The Crisis of 1898: Spain’s Loss of Cuba and the Philippines
Background and Causes
Antecedents
The Spanish Empire: formation and emancipation until 1826.
Since 1868, when Cuba had a liberation movement that was harshly repressed:
- The Grito de Yara (October 1868) began the Long War that lasted 10 years, and whose leaders were Maceo and Gomez.
- Some Spanish politicians tried to pacify the island through the abolition of slavery (one of the main demands of the insurgents). Even the Constitution of the First Republic provided that Cuba was one of the 17 states of the Spanish federation.
With the Restoration, and after the wear of the guerrillas, Martinez Campos got a peace agreement signed in Zanjón, but after a few months, there was another attempt, the Little War.
Causes
- The international context: the colonial expansion of the industrialized countries of Europe, the USA, and Japan.
- Failure of the Zanjón agreements.
- The economic situation: Cuba had more trade with the U.S. than with Spain.
- The support from the U.S., which saw in the island a territory to launch its colonial empire, and it had strong economic interests.
- The nationalist patriotism of the leaders, who managed to easily transmit to the Cuban people the unfair situation that was submitted by Spain.
The Crisis of 1898
A problem with serious repercussions, both internal and external. The war began in 1895 in Cuba, after the Grito de Baire, leading to independence. José Martí is the great figure of independence.
In 1896, the Philippine independence movement began, led by José Rizal. Cánovas tried to negotiate to prevent the advance of Cuban rebels and sent General Martínez Campos to the island. When this failed, he sent General Valeriano Weyler, who applied very harsh repressive tactics.
In this situation, U.S. involvement began:
- First, in an attempt to mediate between Spain and the insurgents (President Cleveland), not accepted by Cánovas.
- A tabloid press campaign in the U.S. against Spain and its rulers moved American citizens and encouraged the mood for war.
- After the explosion of the battleship Maine in Havana harbor on April 25, 1898, the U.S. declared war on Spain.
- In Spain, this sparked a wave of euphoria and patriotism.
The war against the United States was settled mainly at sea:
- On May 1, the Spanish Pacific fleet, consisting of wooden ships, was destroyed by the American battleships in the Battle of Cavite (Manila Bay), which prevented since then supplies and reinforcement of troops on land in the archipelago.
- The Spanish Atlantic fleet, under Admiral Cervera, was returning from the Canary Islands to Puerto Rico.
- The ground fighting was not so uneven; the Spanish troops, poorly equipped and ill, resisted the attacks of the insurgents.
In December 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed between Spain and the USA. In it, Spain recognized the independence of Cuba and ceded to the U.S. the islands of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, receiving compensation of 20 million dollars.
Consequences
- Human Loss: About 30,000 killed in fighting.
- Economic Loss: Those colonies provided raw materials to Spain.
- Crisis of Conscience: The loss of the last colonies of the Spanish Empire was a blow to the mindset of the time and sparked a general state of pessimism and distrust in the political system.
This resounding defeat uncovered major shortcomings and backwardness that Spain suffered. Hence, intellectuals and politicians posed critical national issues and the need for regeneration. Thus was born Regenerationism, whose leading figures were Macías Picavea, highly critical of the political and social moment.