How the Philippine-U.S. War Began

On May 1, 1898, Admiral Dewey sank the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, in a war the Republican Administration of William McKinley was waging against the decrepit Spanish Empire. To secure public support, McKinley had declared that the war was fought to free Cuba from Spanish rule. But, in December of that year, Washington signed a treaty with its defeated rival that revealed a reason for the war that was of more substantial derivation. The treaty gave the United States three of Spain's colonies: the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. It gave a fourth, Cuba, nominal independence, since previous political necessities offered Washington little choice. From the treaty's terms, it appears the corporate elite that dominated the McKinley Administration fought the war to grab what they could of Spain's colonies. They did this, their political representatives declared, to secure new foreign markets for a U.S. economy that had been mired in depression since 1893. The Philippines presented a special advantage, since its strategic location made it seem a natural stepping stone to the vast markets of China.This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website

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