The Origins of The Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American War was a conflict that occurred in Cuba between the United States and Spain in 1898. This war ultimately originated from the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain, which started in February 1895. For the United States this conflict was harmful to American investments, which meant that the United States was at risk of losing money. By December 1897 the United States sent the USS Maine to Havana, Cuba to protect American citizens and property from the rioting that was occurring there.
The event that finally brought the United States into this conflict occurred on February 15, 1898. This event was the explosion and sinking of the USS Maine, which resulted in the death of 260 crew members. Unfortunately, responsibility for this explosion has never been determined. However, the United States public, as result of sensational newspapers and yellow journalism, held Spain unquestionably responsible. In fact, the popular rallying cry that emerged after this incident was “Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain!”
With a lot of back and forth from the US government, Congress declared war on April 25, 1898. Nearly 290,000 American soldiers, Marines and sailors fought in the war that lasted until mid-August. As many as 1,700 female nurses volunteered to aid the sick and wounded.
Initially, the Army and Navy Medical Departments rejected the idea of using female nurses, but the military medical system was quickly overwhelmed by the vast unanticipated number of disease-related casualties. In May, the Army began hiring “contract nurses.” These women were professionally trained nurses who agreed to work for the Army, on salary, for as long as they were needed, and wherever they were needed.
I had no desire to go to Cuba or any place away from U.S.A. ...[but on] Christmas Day we received orders...to leave for Cuba....We... left for Americus where a Hospital train was waiting to take us to Charleston where the transports were waiting....We steamed out of Charleston, Dec. 30 at 7:30 AM.
-Kittie (Whiting) Eastman