Editing Spanish–American War (section)

===Aftermath in the United States===
The U.S. annexed the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.<ref name=":02322" /> The notion of the United States as an imperial power, with colonies, was hotly debated domestically with President McKinley and the Pro-Imperialists winning their way over vocal opposition led by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[William Jennings Bryan]],<ref name=":02322" /> who had supported the war. The American public largely supported the possession of colonies, but there were many outspoken critics such as [[Mark Twain]], who wrote ''[[The War Prayer]]'' in protest. Roosevelt returned to the United States a war hero,<ref name=":02322" /> and he was soon elected [[List of Governors of New York|governor]] of New York and then became the [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]]. At the age of 42, he became the youngest person to become president after the [[Assassination of William McKinley|assassination of President McKinley]].

The war served to further repair relations between the American North and South. The war gave both sides a common enemy for the first time since the end of the Civil War in 1865, and many friendships were formed between soldiers of northern and southern states during their tours of duty. This was an important development, since many soldiers in this war were the children of Civil War veterans on both sides.<ref>[https://sites.rootsweb.com/~scjssawv/ Confederate & Federal Veterans of '98: Civil War Veterans who served in the Spanish–American War, Philippine Insurrection, and China Relief Expedition by Micah J. Jenkins]. Retrieved on October 13, 2007 {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The African American community strongly supported the rebels in Cuba, supported entry into the war, and gained prestige from their wartime performance in the Army. Spokesmen noted that 33 African American seamen had died in the ''Maine'' explosion. The most influential Black leader, [[Booker T. Washington]], argued that his race was ready to fight. War offered them a chance "to render service to our country that no other race can", because, "unlike Whites", they were "accustomed" to the "peculiar and dangerous climate" of Cuba. One of the Black units that served in the war was the [[9th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|9th Cavalry Regiment]]. In March 1898, Washington promised the Secretary of the Navy that war would be answered by "at least ten thousand loyal, brave, strong black men in the south who crave an opportunity to show their loyalty to our land, and would gladly take this method of showing their gratitude for the lives laid down, and the sacrifices made, that Blacks might have their freedom and rights."{{sfn|Gatewood|1975|pp=23–29}}

====Veterans Associations====
In 1904, the [[United Spanish War Veterans]] was created from smaller groups of the veterans of the Spanish–American War. The organization has been defunct since 1992 when its last surviving member [[Nathan E. Cook]] a veteran of the Philippine-American war died, but it left an heir in the Sons of Spanish–American War Veterans, created in 1937 at the 39th National Encampment of the United Spanish War Veterans.

The [[Veterans of Foreign Wars]] of the United States (VFW) was formed in 1914 from the merger of two veterans organizations which both arose in 1899: the American Veterans of Foreign Service and the National Society of the Army of the Philippines.<ref name="glance">{{cite web|title=VFW at a Glance|publisher=VFW|date=September 2, 2004|url=http://www.vfw.org/resources/pdf/glance.pdf|access-date=November 4, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061102012659/http://www.vfw.org/resources/pdf/glance.pdf|archive-date=November 2, 2006|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The former was formed for veterans of the Spanish–American War, while the latter was formed for veterans of the Philippine–American War. Both organizations were formed in response to the general neglect veterans returning from the war experienced at the hands of the government.

