Cuban War of Independence

War between Spain and Cuban rebels from 1895 to 1898

War & ConflictPolitics & Government
Cuban War of Independence
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Overview

What happened

1902: Cuba declares independence in Havana, with Tomás Estrada Palma as its first president, after decades of struggle and a death toll of over 20,000

Date

May 20, 1902

Location

Havana, Cuba

Key people

Tomás Estrada Palma, José Martí

Why it matters

This article provides a detailed and nuanced account of the Cuban independence movement, highlighting the complex and often contradictory nature of the event.

What was Cuban War of Independence?

The Cuban War of Independence, fought from 1895 to 1898, was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, following the Ten Years' War (1868–1878) and the Little War (1879–1880). Throughout the course of the war, Spain sent 220,285 soldiers to Cuba, the largest army to cross the Atlantic until World War II, according to the Library of Congress. Spain created the first modern concentration camps using its reconcentration policy, which caused the deaths of at least 170,000 Cubans, or 10% of the population at the time. The final three months of the conflict saw major escalation which evolved into the Spanish–American War, with United States armed forces being deployed to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to fight against Spain.

Cuban War of Independence
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Background and consequences

W. Joseph Campbell argued that yellow journalism exaggerated atrocities attributed to Spanish forces against Cuban civilians and swayed American public opinion. During the years of the so-called "Rewarding Truce", from the close of the Ten Years' War in 1878 to the end of the 1880s decade, there were fundamental social changes in Cuban society.

American cartoon, published in 1898: "Remember the Maine! And Don't Forget the Starving Cubans!"
American cartoon, published in 1898: "Remember the Maine! And Don't Forget the Starving Cubans!"
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Related on thisDay

Cuba Declares Independence — May 20, 1902

1902: Cuba declares independence in Havana, with Tomás Estrada Palma as its first president, after decades of struggle and a death toll of over 20,000

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: Cuba Declares Independence — May 20, 1902Wikipedia source
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MLA

“Cuban War of Independence.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/cuban-war-of-independence/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Cuban War of Independence. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/cuban-war-of-independence/

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“Cuban War of Independence.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/cuban-war-of-independence/.

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