April 21, 1898, the United States declares war following the sinking of battleship Maine the preluding February. The United States also supported Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines in their struggle for independence from Spanish rule, and in May the war began…
May 1, 1898, The United States Naval fleet defeats the Spanish fleet guarding the Philippines. This was the very first turning point of the war, and vast amounts of casualties plagued the Spanish.
Another truly influential victory took place in Cuba, where the early USMC (United States Marine Corps) began to force and pursue the Spanish inland resulting in the capture of Guantanamo Bay.
As battle ensued, moral was slowly dwindling for the Spanish. They had not the technology we possessed at the time, nor did they have the organization Lt. Col Theodore Roosevelt engraved in the men he led through rigorous battles.
Yet the United States did not go without sacrifice. This was the first battle the United States had fought overseas. A foreign territory and inability to adapt to certain climate and environments were the cause of 90% of our war casualties. Troops began to grow ill with various diseases, many of which the US had never faced before. Many unfortunate enough to become infected with such diseases, perished, unable to obtain proper treatment.
The United States spared no expense funneling 250 million dollars into the war. Weaponry and transportation accounted for most of the bill.
On December 10, 1898, the Spanish surrendered and the war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. According to the terms of the Treaty of Paris, Spain agreed to Cuban independence and the Philippines were ceded to the U.S. for $20 million, as well as Guam and Puerto Rico.
To this Day Guam and Puerto Rico remain unincorporated U.S. territories. The Philippines however, following World War 2, have become an independent nation which is now supported by a weary democratic government after decades of...