American Imperialism Research Paper

The Birth of American Imperialism

The United States of America was founded on July 4, 1776 and has fought three wars before the Spanish-American War. The United States has fought numerous times for different reasons. The States fought Britain for their independence in 1776, and then in 1812 they fought Britain because American ships were being taken prisoner by the British for no apparent reason. America stood up against the British and let them know that was going to push America around. America also fought against itself trying to preserve the nation and keep The United States as one and from not separating. The United States of America unified again in 1865 becoming one with unified ideas. In 1898 the United States fought a new enemy
The U.S Navy’s Asiatic Squadron, is headed by Commodore George Dewy. He is based in Hong Kong, China. His job is to combat the Spanish in the Pacific (Bowman 104). Amazingly the U.S had so little information about the Philippines that Dewey had to buy charts of Manila Bay from Hong Kong (Golay 22). In the early hour of May 1, 1898, Dewy spots the Spanish fleet 5 miles south of Manila. The U.S fleet sails towards the Spanish fleet (Bowman 107). Dewey’s ships have destroyed the majority of the Spanish fleet and captured the remaining Spanish fleet. The Spanish lose more than 400 men. Only 6 Americans die or are wounded. When word reaches America of Dewey’s victory he becomes a national hero (Bowman 107). Dewy stays in Manila harbor with his fleet to keep the German Navy from the weak situation in the Philippines. The U.S does not want Germany to take territory or resources from the Philippines (Bowman 107). Following Dewey's victory, Manila Bay was filled with the warships of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Japan; all of which outgunned Dewey's force. The German fleet of eight ships were in Philippine waters to protect German interests acted provocatively cutting in front of American ships, refusing to salute the United States flag, taking soundings of the harbor, and landing supplies for the besieged Spanish. The Germans, with
The commander of the Spanish fleet is Pascual Cervera. He does not want to challenge the U.S, because he knows that he is out gunned (Bowan 109). On 1 July, a combined force of about 15,000 American troops in regular infantry and cavalry regiments, including all four of the army's "Colored" regiments, and volunteer regiments, among them Roosevelt and his "Rough Riders", the 71st New York and 1st North Carolina, and rebel Cuban forces attacked 1,270 entrenched Spaniards in dangerous Civil War-style frontal assaults at the Battle of El Caney and Battle of San Juan Hill outside of Santiago. More than 200 U.S. soldiers were killed and close to 1,200 wounded in the fighting. Supporting fire by Gatling guns was critical to the success of the assault. Cervera decided to escape Santiago two days later. The Spanish forces at Guantánamo were so isolated by Marines and Cuban forces that they did not know that Santiago was under siege and their forces in the northern part of the province could not break through Cuban lines. This was not true of the Escario relief column from Manzanillo, which fought its way past determined Cuban resistance but arrived too late to participate in the siege. After the battles of San Juan Hill and El Caney, the American advance ground to a halt. Spanish troops successfully defended Fort Canosa, allowing them to stabilize their line and bar the entry to Santiago (Bowan 109). The Americans and Cubans forcibly