Diary of a Dirty Little War: The Spanish-American War of 1898 / Edition 1

by Harvey Rosenfeld

Overview

The Spanish-American War has been called a splendid little war, but, as Rosenfeld contends, it was a dirty little war as well. This colorful account, presented in diary format from the days preceding the declaration of war to the signing of the peace treaty with Spain, reveals how every aspect of American life was ultimately touched by the war. From the beginning, a unique spirit of patriotism pervaded the nation as volunteers flooded local enlistment centers. But it soon was evident that the United States was ill prepared to deal with the demands of training new troops, transporting them to staging areas, and protecting them against disease. Rosenfeld provides readers with the local color of the home front, including the experiences of the Jewish and black communities in the war, and strikes a balance between scholarly and popular writing.

Dramatic accounts of the battle of Manila and the heroism of Admiral Dewey, as well as extensive reports of land battles—including the efforts of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders—fill the early daily entries. Loved ones eagerly awaited any news of military developments, and weary survivors detailed their ordeals in press accounts. Rosenfeld includes valuable contextual information on the Hawaiian annexation debate and the Puerto Rican expedition. This fascinating approach to an early American foray into international affairs brings to life a war that is often overlooked.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275966737
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/28/2000
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.62(d)
Lexile:	1110L (what's this?)

About the Author

HARVEY ROSENFELD teaches English at St. John's University and Pace University and is the editor of Martyrdom and Resistance, a Holocaust bimonthly of the International Society for Yad Vashem. He is the author of Raoul Wallenberg: Angel of Rescue, (1995) as well as biographies of Roger Maris and Cal Ripken, Jr.

Table of Contents

Preface
Foreword
Introduction
Ten Days of Indecision
Ultimatum Issued
War Officially Declared
Victory at Manila Bay
The Long Wait
On the Way!
Attack on San Juan
The Blockade of Cuba
The Sinking of the Merrimac and Escalation Against Santiago
The Invasion at Guantanamo
Escalation of the Land Forces in Cuba: The Rough Riders and Blacks Stand Out
The Battles of El Caney and San Juan Heights
Sampson's Gift…Cervera's Fleet
The Bombardment and Capituation of Santiago
The Puerto Rican Campaign
Preparations for Peace Negotiations Begin
Hostilities Suspended…Protocol Signed
Selected Bibliographies
Index

Editorial Reviews

Drawing mostly from reports in the , but also from other contemporary newspapers and journals and from commentaries in books, Rosenfield (English, St. John's U. and Pace U.) chronicles what he characterizes as the first feel-good war the US had conducted for some time, being a rescue of poor Cubans from the oppression and brutality of Spain. He mentions only twice and in passing William Randolph Hearst, who is widely considered to have instigated the war with the most blatant example of yellow journalism to protect his financial interests. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

This detailed, day-by-day account of the three months of the Spanish-American War draws details from many historical sources, including newspapers and governmental records. Esmo reads each sentence carefully, pausing at every comma and phrase, a habit that becomes distracting to the listener and detracts from the historical narrative. M.B.K. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine

JUN/JUL 99 - AudioFile