TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022, WE NEED A WAR!!!

 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022, WE NEED A WAR!!!

From Today in History for February 15, 1898

The USS Maine Explodes - HISTORY 

The great South American empire of Spain had slowly been disintegrating and a rebellion was raging in Cuba.

From the linked article:

“A massive explosion of unknown origin sank the battleship, USS Maine, in Cuba’s Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, killing 260 of the fewer than 400 American crew members aboard.

“One of the first American battleships, the Maine weighed more than 6,000 tons and was built at a cost of more than $2 million. Ostensibly on a friendly visit, the Maine had been sent to Cuba to protect the interests of Americans there after a rebellion against Spanish rule broke out in Havana in January.

“An official U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry ruled in March that the ship was blown up by a mine, without directly placing the blame on Spain. Much of Congress and a majority of the American public expressed little doubt that Spain was responsible and called for a declaration of war.”

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So, why would the Americans have a battleship in Havana harbor?  As the article says “To protect the interests of Americans.”  Cuba and Puerto Rico were the only two colonies left of “New Spain”.  Cuba was the world’s leading sugar producer and being only 90 miles from Florida but the big Atlantic Ocean from Spain much of the production went to the United States.  

From the same article:

“Sugar estates and mining interests passed from Spanish and Cuban to U.S. hands, and it was U.S. capital, machinery, and technicians that helped to save the sugar mills that remained competitive with European beet sugar. Furthermore, as the dependence of Cuban sugar on the U.S. market increased, the Cuban sugar producers were more and more at the mercy of the U.S. refiners to whom they sold their raw sugar. In 1894 nearly 90 percent of Cuba's exports went to the United States, which in turn provided Cuba with 38 percent of its imports. That same year Spain took only 6 percent of Cuba's exports, providing it with just 35 percent of its imports. Clearly, Spain had ceased to be Cuba's economic metropolis.”

 So, Cuba was an economic “colony” to its neighbor to the north (the United States). 

So, “a mine” blew up the battleship Maine - an American vessel protecting the interests of Americans in the Havana harbor.  Well - it could only be one thing - the Spanish wanted us out of Cuba - and would even blow up an American battleship to get the United States to mind its own business and get out of town.  Was the United States in the fight to help the enslaved Cubans against an oppressing Spain (or for our own interests?) 

The act of aggression of Spain against the Americans resulted in a declaration of war, and a short three-month ‘war’ made Cuba free.  (And, as part of the Treaty of Paris, the United States got Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam.  (And, made Teddy Roosevelt famous for his leading the charge up the San Juan Hill!!)  And, the United States started its own Empire - with Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. 

And, although a free country, Cuba really did become an economic colony of the United States.

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From the same article:

“In 1976, a team of American naval investigators concluded that the Maine explosion was likely caused by a fire that ignited its ammunition stocks, not by a Spanish mine or act of sabotage.”

OOPS - some 78 years later, the analysis suggested a different cause for the sinking of Maine.  Spain WASN’T trying to scare us away!!!

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“Actions have consequences” (generally meaning that bad actions lead to some punishment).  So, here an action (the sinking of the Maine) - allegedly by a Spanish mine led to the loss of Spanish colonies and helped establish America’s role as “Policeman to the World”.  

In the Spanish-American War, youthful America needed war for economic interests - and to establish a worldwide presence.  That led to the 20th Century - which was largely “America’s Century”, huge technology increases, (cars, television, space, computers, and more), two World Wars.  

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And, of course, history marches on.

In 1959 the brutal Battista of Cuba (who was supported by the United States) was overthrown by Fidel Castro who promised reforms.  (And, of course, the United States had supported Battista, and didn’t like Castro!!!

“The United States initially recognized the new Cuban dictator but withdrew its support after Castro launched a program of agrarian reform, nationalized U.S. assets on the island, and declared a Marxist government. Many of Cuba’s wealthier citizens fled to the United States, where they joined the CIA in its efforts to overthrow Castro’s regime.

And, of course, the famed “Bay of Pigs” invasion.  But, that’s a story for a different day!!!  

Actions have consequences!!!

Karen White

February 15, 2022