Spanish-American War

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Gorque
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Spanish-American War

#1

Post by Gorque » 03 Sep 2019, 03:14

I just read an account regarding the size differentials between the Spanish Army and the American Army at the start of hostilities: Spain had 200,000 troops in Cuba, 30,000 in the Phillipines, and 8,000 in Puerto Rico while the U.S. had only 25,000 men officers and men in uniform at the onset of hostilities.

Is this correct and how fast did the U.S. overcome this numerical dispariy?

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Re: Spanish-American War

#2

Post by OpanaPointer » 03 Sep 2019, 05:26

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Ironmachine
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Re: Spanish-American War

#3

Post by Ironmachine » 03 Sep 2019, 08:16

The numbers are more or less right. But a large number of them were not available for service due to illness, and the remaining soldiers were dispersed through the territory to protect cities and villages from the groups of rebels, so the forces available for mobile operations were far smaller than it seems. On the other hand, the U.S. troops could concentrate their efforts against the main targets, and after the collapse of Spanish morale that followed the loss of the fleet Spain sued for peace just when illness was beginning to take its toll on U.S. troops.

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Re: Spanish-American War

#4

Post by Loïc » 03 Sep 2019, 12:30

Spain was the 8th military power,
United States a military dwarf, the Congolese Public Force, the KNIL and even small European like Portugal or some American countries maintained more important Armies than the US Army

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Re: Spanish-American War

#5

Post by Gorque » 03 Sep 2019, 12:33

Ironmachine wrote:
03 Sep 2019, 08:16
The numbers are more or less right. But a large number of them were not available for service due to illness, and the remaining soldiers were dispersed through the territory to protect cities and villages from the groups of rebels, so the forces available for mobile operations were far smaller than it seems. On the other hand, the U.S. troops could concentrate their efforts against the main targets, and after the collapse of Spanish morale that followed the loss of the fleet Spain sued for peace just when illness was beginning to take its toll on U.S. troops.
Good point regarding illness. According to the Wiki article, it was yellow fever. :thumbsup:

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Re: Spanish-American War

#6

Post by OpanaPointer » 03 Sep 2019, 15:10

Two of FDR's cabinet in 1940 were veterans of the Rough Riders, IIRC.
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Re: Spanish-American War

#7

Post by Gorque » 03 Sep 2019, 17:10

From what I'm reading, the Cuban's, under the Generalship of Calixto Garcia, created a diversion by attacking Cabañas. This, combined with the naval shelling of Daiquri, allowed the U.S. to wade 16,000 men ashore.at Daiquiri.

As a result, we now have the cocktail of same name. :D

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Re: Spanish-American War

#8

Post by Gorque » 03 Sep 2019, 17:20

So from what I can ascertain, in the day after the U.S.S. Maine exploded, the U.S. Army grew by 100,000, and eventually by 220,000 through volunteers and statr National Guard call-ups.

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Re: Spanish-American War

#9

Post by OpanaPointer » 03 Sep 2019, 17:32

Gorque wrote:
03 Sep 2019, 17:10
From what I'm reading, the Cuban's, under the Generalship of Calixto Garcia, created a diversion by attacking Cabañas. This, combined with the naval shelling of Daiquri, allowed the U.S. to wade 16,000 men ashore.at Daiquiri.

As a result, we now have the cocktail of same name. :D
The drink was supposedly invented by an American mining engineer, named Jennings Cox, who was in Cuba at the time of the Spanish–American War. It is also possible that William A. Chanler, a US congressman who purchased the Santiago iron mines in 1902, introduced the daiquiri to clubs in New York in that year.
Daiquiri - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Daiquiri
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Gorque
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Re: Spanish-American War

#10

Post by Gorque » 03 Sep 2019, 18:40

^^ I have learned something new today. Therefor my day is now complete. PARTY-TIME!!! 8-)

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