The reason for the military conflict between the United States and Spain was the American government’s support for the Cubans’ long battle for independence from the Spanish crown. The US invasion of Cuba became evident when the USS “Maine” sank under mysterious conditions in the waters of Havana. Around the same time, in February 1898, hasty preparations for war began, while the Spaniards were accused in absentia of undermining the battleship (Mortenson & Springer, 2019). In general, one can talk about a long-term political game with Spain, in which several provocations tightened relations with the country on the eve of the war.
The liberation of Cuba seemed like a financially attractive prospect for the US and provided strategic advantages. In addition, the American empire was then just gaining momentum and already had a successful experience in appropriating other territories of the Western Hemisphere (Kagan, 2019). The American government portrayed the unleashed war as a battle for the interests of Cuba and relied on the facts of human rights violations to legitimize military action.
In April, a ten-week war began in which the United States defeated the Spanish army and navy. Under the Treaty of Paris in 1898, the United States gained control of the island. In 1899, the island was occupied, and a few years later, the government received permission to place naval bases. The position of the American government is technically just, but in essence, it turns out to be a less cruel form of occupation of the island. Using the facts of the oppression of the Cuban population, the United States enlisted the support of the rebel movement. It acquired the moral right to occupy the territory for its purposes.
References
Kagan, R. L. (2019). The Spanish craze: America’s fascination with the Hispanic world, 1779-1939. University of Nebraska.
Mortenson, C. R., & Springer, P. J. (2019). Daily life of U.S. soldiers: From the American revolution to the Iraq war. ABC-CLIO.