people when they rebelled against Spain. In 1886, Cuban people forced Spain to abolish slavery. After the emancipating, American capitalists started investing millions in large sugar cane factories in Cuba. -
Cuba's First War for Independence
Cubans rebel against Spain. The Spanish said they would rather see Cuba sink in the ocean than be bought by the U.S. Cubans rebelled against Spain between 1868 and 1878, also name the Ten Year's war. The Cuban revolt against Spain was not successful, but in 1886 Cuban people did force Spain to abolish slavery. -
Jose Martí led Cuba's Second War for Independence
Jose Martí was a Cuban poet and journalist in NY. He launched a revolution in 1895. Martí organized Cuban resistance against Spain, using an active guerrilla campaign and destroying property, usually American-owned sugar mills and plantation. He counted on provoking U.S. intervention to help the rebels achieve a free Cuba - Cuba Libre! -
Valeriano Weyler sent to Cuba by Spain
In response to the Cuban revolt, Spain sent General Valeriano Weyler to Cuba to restore order. Weyler had tried to crush the rebellion by gathering the entire rural population of central and western Cuba into concentration camps. 300,000 or so Cubans were held in these camps, where thousands had died from hunger or diseases. -
Yellow Press Began to Shape American Public Opinion with Respect to Cuba's Civil War
Hearst and Pulitzer began exaggerating stories at concentration camps to lure readers. Hearst sent an artist Frederic Remington to Cuba to draw sketches of reporters' stories. Frederic had informed the publisher that a war between the US and Spain were unlikely. -
The De Lôme Letter
New York Journal published a private letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, the Spanish Minister to the United States. A Cuban Rebel stole the letter from a post office and gave it to the newspaper. The letter criticized President McKinley, calling him "weak". The Spanish government expressed their apologies and the minister resigned. -
U.S.S. Maine Explodes
President McKinley ordered the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to bring home American citizens in danger from the fighting in early 1898. February 15, 1898, the ship exploded in the harbor of Havana. 260+ men were killed. Suspicions grew about the explosion, in 1898, American newspapers claimed Spain had blown up the ship. The Journal's headline said, "The warship Maine was split in two by an enemy's secret infernal machine." There was an award for whomever found the Spaniards responsible. -
U.S. Declares War on Spain
The USS Maine explodes on Feb 15, 1898. Americans claimed the Spanish had blown the ship up. "Remember the Maine!" became a rallying cry for U.S. intervention in Cuba. April 11, McKinley asked Congress for permission to use force against Spain. Congress agreed after a week debating, then on April 20 the United States declared war on Spain.
