Spanish-American_War

Spanish-American War Spanish - American War The Spanish - American War was during the summer of 1898. "It was one of the shortest and most pathetically one-sided wars in modern history." The war started because of the Cuban struggle for independence since 1895. The United States was so concerned with Cuba's independence because they would greatly benefit in economic interest. Americans could not stand the Spanish general Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau, also called the "Butcher". They did not like him because of the way he would treat the Cubans he considered disloyal to Spain. It was alarming to them that he would put them in concentration areas and they would receive severe terrible treatment. By 1896, Americans demanded to get involved with the war between Cuba and Spain. Despite the demands, President Grover Cleveland and his successor, William McKinley were against the idea. Riots had broke out in Havana, Cuba in December and the United States sent the battleship Maine to protect American interests. A huge explosion destroyed the Maine on the night of February 15, 1898. After this incident, many Americans began to shout "Remember the Maine, and to hell with Spain!" All of President McKinley's peace efforts failed and on April 11, 1898, Mckinley requested a declaration of war to Congress. A short time after united, states, spain, war, 1898, cuba, because, philippines, spanish, paris, maine, caribbean, april, treaty, since, sent, sea, put, president, peace, ocean, mckinley's, mckinley, land, independence, fought, fleet, december, congress, chance, broke, between, began, atlantic, americans, american