To what extent was the Spanish-American War the turning point in American foreign policy? The Spanish American War, which occurred during the end of the 19th century, can be said to be a major turnover in American foreign policies. Before the war, America had adopted an isolationist policies during the Gilded age and also the Post-Civil War Era. However, with the Spanish American War, American was made more imperialistic and expasionistic through this war. Prior to the Spanish American War, America was isolated in its affairs, and did not intervene with global politics.
Who were the major players in the Spanish Civil War and how did they affect its course and outcome? For the first time in Spain’s history, 1931 marked the year that changed the country into an orderly democratic republic. The exile of King Alfonso XIII in 1931 because of the loss in support from the Spanish people only highlighted that the monarchy was doomed. Therefore, the Second Spanish Republic ruled from 1931 until 1937 and was under the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera whose main aims was to modernize Spain through liberal, democratic means. Although, the development of change already faced opposition from right-winged supporters, including rich landowners who feared social changes that the Republic would try to implement.
The Spanish American War, described by Theodore Roosevelt as a “Splendid little war” was one of the first conflicts that was fought on a global scale, in fact the struggle between Spain and its allies against The United States of America took place in Cuba, the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico. The war was a result of prolonged tensions between the Spanish occupants of Cuba and the Cubans themselves which were striving for independence long before the U.S had any interactions with both the Cubans and Spaniards. Their first attempt in gaining national freedom was called the Ten Years War and ended with the pact of Zanjon which did not mitigate nor suppress the desire for freedom most Cubans shared. Not long after The Ten Years War, others
Traditional history holds that the South was defeated by overwhelming Union manpower and resources. That same history states that the South only lasted as long as it did (four years) because of the brilliance of the South’s (and even America’s) greatest general, Robert E. Lee (Thomas, 1995). The fact is the South could have won the Civil War. History shows many wars have been won by the weaker opponent. The American Revolution demonstrated that a vastly inferior American army (with no Navy) was able to outlast and when needed decisively fight and beat the most powerful army (English) in the world.
Each ally was important for the acquisition of power. Through economic assistance, imperialism is able to promote political ideology while allowing that assistance to promote markets in the aiding country. For example, about ninety percent of United States aid to other countries is American produced goods and services. Julia Galeota, a 2004 Humanist Essay Contest winner, profoundly noted that the motives behind the United States cultural imperialism resemble the same justifications for American imperialism through the history of American foreign policy. These motivations are, according to the article, “the desire for access to foreign markets and the belief in the
Mostly made up of cowboys, criminals, & eastern polo players & athletes During the Spanish-American War, entire Spanish fleet was destroyed at the Battles of - (first) Manila Bay (Dewey) & (later) Santiago – not Havana, Guantanamo Bay, Samoa, El Canay, San Juan & Kettle Hills When US invaded Puerto Rico during SP –Am War – most of population greeted as liberators rather than military occupationists & conquerors *But Puerto Rican nationalism, then & today, sought/seek independence **Today a Commonwealth of the USA since early 20th century Greatest loss of life for USA in Sp-Am War resulted from – sickness in both Cuba & USA (disease Ex, Yellow Fever – summer in Cuba, Typhoid, dysentery, etc… Plus bad canned meat – “embalmed beef”) At the time, most controversial event associated w/ Sp-Am War was – acquisition of Philippines Imperialists wanted them – Anti-imperialists did not want USA to take them All became US possessions under Treaty of Paris (Sp-Am War) – Puerto Rico (Caribbean), Guam (Pacific), & the Philippines & capitol city, Manila (Pacific/Asia) [US controlled Cuba – Caribbean] {Hawaii was not acquired through the war w/
The Cry of Dolores marked the beginning of the long and bloody Mexican War of Independence, which would not conclude until 1821. Millions were killed or displaced in this long conflict. During his trial, Hidalgo seemed to understand what he had wrought and recanted his actions, perhaps foreseeing the bloodbath to come. The Cry of Dolores was the spark that ignited the tinderbox of long pent-up resentment of the Spanish in Mexico. Taxes had been raised to pay for fiascoes like the disastrous (for Spain) 1805 Battle of Trafalgar and in 1808 Napoleon invaded Spain, deposed the king and placed his brother Joseph Bonaparte on the throne.
The first was the nagging question whether this fragile republic, this precarious new democracy, would survive in a world bestrode by monarchs, czars, tyrants, and aristocrats. Americans were painfully aware that most republics through history had collapsed into anarchy or tyranny or had been overthrown by foreign invaders. Some Americans alive in 1860 had seen two French republics rise and fall. Latin American republics seemed to succumb regularly to dictators, military rulers, or anarchy. The hopes for the birth of democratic government in Europe during the revolutions of 1848 had been dashed by counterrevolutions that entrenched the Old Order of monarchy and aristocracy.
The Spanish-American War was a short conflict in 1898 between the United States and Spain that took place in both the Carribean and South Pacific Oceans. The Americans were provoked into the conflict by stories of Spanish brutality in Cuba. The final event that prompted the United States into war was the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor.1 The onset of this war is one of the earliest examples of the American government intervening in a foreign conflict in order to preserve the well being of an oppressed population. As the United States was still a fledgling country, at least in respect to the well establish Spanish, the political, strategic, economic implication of the Spanish-American War would further shape American policies for years to come. Politically, the Spanish-American War was an enormous test for United State’s policies.
EXPANSIONISM Gail Ridge Professor Stuart Collins 20th Century American History-1 August 2, 2015 EXPANSIONISM The decade of the 1890s saw several factors converge that account for America’s desire to pursue an imperial policy. In the years following the civil war the economy of the United States expanded rapidly. Republican Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts boasted that Americans had a record of conquest, colonization, and territorial expansion unequalled by any people in the nineteenth century. Lodge urged the country to build an overseas empire, emulating the European model of imperialism. Exploiting the nation and people for the benefit of an imperial power either directly through military occupation