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The seemingly everlasting sickness of imperialism, with subsequent death, started with that the Cuban population once had just about enough of Spain.
Rebellion was not anything new under the sun, for the rebellions had been constant under the imperial age.
The news was that the rebels did business with a major player: the United States.
Cuban insurgency only lasted and lasted, and for the United States it became increasingly clear that Spain might be too weak to stand as an imperial power.
The United States had just completed a massive fleetbuilding.
Their nation was in a good position in relation to it to shake Cuba out of Spain’s grip.
Cuba also lay directly off the coast of the United States – which strongly opposed any European presence on the american continent.
Declaration of war came shortly after the U.S. battleship Maine exploded.
The United States was convinced that it was some Spanish agents who had blasted the ship, but it has neither by the time or later been proven that this was the case.
25.April 1898 were the United States in war with Spain.
The war went as expected, not very good for Spain.
Nevertheless should the war before ending, claiming 3000 Americans dead.
Cuba is an island.
Logically enough was, therefore, the Cuban war was mainly decided on a maritime theatre.
The only Spanish warship that could measure themselve up to the U.S. battlefleet was the Spaniards pride Pelayo. One powerful Battleship.
Spanish authorities were, however, that most authorities, caring most for themselves.
They decided that Pelayo was to be reserved to the defence of Spain itself - how unlikely a U.S. bombardement of Spain’s coasts was ever going to be.
So did the authorities in Spain almost defeat its own marine, even before the games were started.
Their involvement in the military business stopped however not there.
Admiral Pascual Cervera (not Cerveza) y Topete – a competent expert; wanted to wait for the U.S. fleet at the Canary Islands. This desire was “managed” political.
Spain’s Glory (with the big G) stood at stake, and it had to be sent out political signals.
Always signals.
Four Spanish armoured cruisers and two torpedoboats were ordered to Cuba immediately to their crews despair. All on board knew perfectly well what it would be the end for them in a meeting with the U.S. fleet. But they where tackling this fact in a Catholic fashion. The strikeforce consisted of the Infanta Maria Teresa and Vizcaya and Oquendo. Three armoured cruisers with 280 mm cannons (which was not to laugh at), and many of the smaller calibre cannons.
They also had two torpedoboats Furore and Pluton.
In the end Admiral Cervera got with him a brand new cruiser Cristobal Colòn – that was so new that its 250 mm cannons were not mounted yet when the war started. Instead the ship was equipped with wooden dummies. It is hardly considered an advantage to be ordered into war with wooden cannons.
But Cristobal Colòn had many of the smaller cannons thoug, and they were not made in wood.
The Spanish Naval Force added to the wharf in Santiago de Cuba, so before the sealane back out was blocked by the majority of the U.S. fleet.
The Americans were unable to bombard the Spaniards without coming within reach of the Spanish coastal guns, and the Spaniards could not get out to sea without having to meet the superior strength of the United States Navy. One classic stalemate we want to say.
But the net were closing in on Cervera and his men. The enemy advanced on land against Santiago, and finally the admiral decided to go for breaking the american blockade.
He really had no other choices, as Santiago was just about to be consumed by troops from the United States and the Cuban rebels.
3. July at 9.00 the Spanish ships made full steam ahead. This with the flagship Infanta Maria Teresa in the lead – followed by Vizcaya – Cristobal Colòn – Oquendo and the torpedoboats Furore and Pluton. The US ships had not fired up all the steam boilers on their ships, and they was totally surprised when the Spaniards at 9.45 emerged and started shooting.
But if the Americans lacked steam in them; they lacked not the munitions to their cannons.
Soon there was an exchange of fire started that could really end in just one way.
The pace was the Spaniards only advantage in the battle. Even if they started the last, and also was by far the fastest ships, it was Furore and Pluton of the Spanish ships that came shortest away in the escape. The Americans had respect for torpedoboats, and got them both quickly and literally blown out of the water.
It was common during battles at sea that the flagships got the credit of having to catch the enemy’s greatest attention.
On board the Infanta Maria Teresa Admiral Cervera lost the deck under his feet. Soon the ship sank.
This was bad news for Oquendo that just then was nearest the enemy.
Oquendo soon had the same fate as the flagship.
While the cruiser sank the crew fired volleys of torpedoes against the Americans, they thoug avoided these.
Vizcaya had now got past the U.S. battlefleet and was complicated in a duel with American cruisers.
Captain and crew made an honourable struggle, but as mentioned: the battle could only end in a way. And so it did.
Vizcaya sank after a prolonged exchange of fire against superior forces. Cristobal Colòn their wooden mainguns exploited the chaos, and sailed behind the other Spanish ships.
The cruiser got off relatively undamaged from the battle, as a grenades exploded around the hull, and against all odds the ship and it`s crew broke the American blockade.
The US took chase and the chase lasted; and so allowed the Colòn to get out of Spanish coal, and so they had to start heating the boilers in the ship with Cuban coal. This coal were of poorer quality than the Spanish.
The smoke in the chimney on Colòn changed its color and the ship lost more and more speed for the Americans. Soon again the grenades hailed around the cruiser.
Well knowing about all the sharks in the waters, the Spanish captain allowed the ship to get stranded on land before it was lowered in the open sea. The ship later sank.
So ended Spain’s history as a major player: Literally in one cut.
The town of Santiago de Cuba were actually fighting to 17. July – and the war was not formally ended before 10. December 1898.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt about that, without a navy the war on Cuba in reality was lost to Spain.
And a smashing defeat it had been. Aside from Vixen none of the U.S. ships that participated in the war was ever near to be lowered. This despite the fact that the Spaniards were to get many hits on the enemy.
Marine historians are today considering the typical warship of the day as basic wrongly constructed; with a lot of smaller calibre cannons on board, instead of the fewer but larger cannons.
This conclusion was, nevertheless, first to be made so much later. The American supremacy had been so massive that it was not noticed that the smaller cannons was relatively ineffective. In virtue of their numbers they had done the job for the Americans anyway.
The Battle of Santiago de Cuba marked the end of this imperial age.
The royalist and to some extent racist imperialism was doomed when meeting the United States.
The United States was at this time the progressive force in the world, but by no means their methods and policies are considered current coin of our time.
It is also interesting so see that the relationship between Cuba and the United States in the beginning was warm and well. It was by no means inevitable that the relationship between the two nations would be so inflamed and strained as history now shows us.
It would prove to be a long way to the goal, but the death of imperialism began with a rebellion at Cuba.
The story, it is said, have a tendency to repeat itself.
Those who live will see.
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