Why didn't the USA annex Cuba after beating Spain? (Short Animated History Documentary)

After winning the Spanish-American war in 1898, the United States annexed a bunch of Spain's overseas colonies. Yet, in spite of the war starting over Cuba, the US didn't take it for its own. So why not? Why didn't the United States annex Cuba? To find out watch this short and simple animated history documentary.
A special thanks to my Patreon supporters:
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[@TransformersBoss]

The Philippines: “we’re saved!” USA: “I wouldn’t say that… more like: under new management!”

[@DomWeasel]

USA: We bring you an exciting new idea; concentration camps! We got the idea from our British cousins, but like all things 'Murican; ours are bigger and better!

[@Banned_and_Redacted]

in this world you either are an empire or are part of someone else's

[@boobah5643]

@@DomWeasel No, the term _concentration camp_ was invented to refer to Spanish camps set up in Cuba in the 1870s. The American camps in the Philippines and the British camps in South Africa both happened more or less at the same time.

[@spartanx9293]

Wait 48 more years until then you've got two brutal occupations to sit through

[@DomWeasel]

@@boobah5643 Technically, the Spanish invented the term but concentrating populations under armed guard in slum conditions has existed for thousands of years.

[@throckmortonvanhouten5430]

"The United States had gained most of the advantages of annexation without any of the costs" That's such a good way to summarize it all. It reminds me of why the USSR didn't annex Mongolia. Great video and great question like always!

[@francesco8000]

Well there is an advantage that was lost: it wasn't permanent. An annexation would have been more expensive and took more effort but today the US would have another state (who am i kidding, they would have never given statehood to a fully hispanic island).

[@skeleex]

@@francesco8000 yes but keep in mind hawaii was a largely native held land but was changed through centuries of immigration from the mainland, so cuba wouldve had large scale american immigration

[@tranbaohoangvu9464]

You can't really compare Cuba with Mongolia, because Mongolia is a buffer state between China and USSR.

[@deleted-something]

Lol

[@conejitorosada2326]

@@skeleex Yeah, it DID have large Natives but considering that the missionaries were on total control of the Island and the population was.. decreasing, it wasn't much worry. Though, one thing could be is that they're natives, they're not Hispanics or white people so the USA could allow to discriminate against them in the disguise of "civilization" but can't say the same for Hispanics or White people.

[@shashwatshukla181]

The "Fun Fact : No" never gets old Love it.

[@douglasboyle6544]

Same with "Soon"

[@diegobriseno7395]

Lol! True!

[@devilhunter1555]

I think it was more thr Philippine rebels helped the US army against the Spanish and then the US betrayed their alliance. Check and correct Me if I'm wrong

[@amplesstratleholm7609]

@@devilhunter1555 just to add, the Filipinos saw the US soldiers as allies because the Filipino leader Emilio Aguinaldo (who was sent in exile) has struck a deal with the US. The US forces betrayed Aguinaldo and company during the Battle of Manila Bay (a phony fight between the US and Spanish Navies where the Filipino forces were forbidden to enter the fortress of Intramuros), starting the Filipino-American War.

[@devilhunter1555]

@@amplesstratleholm7609 Thx for adding. Says the ancient yet subtle lesson in history, never trust an outsider to give you a better future unless it's in the interest of their future

[@prodigymapping4891]

“which will cause no issues in the future” Sums up American-Cuban relations pretty well

[@delarkaBCN]

thats what happens when you sponsor dictators....

[@capncake8837]

Sums up all international relations pretty well.

[@picklewithinternet2254]

The whole thing just makes you wonder what if the US took Cuba

[@nathanjmartucci7849]

And they all lived happily ever after. The End

[@BurkinaFaso69]

@John Williamson Lets be honest with ourselves: Africa would´ve probably been way less prosperous, since often times Cuba was one of the few countries to actually give any form of humanitarian aid without exploitation. Just imagine the covid crisis in africa without cuban help, we can all be thankful Cuba is independent.

