McKinley and the Spanish‐American War

2004/02/18 by John L. Offner · 4 citations
Social Sciences · #Asian American and Pacific Histories #Cuban History and Society #Latin American and Latino Studies

paper · doi:10.1111/j.1741-5705.2004.00034.x

openalex publication_date 2004/02/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/29

Abstract

This article describes and analyzes President William McKinley's foreign and domestic policies that led to the Spanish‐American War of 1898. On the domestic side it includes congressional partisan politics, economic and business concerns, religious and moral views, cultural biases, and unexpected events that inflamed American patriotism. In foreign affairs it covers U.S. interests in Cuba, McKinley's diplomatic efforts to get Spain to withdraw peacefully from Cuba, and the president's relations with Europe's Great Powers and the pope. The article concludes with an analysis of McKinley's successes and failures.

Cited by

• William McKinley's Values and the Origins of the Spanish‐American War: A Reinterpretation
• History of U.S. foreign policy, 1897–1913 [wikipedia]
• Presidency of William McKinley [wikipedia]
• Spanish–American War [wikipedia]