2019 Year 12 IB Extended Essays

Spanish-American War Aguinaldo’s exile was short-lived. In 1898, the Spanish-American War broke out. There were many causes of the war. The major reason was an extension of the Monroe doctrine, in which the USA sought to eliminate European influence in the Americas. Spanish influence would end by supporting Cuban Separatists and annexing Puerto Rico. The US also had economic interests in the Caribbean, which were being hurt by the ongoing Cuban insurrection. The immediate Casus Belli was the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana. The Maine exploded in port, killing 258 of its crew, and when the news reached the US public, it was believed that the Spanish had sunk the Maine. A US inquiry then erroneously concluded that the ship was sunk by a Spanish underwater mine - so the US went to war. (Silbey D. J., 2007) The Cubans had already waged a successful campaign across the whole island but were unable to seize key Spanish-held cities and strong points. The Spanish had used conscription, civilian internment and food deprivation to starve out the rebels and defeat them via attrition. The Americans, aided by the Cuban insurrectionists, landed in the south of Cuba, scoring a few indecisive victories. The American Navy destroyed the Spanish Caribbean squadron in the battle of Santiago de Cuba. The US annexed Hawaii and its navy sailed to Guam which surrendered bloodlessly. In the South China Sea, the war was almost more political than military. The Americans were intervening on behalf of the Cuban separatists but had made no public statements on the Philippine revolution. Hearing that the Americans were fighting to liberate one colony from Spain, Aguinaldo hoped he would be able to convince America to liberate another. The historical records grow muddled and contradictory as Aguinaldo claims that the American consul in Singapore E. Spencer Pratt and later Commodore George Dewey promised the US would grant the Philippines independence once the war was won. Both Pratt and Dewey denied this and stated that neither had the authority to make such promises. (Silbey D. J., 2007) (Boot, 2002) The US Asiatic Squadron in Hong Kong sailed for Manila Bay where on May 1 1898; Dewey decisively annihilated the Spanish Fleet. The Americans transported Aguinaldo back to the Philippines, where he quickly took control of the revolutionary forces which dominated Luzon and proclaimed the independence of the Philippines once more on June 12 1898. Dewey secretly negotiated with the Spanish garrison and landed some marines in Manila, the garrison ‘fought’ a ‘mock battle’ and surrendered the city to the Americans and not to the Filipino revolutionaries. As this occurred, some Filipino insurgents attacked Manila and managed to seize a few Spanish blockhouses, but American forces kept them out of the interior of Manila. (Silbey D. J., 2007) The defeats compelled Spain to negotiate a peace with the United States. The Treaty of Paris made Cuba independent and the US purchased Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines from Spain for $20 million. The ‘mock battle’ and purchase of the Philippines outraged the Filipinos, who believed that an American victory would result in independence, yet they were just sold from one colonial master to another.