The Cuban War of Independence
Cuban insurgents resumed the fight against Spanish colonial rule in 1895. General Valeriano Weyler's reconcentration policy forced hundreds of thousands of civilians into camps; published death-toll estimates are disputed, ranging from roughly 95,000 to 300,000, with no single figure treated as authoritative.[1]
· Conflict episode
Cuban War of Independence, 1895-1898
Cuban insurgents fought Spanish colonial rule from 1895; General Valeriano Weyler's reconcentration policy forced hundreds of thousands of civilians into camps, causing a disputed death toll variously estimated between roughly 95,000 and 300,000.
End of Spanish sovereignty
The Treaty of Paris, signed 10 December 1898, provided that "Spain relinquishes all claim of sovereignty over and title to Cuba." Cuba was placed under US military government rather than granted immediate independence.[2]
· Agreement
Treaty of Paris, 1898
Spain relinquished sovereignty over Cuba in the Treaty of Paris, signed 10 December 1898, ending the Spanish-American War; Cuba was placed under US military government rather than granted immediate independence.
Establishment of the Republic
US military government ended on 20 May 1902, when the Republic of Cuba was established under President Tomás Estrada Palma, under a constitution incorporating the Platt Amendment.[3]
· Declaration
Establishment of the Republic of Cuba, 1902
US military government of Cuba ended on 20 May 1902, when the Republic of Cuba was established under President Tomás Estrada Palma.
Abrogation of the Platt Amendment
On 29 May 1934, the United States and Cuba signed a new Treaty of Relations, abrogating the Platt Amendment's right of intervention while preserving the legality of prior US occupation actions and the Guantánamo Bay lease.[4]
· Agreement
Abrogation of the Platt Amendment, 1934
The United States and Cuba signed a new Treaty of Relations on 29 May 1934, abrogating most of the Platt Amendment while preserving the legality of prior US occupation actions and the Guantánamo Bay lease.
Sources for this page
Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.
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1.
Claim: Cuban insurgents resumed the fight against Spanish colonial rule in 1895. Spanish General Valeriano Weyler implemented a "reconcentration" policy, forcing hundreds of thousands of rural civilians into camps in towns and cities, where large numbers died of starvation and disease. Published death-toll estimates are disputed: an 1898 Spanish government census estimated up to 170,000 deaths, Cuban demographic estimates range from roughly 95,000 to 170,000, and a 1897 US congressional fact-finding mission reported roughly 300,000 deaths among 500,000 people held in the camps; no single figure is treated as authoritative.
- CUBAN HOLOCAUST: La Reconcentración and the Decimation of the Güajiros (Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami) link, report text. Source record
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2.
Claim: The Treaty of Paris, signed 10 December 1898, provided in Article I: "Spain relinquishes all claim of sovereignty over and title to Cuba." Since Cuba was to be occupied by the United States upon its evacuation by Spain, the United States would "assume and discharge the obligations that may under international law result from the fact of its occupation, for the protection of life and property," for the duration of that occupation.
- Kingdom of Spain and United States of America, Treaty of Paris (1898) (10 December 1898) link, Article I. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
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3.
Claim: With the end of US military government jurisdiction, Cuba gained formal independence on 20 May 1902 as the Republic of Cuba, with the Cuban flag raised on the Governor General's Palace at noon that day. Tomás Estrada Palma, elected under a constitution drafted by a Cuban Constituent Assembly, became the republic's first President.
- Wikipedia contributors, Republic of Cuba (1902-1959) (Wikipedia, 20 May 1902) link, article text. Source record
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4.
Claim: The Platt Amendment of 1901 conditioned the withdrawal of US troops from Cuba on provisions including a unilateral US right to intervene in Cuban affairs and negotiation of a US naval base at Guantánamo Bay; it was incorporated into the 1901 Cuban constitution and the 1903 Permanent Treaty. On 29 May 1934, the United States and Cuba signed a new Treaty of Relations abrogating the right of intervention, while preserving the legality of actions taken during the earlier US military occupation and the Guantánamo Bay lease.
- Platt Amendment (Wikipedia) link, Terms and 1934 abrogation sections. Source record
Printed from https://independenceatlas.com/movements/cuba/history · last substantive update 24 September 2026.