Spanish American War, Why Does the United Term Paper

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Spanish American War, why does the United States move from relative isolation into an international role and what are the consequences for U.S. society of that change?

involvement in the Spanish-American War

The Spanish American War enabled the international community to observe the emergence of the U.S. As a notable player. While the U.S. had already established its financial and diplomatic power as a result of the series of achievements it saw during the previous two centuries, this particular conflict was essential in securing the country's position on an international level.

promoted the idea that it was essential for it to reinforce its position near its coasts in order for U.S. commerce to occur with lesser problems. "U.S. foreign policy is influenced by Alfred T. Mahan who wrote The Influence of Sea Power upon history, 1600-1783, which advocated the taking of the Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, and the Philippine Islands for bases to protect U.S. commerce, the building of a canal to enable fleet movement from ocean to ocean and the building of the Great White fleet of steam-driven armor plated battleships."

Such a move would have obviously had a positive effect on U.S. economy and was thus seen as a common goal for individuals in the country in general.

At the time when the Spanish American War became imminent, the U.S. adopted a very different international policy from the one it put across until the late nineteenth century. It was determined to become the most authoritarian power in the region and could not allow other countries to hold their dominance in the area. This war was practically the materialization of several decades during which the U.S. supported Spanish control over Cuba. Americans believed it was best for the Spanish to hold their limited authority over the territory up until to the point where the U.S. became strong enough to take over. The U.S. was well-acquainted with the dangers associated with having any power other than Spain control Cuba and thus focused on preventing both the French and the British from having any say in the matter.

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As it realized that the time had come for it to step in and remove Spanish authority it got actively engaged in putting across a series of attitudes meant to emphasize why it was better for Cuba to be under American control.

The American tendency to expand its influence over Cuba was deeply rooted in American ideology as a whole. Americans believed it was only natural for them to have control over most of the American continent and used the Manifest Destiny as a form of justification meant to promote this idea. By relating to God's plan and to a higher power enabling the American people to take over a series of territories in the regions, these people virtually believed that there was nothing that could stand in their way. Americans thus became much more aggressive by the end of the nineteenth century and they started to regard U.S. increase of power as a goal that each and every one of them needed to consider in order to the nation as a whole to experience progress. It is actually intriguing to observe how the U.S.' international change of position reflected on the country's citizens. Americans practically came to see themselves more powerful than they were before and more responsible with regard to the well-being of other countries. To a certain degree U.S. citizens believed that it was their responsibility to support U.S. intervention in Cuba on account of how the Spanish were incapable of handling things there and of providing proper assistance to its colony.

The Spanish American War was not only meant to provide the U.S. with control over Cuba, as this was not necessarily an important step for the Americans. It was actually meant to have the whole world observe and acknowledge that the….....

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