War and Genocide in Cuba, 1895-1898 / Edition 1

by John Lawrence Tone

Overview

From 1895 to 1898, Cuban insurgents fought to free their homeland from Spanish rule. Though often overshadowed by the "Splendid Little War" of the Americans in 1898, according to John Tone, the longer Spanish-Cuban conflict was in fact more remarkable, foreshadowing the wars of decolonization in the twentieth century.

Employing newly released evidence—including hospital records, intercepted Cuban letters, battle diaries from both sides, and Spanish administrative records—Tone offers new answers to old questions concerning the war. He examines the origin of Spain's genocidal policy of "reconcentration"; the causes of Spain's military difficulties; the condition, effectiveness, and popularity of the Cuban insurgency; the necessity of American intervention; and Spain's supposed foreknowledge of defeat.

The Spanish-Cuban-American war proved pivotal in the histories of all three countries involved. Tone's fresh analysis will provoke new discussions and debates among historians and human rights scholars as they reexamine the war in which the concentration camp was invented, Cuba was born, Spain lost its empire, and America gained an overseas empire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807859261
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	09/01/2008
Series:	Envisioning Cuba
Edition description:	1
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

John Tone is professor of history at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is author of the award-winning The Fatal Knot: The Guerrilla War in Navarre and the Defeat of Napoleon in Spain (from The University of North Carolina Press).

Table of Contents

Preface xi

1 Eloy Gonzalo and the Disaster of War 1

2 The Origins of Cuban Independence 15

3 Jose Marti: A Dream of Cuba 31

4 Emilio Calleja and the Failure of Reform 43

5 Maximo Gomez and Total War 57

6 Antonio Maceo and the Battle of Peralejo 69

7 The Cuban Liberation Army 81

8 The Spanish Army 97

9 Arsenio Martinez Campos: Defending the Indefensible 113

10 Mal Tiempo and the Romance of the Machete 123

11 The Invasion of the West 139

12 Valeriano Weyler: The Butcher 153

13 The Death of Maceo 179

14 Reconcentration 193

15 The Monster and the Assassin 225

16 The Jingoes 239

17 Frascuelo versus Edison 251

18 The Splendid Disaster 273

Notes 289

Bibliography 315

Index 333

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Tone's cogent and elegantly written book does not turn patriotic history on its head, but it does dismember the subject. . . . John Tone portrays Cuba as Spain's Vietnam, and his skill at narrating the frightening realities of these 'unconventional' guerilla wars makes it hard to avoid reflecting on tragic events in the world today.—Times Literary Supplement



A nuanced perspective. . . . Tone writes well and his work will be accessible to experts and undergraduates alike. . . . A valuable addition to both Cuban and Spanish history and its publication is yet another indication of the high quality of scholarship that has emerged in recent years.—American Historical Review



This pathbreaking military history sheds new light on Spanish America's last colonial war and the multitudes that died on its 'ever faithful isle.' . . . Entwines vivid retellings of military engagements with nuanced analyses of the varying motives and strategies of the war's leaders. . . . An engaging study with broad appeal for Cuban, Spanish, and U.S. historians.—HAHR



Adds enormously to our understanding of the political, social and military dimensions of this war and is essential reading for anyone interested in the island's history, the early story of U.S. imperialism in the Caribbean, or Latin American military history.—Caribbean Studies



Masterful account . . . fascinating and captivating. . . . A must read . . . for anyone who is concerned with current global conflicts and the human rights of noncombatants. . . . Tone does an excellent job of presenting the viewpoint of both the Cubans and the Spanish fairly.—H-Net



An outstanding work. . . . Extremely well researched. . . . A fine study that will stimulate considerable scholarly debate.—History



Makes interesting reading and will stir academic debate and inspire further research.—Register of the Kentucky Historical Society



Skillful research leads to revisions of past interpretations. . . . [A] comprehensive inquiry. . . . Deserves considerable attention.—The Journal of Military History



A highly accessible, explicitly revisionist narrative. . . . Told with verve and pathos. . . . Engagingly written, humane and judicious in its appraisals of a complex and contested history. It deserves to be widely read and its implications debated.—Cuban Review

Editorial Reviews

An engagingly written book that offers new insights into the war. . . .This thought provoking book should be on many bookshelves.—The Past in Review

From the Publisher