158. The United States Keeps Out of European Troubles. After the second war with England for a long time our country had comparatively few dealings with the nations of the Old World. For a period of nearly one hundred years we were busy settling our own great territory and solving our home problems. We had a (see map) little war with hot-headed, provoking Mexico about our boundary line. Our armies easily overthrew the forces of Mexico, and we compelled that nation to give us California and New Mexico, and to accept the Rio Grande as the southern boundary of Texas. Besides taking over claims against her for more than $3,000,000, we paid our sister republic $15,000,000 for this cession, but she never would have sold it to us willingly. Some of the people of Latin America have never ceased from that day to be afraid of the United States. They, have never been quite sure that we are their friends.

Yet a little later we did a great service for Mexico. While the United States was occupied with the war between the northern and southern states, the emperor of France sent an army to Mexico, overturned that republic, and placed a European prince named Maximilian on the throne of an empire which he founded there. This act was against the Monroe Doctrine, but the French ruler thought that the United States would be left exhausted by the war and could do nothing.

But just as soon as our Civil War was over, our government told Napoleon III that his soldiers must leave Mexico; he did not dare refuse. And when the French troops were gone the Mexicans easily defeated Maximilian and declared themselves again a republic. Thus the United States helped them once more to be independent.

At about this time we had a serious quarrel with Great Britain, too, because during the Civil War we claimed that she had given more help to the southern states than was allowable for a neutral nation under the law of nations. Many people in both countries grew excited over the charges, and there were threats and preparations for war on both sides.

But it has usually been possible for the Americans and the British to understand each other when they take the time to think. And so in this case it was finally agreed by both sides to leave the matter to a great court, the members of which were to be appointed by neutral nations. This method of settling disputes is called arbitration, and the Geneva Tribunal, as it is called, marked one of the first attempts of two powerful nations to settle important disputes by peaceful means.

The court found that America was right, and compelled Great Britain to pay us damages, though the sum was not so large as some people in this country wanted. Yet when everybody had "cooled down" it was generally agreed that the outcome was much better than war, and that the United States and Great Britain had given the world a splendid example of good sense.

From this time on for many years we had no serious difficulties with foreign countries.

159. Causes of the Spanish-American War. But there were still causes which brought the United States into constant relations with Europe. As trade and commerce grew and as steamships were improved, the world seemed to grow evef smaller. The three thousand miles of the Atlantic Ocean, which once seemed so great a journey, appeared always to be growing less and less, and the things which went on in foreign countries began to be more and more important to the merchants and other citizens of the United States.

Though Spain had lost all her other colonies in America, she still had Cuba and Porto Rico, which lay just off our coasts and which sent us every year many valuable products. But Spain did not know how to govern these islands, and the Cubans were dissatisfied with her rule. In 1868 they rebelled and for ten years struggled to be free. Our people of course sympathized with the Cubans and tried in every way they could to aid them. The rebellion was at last put down.

But peace lasted only for a time. In 1895 the Cubans again revolted. Spain sent large bodies of troops to crush the uprising, but the Cubans, led by the crafty Maximo Gomez, broke up into small bands and could not be brought to open battle. The government of the United States did its best to act justly toward the two parties, but many of our citizens sold supplies to the men who were fighting for liberty and some even

joined the Cuban forces. Spain declared that the rebellion would soon end but for aid from the United States, and blamed us largely for the trouble she was having in ruling the island.

Unable to restore order, the Spanish government resorted to methods of terrible cruelty. A general named Weyler, notorious for his harshness, was sent to Cuba, and he commanded all Cubans on pain of death to leave their plantations and come to the towns garrisoned by Spanish troops. Here, as they had no means of getting a living, many of the poor wretches starved to death, but others, who might never have rebelled, joined Gomez, and the insurrection became worse. Our citizens became so indignant at Spain that all realized that war was probable.

Finally, however, Spain saw her mistake and tried milder measures. But the Cubans did not believe that the Spanish government meant what it said, and went right on fighting.

At this point the United States sent one of its battleships, the "Maine," to visit the harbor of Havana. The call was a friendly one, and yet one purpose was to see that Americans in Cuba were protected, for it was feared they might be attacked by Spanish sympathizers.

And now came a terrible event. While lying quietly at anchor, the "Maine" was suddenly blown up by a terrific explosion which killed two officers and 258 of her crew. Who or what was responsible for this deed is not positively known even to this day. But of course our people were wild with anger over the loss of our poor sailors, and all realized that the troubles in Cuba could not be allowed to go on.

President McKinley still did his best to induce Spain to give up Cuba, but though Spain realized that the. island must be lost, her people were too proud to surrender, and in 1898 the Spanish-American War began. In declaring war, however, the United States solemnly promised the world that she would not take ~ Cuba for herself, but that as soon as it could be done in a proper way, she would give Cuba her freedom and establish her as an independent republic.

160. The Spanish-American War. When war was declared, our people answered the call with great enthusiasm, but the United States was not ready. A large army was raised hastily by volunteer enlistment. But we had few trained officers and no large quantity of arms, clothing, or other supplies. Fortunately our navy was in better condition, and by taking over merchant vessels we managed to get together a fleet superior to that of Spain. It was the navy which really won the war, for while our ships controlled the sea Spain could send no more troops to fight on this side of the Atlantic.

Strangely enough, the first blow of the war was far away from the scene of the éontroversy. Only a few days after the war began, a little American squadron under Commodore Dewey sailed for the Spanish Indies and entering the harbor of Manila in the Philippine Islands destroyed the Spanish vessels there. America rang with applause, and a land force was soon on its way to help the brave Commodore take possession of the city which was now at his mercy.

But the real struggle was in the West Indies. The American navy at once established a blockade of Cuba, but it was not deemed wise to land troops there until a fleet of powerful Spanish war vessels which was known to have left Spain had been accounted for. There was much anxiety in the United States over this fleet, for some feared that it even might attack some of our rich coast cities. But it really had no such plan. Fearing to meet our superior forces, it quietly slipped into the harbor of Santiago de Cuba, where the Spaniards had a strong land force.

At once a large American fleet gathered outside the harbor, and an army was hastily prepared to land in Cuba and capture Santiago. This was a serious undertaking, for our soldiers, though brave and patriotic, were not used to warfare in the tropics. Yet our troops managed to get ashore and, advancing to the attack,

took the outworks of the city by storm in a series of fights usually called the land battle of Santiago. There was much confusion, and we suffered heavy losses because our men were not used to acting together; but they proved daring and good fighters individually. The most famous incident of the battle was the taking of San Juan Hill, in which Colonel Roosevelt fought bravely at the head of the celebrated regiment of Rough Riders which he had raised for the war.

The Spaniards believed the city was lost, and suddenly their fleet steamed out of Santiago harbor and made a dash for safety. The Americans, however, were not caught napping, but pursued the fleeing enemy and destroyed, one after another, all the Spanish ships.

Shortly afterward the city of Santiago surrendered to our army.

An expedition to invade Porto Rico had been quickly prepared and, as the Spaniards made little resistance, it was rapidly overrunning the island. At the same time came the news that Manila in the Philippines had surrendered to Admiral Dewey and the American land forces which had gone to his aid.

Now Spain had had enough and asked for peace. Her soldiers had fought so bravely and fairly that they had won the respect of our men. But they had no chance against so powerful a nation as the United States. By the terms of the treaty which was signed at Paris, Spain gave up Cuba and ceded Porto Rico to the United States. She also agreed in return for the payment of $20,000,000 to surrender to us all the Philippine Islands.



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© 2001 by Lynn Waterman