AboutPaul Walcutt Expertise I am a lifelong student of history with a BA from Haverford College. My areas of concentration and expertise are Latin America and Europe, with a focus on the 20th century.
Marine wrote at 2009-05-25 02:53:59
The preceding is an excellent answer if you have the mind of a liberal.
The USS Maine was sunk in Havana harbor because of internal events. The Spanish Court of Inquiry provided excellent documentation to substantiate that is what happen. The American Court of Inquiry came up with quite a different theory that the Maine was sunk by a torpedo(mine) by persons unknown. Spain being the prime suspect.
Spain was currently fighting an insurrection withe Cubans and due to rather harsh treatment of the people of Cuba America was spoiling for a fight with the Spaniards.
President McKinley as well as the liberal regime then in control of Spain did their best to preserve the peace but essentially Spain could not concede Cuban independence as required by the United States and prevent a revolution at home.
The Spaniards believe their overseas colonies to be a gift from God as a reward for ejecting the Moor from Europe and were intransigent as well as the United States.
Congress added an admendment to the appropriation of money for the war with Spain which disavowed any territorial claim of Cuba.
Many people accuse the United States of having imperialistic tendencies but when examininatin of the facts are made the United States acts in the interests of the United States, nothing more.
