It is not even Columbus Day, and I continue to advocate the need to stop celebrating such a thing in the United States. He had absolutely nothing to do with us except for the Spanish-American War, which is another dark spot in history.
You see, Christopher Columbus landed on Cuba’s northeastern coast in 1492. At that point, he jumped out of his very big boat and claimed the island for the new Kingdom of Spain. They had sponsored his journey of discovery, after all.
But his arrival was not all fun and games. In fact, for the Cuban people, there followed 400 years of slavery, degradation, and struggle.
Here’s what Columbus wrote about them in his diary:
“They willingly traded everything they owned. They do not bear arms, and do not know them, for I showed them a sword, they took it by the edge and cut themselves out of ignorance. They have no iron.
“They would make fine servants. With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.”
What a swell guy.
So, his suggestions became the policy there in Cuba, and the Spanish took over the island, saying it was theirs, all theirs. Of course, the indigenous people could not have been happy about the ordeal, and for centuries, they bore the oppression. But finally, they had enough, but not until 1868. A major rebellion erupted, resulting in what became known as the Ten Years’ War, with 200,000 Spanish casualties.
After a long hard struggle, in 1892, the Cuban Revolutionary Party was formed with the aim of achieving independence from Spain. The Spanish government retaliated, creating “reconcentrados.” Those were fortified towns that have been compared to the concentration camps of WWII. Up to 400,000 Cubans died from starvation and disease in the “reconcentrados.”
As rioting took hold in Havana, the United States said they had seen quite enough. So, we sent in a battleship – the USS Maine – “to protect American interests”. It turned out to be a bad idea. A couple of days after anchoring in the Havana harbor, the Maine was ripped apart by an explosion. This killed three-quarters of the crew – about 250 men.
Here’s the thing. The cause of the explosion was never established. But, as we do in America, the newspapers gave way to speculation. Particularly William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal, who said without a doubt that it must have been a Spanish mine.
The slanted headlines poured off the presses. And public opinion showed quickly that we were mad as hell at Spain. People chanted in the streets, “Remember the Maine! To Hell with Spain!” Congress, wishing to keep its voters happy, demanded something be done about Spain. So they voted for the use of force to achieve such an end.
Spain beat us to the first punch. On this date, April 24, 1898, they declared war against the United States. The next day Congress, in turn, declared war on Spain.
That conflict lasted for ten weeks, with America’s far superior forces inevitably gaining victory over the Spanish.
Most people don’t know much about that Spanish war, except for the fact that Colonel Theodore Roosevelt led those “Rough Riders” — the First United States Volunteer Cavalry — in the Battle of San Juan Hill. He did so carrying a pistol recovered from the Maine.
It did not go without cost. The action claimed the lives of over 1,000 U.S. soldiers, which was nearly five times as many as the Spanish. Despite the loss, Roosevelt overtook the enemy position.
Two days later, the Spanish fleet was destroyed at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, leading to the surrender of the city.
After the war, Spain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris. Under this agreement, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam to the U.S. for $20 million. In addition, Cuba became a protectorate of the United States.
Christopher Columbus should not have a day.
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“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
― Albert Einstein
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“Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die.”
― Herbert Hoover
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“Only the dead have seen the end of war.”
― Plato
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Columbus, Cuba, and Teddy. In that order.
