Battle of Santiago de Cuba U.S. forces under Major General Elwell S. Otis, who was appointed military governor of the Philippines after the Spanish–American War. This territorial conflict was ironic because the roles of the Spanish–American War were now reversed. The U.S. once fought to free Cuba from Spain's colonial power, but now the United States aimed to colonize the Philippines. Ultimately, the Spanish–American War brought to light deeply rooted conflicts between the principles of democracy and the urges of budding imperialism. Two of the Spanish ships, "Infanta Maria Teresa" and "Cristóbal Colón", were later re-floated and taken over by the U.S. Both eventually foundered
Battle of Santiago de Cuba Spanish government sent their fleet under Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete to defend Cuba and keep an open line of communication with the Spanish garrison there; Cervera opposed this strategy. He believed his squadron lacked the strength necessary to engage the American squadron, preferring instead to engage the Americans near the Canary Islands or to mount an attack against the American coast, but he was overruled by his superiors in Madrid. Cervera's own misgivings reveal the seriousness of the situation faced: Lacking a clear strategy, the Spanish may have hoped to end the war quickly in a "glorious defeat" against