People's History: Spanish American War, 1898-1902 (Chap 12)
Music: Claire de Lune (Debussy, 1905)
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Summary We spoke of freedom: every foreign land should have it. But our efforts to expand preempted others' rights: the ways and means would come from Cuba and the Philippines. Chapter A lethal combination: companies intent on foreign markets, and a future President committed to expansion. Teddy Roosevelt, face of conquest, said "the greatest race? a fighting race!" The Post in Washington could recognize "a taste of Empire in the people." Business, not in haste for war, preferred a route to China ("open door") and full control in Cuba. But the guarantor of foreign commerce is possession of the land. With Cuban liberation we began to understand that Spanish rule was giving way to rule by blacks. So when The Maine exploded all of Spain's attacks on Cuban freedom fighters were attacks on us. But now it seemed that no one wanted to discuss the freedom issue, for this "splendid little war" soon ended, and the plans for peace would quite ignore the Cubans. So Americans assumed control of timber, mining, rail, and sugar, as the goal of "open trade" was satisfied. We kept our vow (no annexation), if the Cubans would allow us to "maintain" its government and "intervene" as needed. Now McKinley turned to Philippine concerns. He couldn't give the islands back to Spain or France or Britain. "Savages" could not sustain a government themselves! So he'd democratize the helpless Philippines: "uplift and civilize and Christianize." The Senate said, conveniently, that just beyond the islands was the China Sea, with markets limitless. The Philippines had coal and wood and coffee. The Pacific was our goal, and we achieved it. Notably, to those who deem our actions harsh, we haven't lost our self-esteem - they're only "Orientals"! So uncertainty divided Labor: FOR the opportunity for trade, AGAINST imperial intent. And blacks were working now as soldiers, but against attacks on colored people. War endured three years, the dead in thousands for America, and torment spread throughout a gentle land, a hundred thousand who were just defending homes against the soldier's view: to "kill the niggers." Prompting, thus, the wit of Twain: "Benevolent Assimilation" his refrain. |