[@itzadam9359]

Video idea as a loyal Patreon supporter: Why was Finland 🇫🇮 given autonomy in the Russian Empire?

[@UnholyWrath3277]

Because finland puts up a fight

[@73keton]

Because they already some when they were under Sweden rule

[@UnholyWrath3277]

@@Mal101M by the end of the great northern war the area had been quite heavily damaged being a battleground it had already been defeated as part of sweden of course resistance would be softer. This is different then having revolts break out at literally any time of russian weakness which would have been often. Far cheaper to just let them do their own thing

[@red_amoguss]

James Bisonette, is that you?

[@jonatanlj747]

@@73keton hold on - source? wasn't finland simply the eastern half of sweden, no more autonomous than say västergötland?

[@codygates7418]

One quick thing the Philippines WASN’T a protectorate it was a government controlled colony between 1898 until 1935 when it became a Commonwealth of the United States which meant it was self governing (the Filipino’s could now vote for their own elected officials), but foreign policy and national security was left to the US (think of the Dominion of Canada and the UK’s relationship) and only got full independence in 1945 at the time when many colonial powers were relinquishing their colonies. Cuba was a protectorate between 1898 and 1902, however in the first Cuban constitution there was a Clause that the United States could reoccupy Cuba if their was a revolt by the people or if national security was at risk. Cuba and much of the Caribbean and Central America were puppets that worked in the United States interests while still being “free” internationally. This was especially true of Haiti that was occupied for 19 years by the United States and was only allowed to pass laws that were looked over by the United State’s government.

[@bvillafuerte765]

It is one of the reasons why the United States is one of the most powerful empires of the Contemporary Age.

[@rembrandt972ify]

"only got full independence in 1945" 1946

[@familyandfriends3519]

Cuba got independence from Spain in 1898

[@seronymus]

It was a de facto protectorate. If they operated out of line with what Washington wanted they'd get sacked. A lot like many countries today!

[@arthurmoran4951]

false the commonwealth was until 1935 not before, it was a colony of the united states as a whole if not why the united states fought a war agisnt with the filipinos killling more than 15% of the population in the prosses, then impose the teaching of the english language?

[@seronymus]

The Treaty of Paris text at 0:50 was clever and hilarious. Even "to make it easy to differentiate from others" The dry humor is always on point.

[@familyandfriends3519]

Treaty of Paris states Cuba gets independence from Spain this video is pointless

[@seronymus]

@@familyandfriends3519 no u

[@TheRealMycanthrope]

​@@familyandfriends3519 nigga you pointless

[@johndaily263]

I just wish they’d ask me to proofread. “Posession” argh.

[@ghoulrush]

Especially because in other videos of his, the Treaty of Paris begins with those same words XD

[@liamnixon4428]

You actually skipped some historical context: during the 19th century there were proposals to annex Cuba, especially by southern politicians, because they hoped that it could be turned into a slave state (because of the ammount of plantations there). After the American Civil war, the idea vanished until History Matters covered it.

[@familyandfriends3519]

And the treaty of Paris states Cuba gets independence from Spain there now you know why USA didn't take it from us

[@bluechair9172]

It actually makes sense why he did not mention it, as this video only covers why the US did not annex Cuba after the Spanish-American war, three decades after the civil war. So the Southern plan to nab Cuba was long gone by this point.

