The War with Spain in 1898

The Spanish American War is remembered more for its enormous political ramifications than for the actual fighting. It marked the end of the Spanish empire in the New World; secured Cuban independence (under U.S. oversight); transferred ownership of Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico to the United States; propelled war hero Theodore Roosevelt to the vice presidency and soon the White House itself; and, most important, signaled the rise of the United States as a global superpower. The War with Spain in 1898, David F. Trask's definitive account, balances the political and military aspects of the conflict. Highlights include the sinking of the U.S. battleship Maine in the Havana harbor and Roosevelt leading his Rough Riders in a brave charge up San Juan Hill. A Mort Kunstler painting of Admiral George Dewey attacking the Spanish fleet at Manila (where he won a spectacular victory) graces the cover.