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In Our Time · April 30, 2026 · 55m

The Spanish-American War 1898

Frank Cogliano, Mary Vincent, Misha Glenny, Stephen Wilkinson
Show Notes

Misha Glenny and guests discuss the 1898 Spanish-American War, a pivotal conflict that ended Spanish imperial power and marked the United States' emergence as a global power. The US intervened in Cuba's long-running independence struggle after decades of interest, quickly defeating Spain with a superior navy and acquiring territories like the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The war's aftermath saw Spain plunged into national introspection, while Filipinos soon launched a bloody independence fight against their new colonial ruler.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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US Intervention in Cuba Was Decades in the Making
The US had been eyeing Cuba for decades and saw the Cuban independence struggle as the right moment to intervene in 1898.
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The War Was Brief and Decisive Thanks to Naval Superiority
With a much stronger navy, the US quickly triumphed over Spanish forces from Manila to Santiago de Cuba.
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The War Marked the Emergence of the US as a World Power
The brief war confirmed the United States as a power on the world stage.
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Spain's Defeat Provoked National Soul-Searching
Shocked Spain turned inward to ask what had gone wrong, a crisis of national identity.
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The Philippine-American War: A Bloody Sequel
After defeating Spain, people in the Philippines were about to attempt a new and bloody independence fight with the US.
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References

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The End of the Spanish Empire, 1898-1923 — Sebastian Balfour (1997) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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‘Riot, Regeneration and Reaction: Spain in the Aftermath of the 1898 Disaster’ — Sebastian Balfour (1995) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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Cuba: An American History — Ada Ferrer (2021) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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America, América: A New History of the New World — Greg Grandin (2025) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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Seizing Destiny: How America Grew from Sea to Shining Sea — Richard Kluger (2007) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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President McKinley: Architect of the American Century — Robert W. Merry (2017) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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Habits of Empire: A History of American Expansion — Walter Nugent (2008) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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Cuba Between Empires, 1878–1902 — Louis A. Pérez Jr. (1983) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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War and Genocide in Cuba, 1895-1898 — John Lawrence Tone (2006) — Listed in the episode's reading list
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Spain — Mary Vincent — Listed in the episode's reading list
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