[@sail2byzantium]

RE: You actually skipped some historical context: IIncorrect (and even illogical) even if true. The video starts its history with "After the United States defeated Spain in the late 19th century . . . " . The context of the Spanish-American War's conclusion and its Treaty of Paris territorial aftermath is the starting point of the video and a perfectly legitimate one esp. as History Matters perefers to keep his videos short. So nothing was skipped . Yes, there were two attempts by the US to buy or otherwise annex Cuba from Spain in 1848 and 1854, the latter known as the Ostend Manifesto (as American diplomats met with European ones to discuss the annexation in Ostend, Belgium--but its communique then exposed caused a major uproar in the northern US and Europe). If this info was some very crucial point whose leaving out distorts what was presented here, making the video guilty of some ideologically slanted bias, you would have a point. But it doesn't, so you don't. From that, I could claim your point also evaded context since American officials were in Belgium to discuss the annexation of Cuba, don't we need a history of Belgium first--esp. as it only become an independent country in 1830, so fitting in the larger 19th century struggles for various forms of independence, incl. the US Civil War? And if that, why not then contextualize this with the history of the French Revolution and Napoleon which ruled Belgian territory from 1794 to 1814, or the long history of prior Spanish rule of the Low Countries, or even a history of the US and its cultural (and temporarily political) seperations into North and South, since the expansion of slavery was a motivating issue that you point out here, etc., etc., etc. You see my point--the starting points of historical events are always somewhat arbitrary and yet have to begin somewhere but not somewhere else, unless if we were always to be precisely literal about not forgetting context in this regard so that every historical happening would have to proceed from the fact of the Big Bang some 14 billion years ago and proceed from there. Tough to do in a 3 minute video. History Matters didn't leave anything out necessary to this video.

[@kevincanning3051]

It's a 3 minute video. Some things are going to get missed.

[@giancarloponce8152]

With that logic the us didn’t annex cuba cuz “they felt like it”

[@lampionmancz]

I love the fact that the US told Portugal that they should give up their colonies that they considered as provinces, all while considering their own colonies as territories and states.

[@somezsaltz6835]

@@Mo_Mudabber cry

[@timmmahhhh]

​@@somezsaltz6835 I do cry as an American that too many of us still Revere tRump.

[@bvillafuerte765]

@LampionManCZ The elephant talking about ears.

[@PolnocMapping]

@@Mo_Mudabber Actually no.

[@DomWeasel]

@@TheMasonK Yes, nothing says successful conquest like relocating or exterminating the original inhabitants to the point where your colonisers make up 98% of the population and therefore any vote will always be against the wishes of the First Peoples.

[@chonconnor6144]

The scene of the Cuban president holding up a sign marked 'sure' to the US Ambassador with a literal gun to his head made me laugh out loud. Classic.

[@Rainforestdelight]

Here’s a good one for a future episode. Why did so many South American countries like Argentina and Chile accepted so many Nazi’s after WWII?

[@bvillafuerte765]

@Joseph Kopas Correction: WWVIII. In addition, it should also talk about the Nazis who worked in the American government after the war.

[@SKa-tt9nm]

@@bvillafuerte765 oh do shut up.

[@biomuseum6645]

They had fascist governments

[@sisyphusvasilias3943]

Peron was a crypto fascist. Chile has a history of military relations with Germany going back to Prussia. (Chile still uses the Wermatch WW2 style helmets) Both countries had large populations of German settlers, especially Menomnites

[@Andre-by4su]

US took the scientists, Russia took the citizens, and South America took the leaders

[@CommanderWolf888]

"But the truth didn't really matter, it was time for war" is such a hilarious yet scarily true line, not just for this war, but many others.

[@normalplayer7377]

That thumbnail. If I had to sum up why I love History Matters, I'd use that. Keep Up the good work King.

[@-et37-]

ROUGH RIDIN DOWN TO CUBA LIKE “WHAT’S UP BITCHES!?”

[@normalplayer7377]

@@-et37- Running down to Cuba with the Rough Riders Weigh, me boys, to Cuba! Running down to Cuba

[@normalplayer7377]

@@-et37- I keep my rhymes pure like my food and drugs!

[@familyandfriends3519]

No he forgot to mention Cuba was already independent from Spain the signing of the treaty of Paris says Cuba gets independence from Spain but will be occupied until a official government is installed

[@normalplayer7377]

@@familyandfriends3519 He is a king and he did a good job. Therefore, you are wrong.

