Cuban Sovereignty

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the issue of whether Cuba was sovereign and independent in 1898 and in 1902. This issue is discussed by reference to the historical framework leading up to these years, as presented in six books: Louis Perez's "Cuba Between Reform and Revolution", Jules Benjamin's "The United States and Cuba", Leslie Bethell's "Cuba: A Short History", Louias A. Parez's "The War of 1898", Edwin Williamson's "The Penguin History of Latin America", and Howard J. Wiarda and Harvey F. Kline's "Latin American Politics and Development".

From the Paper:

"Cubans were therefore happy - for a while - in 1898, as historians are keen to point out that the real aim of the USA (to gain a strategic point in the Caribbean) soon became clear: the USA, for example, excluded Cuba from peace talks, and Cuba - although technically independent in 1898 - was the victim of a power struggle, with its fate decided through talks between the USA and the old colonial power; ordinary Cubans, and Cuban politicians alike did not have say in the future of the newly liberated country. In this sense, therefore, it is difficult to say whether Cuba was entirely independent in 1898 - it was no longer a colonial territory, yes, but it did not have any say in its running, and so in this sense, Cuba in 1898 was not a sovereign and independent state - indeed, the USA owned most of the property and capital on the island (with the USA claiming ownership of Guantanamo Bay in the process)."

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