America's Coming of Age
Dr. Ketcher's 8th grade project
By: Aurora Calma
The Spanish-American War was a war between the United States and Spain. This conflict was very bloody and deadly; many people lost their lives. On February 15, 1898, the last spark before America joined the war, was set off. The war started when the U.S.S. Maine exploded and 266 people were killed. Of the 200 bodies recovered, only 70 were identified. The U.S.S. Maine was an american battleship that weighed more than 12 million pounds and cost about 2 million to build. The ship had been sent to Cuba when it had spontaneously exploded. Though it is not confirmed, it is thought that the U.S.S. Maine was blown up by a bomb planted by the Spain. Others think it was an explosion from the coal chambers.
Spanish-American War
The conflicts in the war were very dangerous and fatal. For example, on November 30, the Battle of Iguara started this was the first American victory. Another American victory was at San Juan Hill on July 1 and many other battles unfolded the same way. The combat between the Spanish and Americans only lasted 10 weeks and the war was over. Cuban forces led armies of 540 men combined with American forces which consisted of 16,000 men.
The results of the war were in favor of the Americans and the Cubans. The Cubans won the right to be an independent country away from Spain. The U.S. was now free to own the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. On the other hand, thousands of men from both the Americans and Spanish sides lost their lives during the war. On June 13, a Spanish general was killed. Spain was mourning their losses.
As you can see although the Spanish-American war only lasted 10 weeks, thousands of men died from disease and malnourishment and thousands of men put their lives on the line to help their country win.
It is not certain why the U.S.S. Maine exploded. Many believe Spain planted a bomb inside but there is no factual proof.
Theodore Roosevelt became famous after showing his bravery while fighting for his country in the Spanish-American War
Stephan Crane, a soldier who fought in the Spanish American war, wrote this about his war memories
"I heard somebody dying near me. He was dying hard. Hard. It took him a long time to die. He breathed as all noble machinery breathes when it is making its gallant strife against breaking, breaking. But he was going to break. He was going to break. It seemed to me, this breathing, the noise of a heroic pump which strives to subdue a mud which comes upon it in tons. The darkness was impenetrable. The man was lying in some depression within seven feet of me. Every wave, vibration, of his anguish beat upon my senses. He was long past groaning. There was only the bitter strife for air which pulsed out into the night in a clear penetrating whistle with intervals of terrible silence in which I held my own breath in the common unconscious aspiration to help."