[@SebastianEncina]

United States: "we don't do empires here." rest of the world: "uhm..."

[@stephenjenkins7971]

Rest of the world: "We're proud empires that do genocides all the time" US: "Yesn't"

[@balargus319]

It's only an empire if you look at it from the perspective of ordinary people, and like, who gives a fk about that except those pesky social historians?

[@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing]

Empire and ultranationalism were aspirations in 1898

[@familyandfriends3519]

Cuba got independence from Spain

[@alanpennie]

​@@WindFireAllThatKindOfThing They "took up the white man's burden" in 1898, but put it down again very quickly.

[@marescalona5451]

The Philippines was actually turned into a colony by the US, not a protectorate. A protectorate-like status will only be achieved in 1935 with the creation of the Commonwealth, a 10-year “preparatory period” for full independence. It should also be noted that the US-Cuban relations setup from 1902 to 1963 was also used in the Philippines after its independence was declared in 1946. US military bases remained until 1991, Americans held great influence in Philippine economy until 1955, and the country remained firmly under the US sphere of influence throughout the Cold War.

[@bigbloopboy8892]

The US-Philippines relationship has really been a doozy. 1898-US kicks out Spain from the Philippines 1899-US claims the Philippines as its own 1899-1902-Philippino guerilla fighters fight US rule 1941-1944-Philippinos join forces with US Marines to defeat the Japanese 1946-Philippines gain independence Present-Philippines ally with US Navy to counter CCP

[@HelithaGM]

"Cuba had to agree to some punishing demands including never making friends with any enemy of the United States." That aged well.

[@mateikataLanaDelRey85]

Also Cuba,since 1959: Friends with: Russia,China,North Korea,Serbia,Syria,Palestine, Iran,Vietnam, Venezuela,Nicaragua

[@HelithaGM]

@@mateikataLanaDelRey85 lol, so true.

[@EroUsagiSama]

Well, free Cuba wanted to be friendly with the USA, but then they tried to invade so they were forced to get closer to the USSR for protection.

[@Asssmackerrodriguez]

Expected, if you saw fear you'll inevitably rip hatred.

[@flutee6162]

2:54 The 'Rebuild San Francisco' plan is a reference to the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake that destroyed 80 percent of the city. Nice addition

[@harveya1a952]

It’s because James Bisonette lived in Cuba

[@Breakfast_of_Champions]

Him and Kelly Moneymaker did a number on the yanks.

[@ahsdjasashdahs9940]

Spinning three plates might have something to do with it

[@SKa-tt9nm]

Spencer Lightfoot - Canadian legend Gordon Lightfoot’s father - interjected between Cuba and the US and changed history.

[@flawyerlawyertv7454]

Lol 🤣

[@BartlomiejDmowski]

Like Ernest Hemingway?

[@NIDELLANEUM]

If you think about it, there must have been some people who saw this war happen and then, 60 years later, as elders, witnessed the Cuban Missile Crisis. Curious how those events have occurred within one lifetime, but seem to belong to different eras altogether

[@fullcirclehistory]

Philippines: You have freed us! United States: Oh, I wouldn’t say “freed”, more like “under new management.”

[@FKHC2005]

always love reading the headlines in the newspaper.

[@FKHC2005]

man invents barcode, isn't much use right now (and below is a barcode)

[@ivancho5854]

It should cost 2¢ though. 😉

[@sharkronical]

"Never making friends with the enemy of USA" Boy did that work out

[@bobbyd.roberson5588]

That McKinley assassination animation though... 🤣🤣🤣

[@jamescaron6465]

I knew Roosevelt had no interest in the annex of Cuba, but I didn’t know the rest of the details. This was very well done.