To pay the costs of the war, Congress passed an [[Federal telephone excise tax|excise tax on long-distance phone service]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/senators-want-to-nix-1898-telecom-tax/|title=Senators want to nix 1898 telecom tax|last=McCullagh|first=Declan|publisher=[[CNET Networks]]|date=July 1, 2005|access-date=July 23, 2019|archive-date=July 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723144556/https://www.cnet.com/news/senators-want-to-nix-1898-telecom-tax/|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, it affected only wealthy Americans who owned telephones. However, the Congress neglected to repeal the tax after the war ended four months later. The tax remained in place for over 100 years until, on August 1, 2006, it was announced that the [[U.S. Department of the Treasury]] and the [[IRS]] would no longer collect it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/telecom-tax-imposed-in-1898-finally-ends/|title=Telecom tax imposed in 1898 finally ends|last=Reardon|first=Marguerite|publisher=CNET Networks|date=August 2, 2006|access-date=July 23, 2019|archive-date=July 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723144551/https://www.cnet.com/news/telecom-tax-imposed-in-1898-finally-ends/|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Impact on the Marine Corps====
The [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine Corps]] during the 18th and 19th centuries was primarily a ship-borne force. Marines were assigned to naval vessels to protect the ship's crew during close quarters combat, man secondary batteries, and provide landing parties when the ship's captain needed them.<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last=Millett |first=Allan |title=Semper Fidelis: History of the United States Marine Corps |publisher=The Free Press |year=1991 |chapter=Chapter 5: The Marine Corps and the New Navy 1889–1909}}</ref> During the [[Mexican–American War]] and the Civil War, the Marine Corps participated in some amphibious landings and had limited coordination with the Army and Navy in their operations.<ref>Shulimson J, Renfrow WJ, Kelly LtCol DE, Englander EA, eds. (1998). ''Marines in the Spanish-American War 1895–1899''. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. pp. 7–23.</ref> During the Spanish–American War though, the Marines conducted several successful combined operations with both the Army and the Navy. Marine forces helped in the Army-led assault on Santiago and Marines also supported the Navy's operations by securing the entrance to [[Battle of Guantánamo Bay|Guantanamo Bay]] so American vessels could clear the harbor of mines and use it as a refueling station without fear of Spanish harassment.<ref>Shulimson J, Renfrow WJ, Kelly LtCol DE, Englander EA, eds. (1998). ''Marines in the Spanish-American War 1895–1899''. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. pp. 13–21, 22–23</ref> Doctrinally, the Army and the Navy did not agree on much of anything and Navy officers were often frustrated by the lack of Army support.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |title=Crucible of Empire |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1992 |editor-last=Bradford |editor-first=James |chapter=Marines in the Spanish-American War}}</ref> Having the Marine Corps alleviated some of this conflict because it gave Navy commanders a force "always under the direction of the senior naval officer" without any "conflict of authority" with the Army.<ref name=":9" />

The combined Marine Corps-Navy operations during the war also signaled the future relationship between the two services.<ref name=":8" /> During the [[Banana Wars]] of the early 20th century, the [[Pacific War|island-hopping campaigns]] in the Pacific during World War II, and into modern conflicts America is involved in, the Marine Corps and Navy operate as a team to secure American interests. Thanks to the new territorial acquisitions of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, America needed the capabilities the Marines could provide.<ref name=":8" /> The Spanish–American War was also the first time that the Marine Corps acted as America's "force in readiness" because they were the first American force to land on Cuba. Being a "body of troops which can be quickly mobilized and sent on board transports, fully equipped for service ashore and afloat" became the Marine Corps' mission throughout the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st century.<ref name=":9" />

The Spanish–American War also served as a coming of age for several influential Marines. Lieutenants [[Smedley Butler|Smedley D. Butler]], [[John A. Lejeune]], and [[Wendell Cushing Neville|Wendell C. Neville]] and Captain [[George F. Elliott]] all served with distinction with the First Battalion that fought in Cuba.<ref name=":5" /> Lieutenant Butler would go on to earn two Medals of Honor, in Veracruz and Haiti. Lieutenants Lejeune and Neville and Captain Elliott would all become [[Commandant of the United States Marine Corps|Commandants]] of the Marine Corps, the highest rank in the service and the leader of the entire Corps.

Marines' actions during the Spanish–American War also provided significant positive press for the Corps.<ref name=":8" /> The men of the First Battalion were welcomed as heroes when they returned to the States and many stories were published by journalists attached to the unit about their bravery during the Battle of Guantanamo. The Marine Corps began to be regarded as America's premier fighting force thanks in large part to the actions of Marines during the Spanish–American War and to the reporters who covered their exploits.<ref name=":8" /> The success of the Marines also led to increased funding for the Corps from Congress during a time that many high-placed Navy officials were questioning the efficacy and necessity of the Marine Corps.<ref name=":9" /> This battle for Congressional funding and support would continue until the [[National Security Act of 1947]], but Marine actions at Guantanamo and in the Philippines provided a major boost to the Corps' status.<ref name=":8" />