Cuba's Independence: A Shadow of U.S. Influence

Cuba's struggle for true independence after the Spanish-American War is portrayed as a continuous battle against foreign influence and internal political subservience. The article argues that despite the Cuban victory over Spain, the island quickly fell under the sway of the United States, a situation exacerbated by the actions of Cuban leaders.

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It is impossible for this people to rise up against a dictatorship, or simply against the old Creole political corruption inherited from Spain, because its dependence on the North hinders and embarrasses any purpose of action...

Figures like Tomás Estrada Palma, the first Cuban president, are depicted as aligning with American interests, allegedly due to his U.S. education and character. His willingness to implement the Platt Amendment, which allowed for U.S. intervention, is presented as a key moment where Cuban sovereignty was compromised for the sake of maintaining power. The text suggests that this pattern of subservience continued throughout the republic's history.

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McKinley declared war on Spain when it, bled dry and defeated by the Cubans, had no other escape route than pure and simple capitulation.

The article contends that the U.S. imperialist ambitions were evident even before the war's end, citing a 1898 Philadelphia map that already listed Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines as U.S. "colonies." This framing suggests that the war was not about liberation but about expansion, with Cuba becoming a "protectorate" rather than a truly independent nation. The narrative implies that the sacrifices made during the wars of independence were ultimately undermined by these external and internal political forces.

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The nascent imperialism thus conquered its dominion over the island – the apple and the basket – transforming the old colony into a brand-new protectorate, with limited power exercised by trusted overseers.