[@familyandfriends3519]

Cuba was already independent from Spain after the treaty of Paris was signed

[@arthurmoran4951]

@@familyandfriends3519 it was agreed with the united states to give independence to cuba during the treaty of paris not before

[@familyandfriends3519]

@@arthurmoran4951 not the USA Spain It clearly states it USA only occupied it

[@familyandfriends3519]

@@arthurmoran4951 after treaty of Paris was signed Cuba got independence from Spain after that USA will occupy it unitl 1902

[@bendover1008]

This guy has taught me more history than school

[@howiehall4622]

Hey Ben! Are you friends with Mike Hunt?

[@bendover1008]

@@howiehall4622 indeed I am.

[@InvadeleYogurt]

Thing was in school it was called history class, but here it's History Matters

[@superslayerguy]

C'mon City

[@bezerkoid]

​@bendover1008 do you know a guy called Mike Hoochi-Sangri?

[@Hirohito_iLoveYou]

@2:43 “The new Cuba government agreed” lmao with a gun pointed to his head 😂

[@Scattaman-Priest]

A Monroe Doctrine short would be a nice follow up to this. You kind of teased it towards the end. As always keep making these great learning tools!

[@estreet83]

Philippines: Give us independence! US: No, and I will fight you. US a few decades later: Okay fine.

[@landon8214]

*50 years of fighting* *sigh* whatever

[@potato88872]

And one japanes vacation later

[@connorhoffman4760]

@@landon8214 Funny that the US was extremely popular in the Phillipines after ww2.. Wasn't exactly 50 years of fighting.

[@mrfredguapito]

@@connorhoffman4760 Stockholm Syndrome 😉

[@KevinDavis338]

We were going to give them Independence, but WWII kinda delayed things a bit.

[@brianblackberry6315]

The Teddy Roosevelt thumbnail for this video alone mad the whole thing worth it.

[@Fenrisson]

I absolutely love to pause and ready the contents of your treaties.

[@MilesLoden-vn6wr]

Who thinks that the US would regret not annexing Cuba now?

[@maybegamer24]

the cold war would have been so much different if this happened

[@Isaaac165]

Yes

[@bvillafuerte765]

That conflict was the ninth world war.

[@osheridan]

​@@bvillafuerte765 you're the ninth world war

[@bvillafuerte765]

@@osheridan No, we are currently experiencing the tenth and eleventh world war.

[@SKa-tt9nm]

@@bvillafuerte765 you are experiencing your 10th and 11th mental breakdown.

[@pokehybridtrainer]

Learned more from this series than in High School. Good stuff.

[@bvillafuerte765]

So the school education in your country must be terrible because in mine we analyze that from primary school.

[@Ciridan]

​@@bvillafuerte765 I assume you're from Spain. Here in the US the war is little more than a footnote in history, plus it would seem like bragging/gloating with how one-sided it was

[@pokehybridtrainer]

@@Ciridan Yeah, HS World History in the US is more like quick footnotes with zero nuances.

[@familyandfriends3519]

Are you sure I mean he didn't mention what treaty of Paris did which says Cuba gets independence from Spain there that's the reason why USA didn't annexed it and where only occupied until a official government was installed

[@craydussy]

Nope, you just paid attention to this video, while you didn't in school

[@corymorimacori1059]

0:14 “You look like a mix of EpicLloyd and a Pringle’s packet!” Winston Churchill

[@akend4426]

0:32 “Man buys horseless carriage. ‘It has nothing to do with Satan I swear.’” I love the little details in the newspapers!

[@mattdavis9601]

People wouldn't be asking if he hadn't bought a Dodge Demon.

[@TheRennes1997]

More and more people are becoming aware of what happened to The Philippines post Spain. Hope to see a future video of the Philippine American War.

[@Zimisce85]

A suggestion for a future video. Why was the Island of Elba chosen for Napoleon to rule after his first demise? The question is double-sided. 1) Why the great powers decided to grant him any land at all. 2) If they had good reasons to do so, and they wanted to be an isolated island, why not Corse? It would had made sense to strip France of something (I know Talleyrand argumented against it, but it still was a relatively recent acquisition). If Corse was too big, or the population too close to Napoleon, why not Cephalonia and/or some the other Greek Ionic island, just very recently left without leadership, because of the dissolution of the Serene Republic?

