The war ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and Pacific, transforming the United States into a global imperial power with overseas territories.
Key Facts
- Duration
- April 21 – August 13, 1898
- Treaty
- Treaty of Paris, signed December 10, 1898
- Philippines payment
- $20 million paid by U.S. to Spain USD
- Territories ceded to U.S.
- Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines
- Battle of Manila Bay
- May 1, 1898 — Spanish fleet destroyed
- Spanish presence ended
- Nearly four centuries of Spanish empire in Americas and Pacific
By the Numbers
Cause → Event → Consequence
Cuban nationalists revolted against Spanish rule in 1895, prompting brutal Spanish repression including the reconcentration policy under Governor-General Valeriano Weyler. Yellow journalism in the U.S. amplified reports of atrocities, swaying American public opinion. The mysterious explosion that sank the USS Maine in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, provided the immediate political pressure that pushed President McKinley to seek congressional authority for military intervention.
Beginning with a naval blockade of Cuba on April 21, 1898, the United States fought Spain across both the Caribbean and Pacific theaters. U.S. forces destroyed the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay on May 1, won key land battles at El Caney and San Juan Hill on July 1, captured Santiago de Cuba on July 17, seized Guam on June 20, and landed on Puerto Rico on July 25. An armistice ended fighting on August 13, 1898.
The Treaty of Paris formalized U.S. acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, and established Cuba as a de facto U.S. protectorate until 1902. The United States emerged as a major world power with globe-spanning territories, sparking domestic debate over expansionism. In Spain, the defeat triggered a deep national crisis and a cultural-philosophical movement known as the Generation of '98. The Philippine conflict also ignited the subsequent Philippine–American War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
William McKinley.
Side B
1 belligerent
Valeriano Weyler.