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U.S. interest in purchasing Cuba had begun long before 1898. Following the Ten Years War, American sugar interests bought up large tracts of land in Cuba. Alterations in the U.S. sugar tariff favoring home-grown beet sugar helped foment the rekindling of revolutionary fervor in 1895. By that time the U.S. had more than $50 million invested in Cuba and annual trade, mostly in sugar, was worth twice that much. Fervor for war had been growing in the United States, despite President Grover Cleveland's proclamation of neutrality on June 12, 1895. But sentiment to enter the conflict grew in the United States when General Valeriano Weyler began implementing a policy of Reconcentration that moved the population into central locations guarded by Spanish troops and placed the entire country under martial law in February 1896. By December 7, President Cleveland reversed himself declaring that the United States might intervene should Spain fail to end the crisis in Cuba. President William McKinley, inaugurated on March 4, 1897, was even more anxious to become involved, particularly after the New York Journal published a copy of a letter from Spanish Foreign Minister Enrique Dupuy de Lôme criticizing the American President on February 9, 1898. Events moved swiftly after the explosion aboard the U.S.S. Maine on February 15. On March 9, Congress passed a law allocating fifty million dollars to build up military strength. On March 28, the U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry finds that a mine blew up the Maine. On April 21 President McKinley orders a blockade of Cuba and four days later the U.S. declares war.
The following selection of books provide the perspective of American in Cuba and in the Philippines during the war. Each title links to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog. Links to additional online content are included when available.
Frederic Remington and the Spanish-American War by A soldier in two armies by Reminiscences of the Santiago campaign by The log of the Oregon; a sailor's story of the voyage from San Francisco to Santiago in 1898. by Marching with Gomez; a war correspondent's field note-book, kept during four months with the Cuban army by The U.S.S. Oregon and the Battle of Santiago by Some letters of Augustus Peabody Gardner by In darkest Cuba; two months' service under Gomez along the trocha from the Caribbean to the Bahama channel by The fun and fighting of the Rough riders by Banners in the Air: the Eighth Ohio Volunteers and the Spanish-American War by Cannon and camera; sea and land battles of the Spanish-American war in Cuba; camp life, and the return of the soldiers by Fighting for humanity; or, Camp and quarter-deck by The Battle of Santiago on board the United States battleship "Texas" by Campaigning in Cuba by The story of the Rough Riders, 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry : the regiment in camp and on the battle field by The U.S.S. Yankee on the Cuban blockade, 1898.Reprint of the Squadron bulletins of the North Atlantic Squadron by History of the Gatling gun detachment, Fifth army corps, at Santiago, with a few unvarnished truths concerning that expedition. By John H. Parker, 1st lieut. 13th inf. (late) commanding Gatling gun detachment, Fifth army corps, at Santiago. by The cruise of the U.S.S. Dixie; or, On board with the Maryland boys in the Spanish-American war. by The little war of Private Post by The Rough Riders by Incidents of Cuban occupation by U.S. troops, 1898 : Spanish-American War by The Santiago campaign; reminiscences of the operations for the capture of Santiago de Cuba in the Spanish-American war, June and July, 1898 by El diablo americano = The devil American : strange adventures of a war correspondent in Cuba by 