[@dapperbunch5029]

This is epic

[@Hand-in-Shot_Productions]

That sounds like an interesting question! Now, I am wondering why Elba, specifically, became the place of Napoleon's first exile. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@TheFrenchClipper]

0:31 I always stop to read the newspapers, and those are always a treat

[@YourVintageStick]

A question I actually knew! I learned this this year in my AP US history class, thank you though History Matters this is cool

[@Will-im6xt]

Same

[@harrynewiss4630]

Unsurprising - US 'history' teaching is rarely anything of the sort

[@HeisenbergFam]

This is my trusted source to study history, thank you for 6 years of YT service

[@cfiber_inc]

Waltah what are you doing here waltah

[@donpollo3154]

Back from watching isorrow eh?

[@TheTrex9000]

Jesse we need to watch History Matters

[@macsenplays]

Good honest summation of the run-up to the Spanish-American War.

[@ljphoenix4341]

Love the newspaper at 0:31, a great addition to the video!

[@DemonetisedZone]

Pack so much into 3½ minutes, just brilliant 👍

[@r.a.acosta6528]

1:59. I never knew President McKinley was taken out by a big green dot! Learn something new every day. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jalawami]

Newspapers never disappoint: "Very convenient, though" 😂

[@danielforget9311]

Finally !!! I love this channel (watch at least one video per day), but there was one problem, he spoke too fast, so i set up the speed at .75 and its simple normal voice and speed. Now i can really enjoy the channel.

[@jeg5gom]

I've learned the bestest part of your videos is to zoom in and read all the text of your treaties and docs!!😂😅🤣👍 0:50 2:14

[@fransbuijs808]

I like the reference to the painting American Gothic by Grant Wood at the end.

[@miladd237]

1:19 I was expecting it to be Napoleon

[@kingslushie1018]

Amazing video as always

[@CQuizeo]

I love this channel and happy its still going strong. Really interested in all topics and stories. I find The visuals are hilarious with the guys holding sarcastic signs and frowning/disappointed expressions. Will def support in the future

[@Vinemaple]

Ooh! Nice one! And thank you especially for the bit on the Philippines! I sailed with some Filipinos who didn't know about the US crushing the Filipino independence movement, their former allies... and that's where waterboarding was invented.

[@k-studio8112]

We nearly turned Philippine-American war into a vietnam style slowly draining American money but unfortunately somebody from the revolutionary force betrayed his comrades.

[@richardstephens5570]

Spain invented waterboarding.

[@Hand-in-Shot_Productions]

I'm from the United States, and I sometimes wondered why we didn't turn Cuba into a territory, when Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico were annexed. Now, I know: it was because of the work of Representative Teller, encouraged by some who wanted a free Cuba, some who wanted American agriculture to compete with Cuban agriculture, and some who just wanted less blacks and _Latinos_ in the US. Thanks to these factors, the Republic of Cuba became a protectorate of the US, and later, a sovereign state. Thanks for the information! Also, I found that news article quite funny! Maybe the editors should ask either Ford or Benz what's going on! Furthermore, I found the illustration of Roosevelt's _taking_ _office_ at 1:59 amusing, for some reason!

[@davidpagan8559]

For one of the more informative books on this subject: How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr. Such a good book.

[@yuraskin5591]

Short & informative. Bravo!

[@familyandfriends3519]

He forgot to mention the treaty of Paris which says Cuba gets independence from Spain

[@muhammadhabibieamiro3639]

Another amazing video

[@adamkaufman724]

Love your work.

[@planescaped]

0:49 having the US trooper holding a Krag Jorgenson is such a crazy level of detail. :P

[@richardbrennan8910]

👍 Love the stealth 1906 reference on the blackboard (2:55): "- Rebuild San Francisco" !!!

