For the past few weeks I've been talking here about some examples of hooray patriotism. From its beginnings in the Greek War of Independence to the fairly recent upsurge of old euphoria in Britain's Falklands War, it has happened time and time again. Time and time again, people found their (or in the case of the Greeks, another) nation really awesome and simply had to show it to the rest of the world. A few basics of the modern idea of nationalism can be found here.
But of course no treatise on patriotism is complete without mentioning the USA! I mean, how many times have you seen American tourist troops roaring through the streets of Europe? "US, US, US!" As if you would make friends with it... But it has to come from somewhere. And from where? Well, mostly from the Spanish-American War of 1898!
From American Exceptionalism to Spread Eagleism
The USA has always been something special. At least that's what many believe there, and this belief was widespread in the USA as early as the 19th century. You saw yourself as something different than all these European countries that were romping about in the world. After all, it was the first real democratic republic! And to such a self-image there were a few things that went without saying. From the 1820s, the United States began to stay out of world affairs outside of its own continent. The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 stipulated that the United States would not operate outside of its "sphere of influence" in the Americas. At the same time, however, any European influence on what was happening in America was forbidden. While the existing European colonies were recognized there, the USA was also an anti-colonial power at the time. Actually, logical given your own story.
Looking at the United States today, however, we seem a world away from the Monroe Doctrine and the isolationism of old. The USA has its military bases scattered all over the world and until recently they saw themselves as the sheriff of the world. So how did we get to where we are today? How did we get from the idea of American peculiarity, "Exceptionalism", to today's US great power? Well, that has a lot to do with a small war:the Spanish-American War at the end of the 19th century. And with cheap patriotism, fueled by a self-confident tabloid press and the later American fortunes in war. Aye, and along the way, the US even got a taste for colonialism itself! How times don't change...
The Spanish-American War
Even before the Spanish-American War, the problems with the Spanish colonial empire were of course not unknown to the USA. Even when the Monroe Doctrine was promulgated in the 1820s, it suffered from a serious built-in problem. Recognizing the European colonies in America on the one hand, but otherwise banning European activity on the continent... that can't go well for long. At some point you had to come into conflict with it. And that's the way it was with Spain. That was still extremely active in the neighborhood of the USA in the 19th century. Well, in 1810 Mexico went rogue. And yes, shortly afterwards the rest of Central and South America. But all the gems of the Spanish Empire were still there! Guam for example! Or Cuba! Yes Cuba, the crown of the empire! As long as we still have it, it's all good. the Spaniards said to themselves. Hold my drink , said the Americans.
The problem for Spain in the New World really began with Cuba towards the end of the 19th century. They weren't all that happy with the mother country. Decades before the Spanish-American War, independence movements against Spain rose again and again in Cuba. There was a 10-year war from 1868 (in contrast to many other wars, the historians even counted correctly here and it actually lasted ten years). Shortly thereafter, another smaller war called the "Little War" (yes.. I know) and more and more smaller skirmishes followed until Cuba finally went into open rebellion against the Spanish colonial rule in 1895.
What does all this have to do with the USA, you ask now? After all, it's not called a Spanish-Cuban war, but a Spanish-American war! Actually, the USA didn't really care that much about it, but there were a few stupid coincidences. Large parts of the US population found the uprising in Cuba really good! Well, who cares? At that point, Americans had been telling glorious tales of their own struggle against evil colonialism for a century. Of course, an anti-Spanish rebellion in Cuba found supporters in the country! In 1898, US President McKinley could no longer defend himself against this opinion and sent the American battleship USS Maine to Havana. Not necessarily to attack the Spaniards, of course. You just wanted to... show that you were still there.
The situation in Cuba is escalating, the patriots love it
Unfortunately, the matter with the USS Maine did not go so well as a result. After a few weeks, the ship exploded in Havana harbor. To this day, it has not been clarified beyond doubt what caused this explosion. But the opinion in the USA was quickly clear:Of course it was the damned Spaniards! At least that's what the nascent tabloids in New York were blaring about, taking the opportunity to invent a few more stories about Spanish attacks on Cuban civilians. A particularly imaginative headline of the time was "Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain" . Well, as long as you have an argument...
But of course, the newspapers weren't the only reason the US started the Spanish-American War. The country also had tangible interests in Cuba! That hasn't changed much to this day. By 1898, the United States had long been Cuba's largest trading partner. On top of that, the island was simply convenient, close to US territory and on the way to Central America, where dreams of building a canal, later the Panama Canal, had been floating around in the USA for some time. At least there would be no harm in controlling Cuba.
And so, in 1898, the United States gave up its isolation and declared war on Spain. And he didn't know what happened to him. In fact, within just a few months, American troops defeated the Spanish on all fronts. In Cuba itself, the Americans and the insurgents were victorious in no time. But while they were at it, US troops also attacked nearby Puerto Rico. And then the not-so-close Spanish Philippines. But well, they were also very practical. Aye, and since they were headed there, they quickly grabbed Guam along the way. If it works, it works.
And so the Spanish colonial empire ended and everyone was free and happy
After Spain and the USA made peace in Paris at the end of 1898, the Spanish colonial empire was finally devastated. Cuba was granted independence by Madrid. Although we have already heard who was in charge there economically. You can already imagine how it worked in the future and how it still works today. A little tip:At that time, the USA secured a particularly attractive small bay in Cuba called Guantanamo Bay. The other countries occupied by the USA in the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, would certainly also like to become independent. Instead, the people there were soon watching American soldiers move into the Spanish garrisons. That's probably not how they imagined it.
The USA had finally risen to become a great power and the people in the country were enthusiastic. From Puerto Rico to the Philippines, American influence now extended over half the world. Who needs the Monroe Doctrine and stupid isolation when you can have so much power?! If that means rethinking your own anti-colonial history a bit, then so be it. A term that prevailed at the time for the new US foreign policy was so-called “spread eagleism”. Why? This picture might explain it. In any case, it no longer has that much to do with isolation and noble restraint. As we know and love our USA.
What we should learn from the story now can still be read here. By the way, last week - in case you didn't notice - the first Déjà-vu story podcast was released! It's about womanizers in history. You can have a listen. We'll hear each other again next week in the second podcast and then read each other in two weeks. Man, it's going round here, I'll tell you...