Action of 13 June 1898
The Action of 13 June 1898 took place off the port of Cienfuegos in Cuba. It was fought on June 13, 1898. Read more about the Action of 13 June 1898 >>
Battle of Cardenas 1898
The Battle of Cardenas took place off the harbor of Cardenas in Matanzas, Cuba Read more about the Battle of Cardenas 1898 >>
Battle of El Caney 1898
The Battle of El Caney took place on July 1, 1898. It was fought near the town of El Caney in Cuba. Read more about the Battle of El Caney 1898 >>
Battle of Guantanamo Bay 1898
Battle of Guantanamo Bay took place from June 6, 1898 to June 10, 1898 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Read more about the Battle of Guantanamo Bay 1898 >>
Battle of Las Guasimas 1898
Battle of Las Guasimas took place on June 14, 1898, near the city of Santiago in Cuba. Read more about the Battle of Las Guasimas 1898 >>
Battle of Manila 1898
Battle of Manila took place in the city of Manila, Philippines. It was fought on August 13, 1898. Read more about the Battle of Manila 1898 >>
Battle of San Juan Hill 1898
The Battle of San Juan Hill took place at the San Juan Hill located near the city of Santiago in Cuba Read more about the Battle of San Juan Hill 1898 >>
Battle of Santiago 1898
Battle of Santiago took place in the waters near Santiago de Cuba in Cuba. It took place on July 3, 1898. Read more about the Battle of Santiago 1898 >>
Siege of Santiago 1898
The Siege of Santiago began on July 3, 1898. It came to an end on July 17, 1898. Read more about the Siege of Santiago 1898 >>
The Battle of Manila Bay 1898
The Battle of Manila Bay took place near Manila, Philippines. It was fought on May 1, 1989. Read more about the The Battle of Manila Bay 1898 >>
Third Battle of Manzanillo 1898
Third Battle of Manzanillo was fought off the harbor of Manzanillo in Cuba. It took place on July 18, 1898. Read more about the Third Battle of Manzanillo 1898 >>
Treaty of Paris 1898
The Treaty of Paris was signed in Paris, France. It was signed on December 10, 1898. Read more about the Treaty of Paris 1898 >>
Background of the War
For many years, Cuban people had been struggling to get free from Spain’s colonial rule. Spain had ruled them as a colony for a long time but around the middle of the 19th century, Cuban people started protesting against it. This first led to a war between Cuban people and Spain which lasted from 1868 to 1878.
Then in 1895, a new wave of Cuban revolutionaries rebelled against Spanish rule. Many people in the USA wanted to support the Cuban people but the government was undecided. This changed in 1898 when an American ship named Maine was sunk while stationed at the Havana Harbour. So America declared war on Spain on April 25, 1898.
How long did the war last?
The Spanish-American War began on April 25, 1898. It came to an end on August 12, 1898.
The Beginning of the War
After the US battleship, Maine was sunk in the Havana Harbour, the US officially declared war against Spain. One of the first things the USA did after this was to send a large number of battleships to the Philippines. Here, the US navy defeated the Spanish navy and took control of the Philippines.
At the same time, US forces attacked Cuba in order to defeat and remove the Spanish armies from Cuba and let the Cuban people decide their own fate. This led to a land war between the US and Spanish forces in Cuba, resulting in a number of battles. Although the Spanish forces were successful in some of these battles, ultimately the tide turned against them and US forces took control of one city after another.
Where did the war take place?
Spain was a large colonial power when the Spanish-American war took place. So the USA had to fight Spain on many fronts. The war mainly took place in Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam.
Results and Aftermath
The USA was able to defeat the Spanish forces on all war fronts. Spain lost control of the Philippines and Cuba became independent of Spanish rule. This finally forced Spain to come to a peace agreement with the USA. This came to be known as the Treaty of Paris.
According to this treaty, Spain gave up control of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. At the same time, Spain accepted the independence of Cuba. In return for the control of Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico, the USA agreed to pay Spain $20 million. The war greatly decreased the colonial might of Spain.
The Spanish War: An American Epic 1898 Paperback – August 17, 1986