[@rasmusirlind8829]

an episode about wilsonian armenia would be so cool! please consider it!

[@leeshepherd834]

I have never looked forward to hearing the word "NO" more than I do when I click on your videos! 😂❤😂 Edit for timestamp: 1:07

[@nik65stgt60]

Great content!

[@dritzzdarkwood4727]

0:51 Hahaha, that document! And a clever dig at the name of the treaty, which for unknown reasons was father to many treaties.

[@Karl_Mannerheimer]

Another good video idea, what happened to ambassadors in countries that there country is fighting against

[@astroch]

US navy: we are going to war, but you are not coming. USS Maine : 😮

[@frigginjerk]

1:58 As a resident of Buffalo, I'm always pleased to see my hometown featured in a video.

[@HarvestStore]

Great video.

[@M0R3gOfF]

Explain baarle-hertog and baarle-naasau next! Or just the weird borders of Belgium!

[@nirvanachile24]

Was hoping this would also cover previous amibitions to buy the island from Spain going as far back as the 1840s if not earlier.

[@fernandolozano2811]

US propaganda destroyed Cuba

[@whitefox9216]

Oh boy more answers to questions I didn’t know I had.

[@Avinkwep]

Fun fact, Henry Teller was one of the first two Colorado Senators, my home state

[@Thelocalpsychopath]

Great summary! I highly recommend everyone to listen to S2 of the Blowback podcast to learn more about US-Cuba relations and how they developed after the non-annexation, especially during the latter half of the 20th century.

[@TJMaxximalist]

Such a great series. The Bloackback seasion on Cuba was eye-opening.

[@charlessaint7926]

Teddy Roosevelt, " *BULLY! A challenge. A love competition!* "

[@reallightfield5314]

I am once again shouting out the newspaper in the video which has actual hilarious text on it. The gag gets better every time

[@danielnavarro537]

USA to the Philippines: “Congratulations! You are being liberated. Please do not resist.”

[@javiervll8077]

The year 1898 was the end of the Spanish Empire 🇪🇸 with the loss of Cuba 🇨🇺, Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 and the Philippines 🇵🇭. This was the beginning of a crisis that reached its climax with the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). We would not recover from that crisis until the 1960s with the opening of our economy abroad and the massive arrival of European tourists 🇩🇪🇬🇧

[@jaimetalaverafranco774]

España llevaba tiempo ya muy enferma. Muchísima falta de liderazgo y esa sensación de que eran/son más que los demás los llevaron a la ruina

[@familyandfriends3519]

Cuba got independence from Spain we didn't lose we gave them independence and we have eqdadoiral Guinean

[@arthurmoran4951]

@@familyandfriends3519 equatorial guinea is independen now, it doesn't belong to spain anymore

[@KysonChannell]

3:01 to 3:06 is a video I need. I would love to learn more about what the US has done in Central America.

[@lordsiomai]

I wonder how different the Cold War could've been if Cuba was annexed.

[@DigitalPhantom]

Great video overall, keep up the excellent work. One missing thing was that The Platt Amendment was repealed by the new Cuban constitution of 1934.

[@krovianclass8772]

you know it's a good day when history matters posts

[@lucianoosorio5942]

Castro: Hey, I’m a communist who hates America and you’re a communist who hates America. You know what that means? Khrushchev: We should fall in love! Castro: Uh, I meant to set your missiles up in Cuba. Khrushchev: Oh yeah of course. *Be still my beating heart.*

[@nerrler5574]

Castro wasn't a communist, Che Guevara definitely, but Castro was a nationalist who wanted independence for his country and was open to working with the US, but American aggression forced him to ally with the Soviet Union and declare himself a communist.

[@SKa-tt9nm]

Castro went to the Russians for help out of necessity after the US was slow in responding. Not a (true) communist.

