Heart of Darkness
On this date in 1898, the USE (United States Empire) began its projection of power across what politicians of the time often called "our lake" (better known as the Pacific Ocean) by declaring war on Spain. The results included the annexation of the Phillippines and the assumption of a protectorate over Cuba.
The pretext was the supposed bombing of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor by Spanish agents. Later research has shown the sinking of the Maine was almost certainly due to an internal explosion caused by faulty design. A secondary pretext was the "liberation" of Spain's colonies.
The latter is one important reason why many Cubans, while admiring of American culture and prosperity, still put no trust in USE governments. After defeating Spain, the McKinley regime installed a USE-obedient government and placed the infamous "Platt Amendment" in the Cuban constitution. The amendment granted the USE permanent rights to interfere at will in Cuba's internal affairs, among other exploitative conditions.
The situation in the Phillippines was far more bloody. Filipinos had already been struggling for independence. The US Army was dispatched to subdue the islands, whose inhabitants were assigned the racial epithet "goo-goos," which later evolved into the Vietnam War slur "gooks."
As many as 250,000 Filipino civilians were slaughtered before the conquest was completed. (Further reading: In Our Image: America's Empire in the Phillippines, by Stanley Karnow.)
Another important consequence of the war was the emergence of Teddy Roosevelt as a national figure, where he became arguably the USE's first great imperialist abroad, completing and extending the conquests of McKinley.
In one sense, it is be regretted that these conquests came at such slight expense to the USE in treasure and lives, for it led Americans to think it would always be thus. Among other consequences, this misconception would later lead to the Indochina Wars, where some 5 million Indochinese and 60,000 Americans would needlessly perish.
The pretext was the supposed bombing of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor by Spanish agents. Later research has shown the sinking of the Maine was almost certainly due to an internal explosion caused by faulty design. A secondary pretext was the "liberation" of Spain's colonies.
The latter is one important reason why many Cubans, while admiring of American culture and prosperity, still put no trust in USE governments. After defeating Spain, the McKinley regime installed a USE-obedient government and placed the infamous "Platt Amendment" in the Cuban constitution. The amendment granted the USE permanent rights to interfere at will in Cuba's internal affairs, among other exploitative conditions.
The situation in the Phillippines was far more bloody. Filipinos had already been struggling for independence. The US Army was dispatched to subdue the islands, whose inhabitants were assigned the racial epithet "goo-goos," which later evolved into the Vietnam War slur "gooks."
As many as 250,000 Filipino civilians were slaughtered before the conquest was completed. (Further reading: In Our Image: America's Empire in the Phillippines, by Stanley Karnow.)
Another important consequence of the war was the emergence of Teddy Roosevelt as a national figure, where he became arguably the USE's first great imperialist abroad, completing and extending the conquests of McKinley.
In one sense, it is be regretted that these conquests came at such slight expense to the USE in treasure and lives, for it led Americans to think it would always be thus. Among other consequences, this misconception would later lead to the Indochina Wars, where some 5 million Indochinese and 60,000 Americans would needlessly perish.
posted by HH at 8:04 AM
2 Comments:
HH notes: On this date in 1901 died the great anti-imperialist Mark Twain, at the age of 74.
All honour.
HH said:
RtR kindly points out that Twain died in 1910, not 1901.
Serves your author right for taking data from only one reference source, and not cross-checking facts.
Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
Leave it to RtR, Hari, Grand Duchess, Earthbound Misfit, Anonymouse, and countless others to keep HH on, if not the straight and narrow, at least The Right Track.
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