History of Cuba U.S. embassy in Havana was formally reopened in August 2015. History of Cuba The island of Cuba was inhabited by various Mesoamerican cultures prior to the arrival of the Spanish explorer Christopher Columbus in 1492. After Columbus' arrival, Spain conquered Cuba and appointed Spanish governors to rule in Havana. In 1762, Havana was briefly occupied by Great Britain, before being returned to Spain in exchange for Florida. A series of rebellions during the 19th century failed to end the Spanish rule. However, the Spanish–American War resulted in a Spanish withdrawal from the island in 1898, and following three-and-a-half years of
Society of the Army of Santiago de Cuba S. SUMNER, U. S. V. 6 Brig.-General ADELBERT AMES, U. S. V. 7 Brig.-General WALLACE F. RANDOLPH, U. S. V. 8 Brig.-General CHAMBERS McKIBBIN, U. S. V. 9 Col. THEODORE ROOSEVELT, 1st U. S. Vol. Cav. 10 Lt.-Col. JOHN DAVID MILEY, Inspector-general, U. S. V. (Died at Manila, P. I., September 19, 1899) United Spanish War Veterans Spanish War Service Medal Spanish Campaign Medal Society of the Army of Santiago de Cuba Society of the Army of Santiago de Cuba was an organization, the purpose of which was to record the history and conserve the memory of the events of