[@thebandofbastards4934]

@@nerrler5574 It's also a common trait for opressed people to adopt ideologies that are most radical in relation to their opressors.

[@SirAntoniousBlock]

@@nerrler5574 Yep same as Ho Chi Min.

[@thalastianjorus]

I... need this channel to start making longer videos. By about 20m or so.

[@dougearnest7590]

Hmmm. What would they use to fill that extra time. Maybe ... more accuracy? More balance? Nahhhhhh ....

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

Happy Easter to James Bisonette.

[@biomuseum6645]

Spanish speaking countries: **chilling and vibing** The us for the entirety of its history: *I’m gonna put some dirt in your eye* 😈

[@genghiskhan5701]

Spanish speaking countries in the 19th century or any era really are far from "chilling and vibing"

[@bvillafuerte765]

​@@genghiskhan5701 They became unstable and poor after the civil wars.

[@crash.override]

**Monroe doctrine intensifies**

[@SKa-tt9nm]

You do know that Spain declared war on America, correct? Also, I don’t think Bolivar is famous for “chilling and vibing”. Or pancho Villa. Or Santa Ana. This could be the most ill-informed post under a historical video on KZbin. Congrats.

[@biomuseum6645]

@@SKa-tt9nm But america declared war on spain after a ship blew up in a sus way You're right that they weren't actually chilling but it's just a generalization

[@animacionesesteban8963]

How many treaties of Paris exist Historians: Yes

[@flawyerlawyertv7454]

Very interesting!

[@nicholashuggins8201]

Video idea: Why was Krakow created? It was formed in 1815 and annexed by Austria sometime around 1850. It was tantamount to an independent Polish state, in the old Polish capital no less. Why was it formed, how did it survive and why was it annexed? Alternate idea: Why does Liechtenstein exist? It's right next to Austria, is part of the German-speaking world (Prussia smells new prey) and it's been invaded by Switzerland several times recently, with catastrophic losses (A few chairs). Why does Liechtenstein exist and how did it escape becoming part of Switzerland or Austria? I have more ideas, and I'm pretty knowledgeable about history. Not all of said ideas are about microstates, don't worry. Heart or reply to this comment and I will submit more ideas, one per video, until I run out. I'm a dedicated fan and appreciate your work, so don't worry about me missing a video. I don't know if you have some sort of idea stockpile, but this will add to it.

[@andromeda331]

Another great video! I love the newspaper articles. Accusing them of killing puppies was about as accurate of what US papers accused the Spanish of doing.

[@thetickler8531]

“Mr Burnnns, i think we can trust the President of Cubaaaa” - Homer Simpson

[@selfworm]

0:31 That's middle article is hilarious. The left article is pretty funny too. Reminds me of the Onion.

[@bonwatcher]

I just come to read the signs everyone holds up in the animation. Love the "Bruh" sign, but the best one had to be the gun being held to the head while he holds a sign saying, "Okay." That pretty much sums up the American way of doing things.

[@nileshkumaraswamy2711]

‘Don’t make friends with any of America’s enemies’ well that worked out long term didn’t it.

[@andrewklang809]

Gotta honor the Casus Belli. But still run up the war score so you can grab extra goodies.

[@rungupuputherlambang6853]

I didn't expect the end 🤯

[@jasonkoch3182]

Quick question: I notice in a lot of your videos when you have the US flag flying vertically you have it backwards? Is that intentional? The blue field is always in the upper left whether it’s horizontal or vertical, but you have so many little details that I thought maybe you did it purposely.

[@shonenjumpmagneto]

Stupid like infographics

[@dougearnest7590]

It's probably done intentionally to protest the "fact" America invented slavery.

[@justtheilluminativ282]

Good video idea: Why did Britain and France share Vanuatu?

[@Falkriim]

Very interesting

[@NyalBurns]

Good interpretation

[@jacobcassidy6673]

New history matters video? I’m in

[@Icy_5811]

Same