Page 50 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

48  INTRODUCING CUBA

The Ten Years’ War and the Abolition Resumption of Hostilities and the
of Slavery End of the War
On 10 October 1868, at his La Demajagua Towards the end of the 1800s, despite the
estate (see p223), the landowner Carlos rebellions, living conditions on the island had
Manuel de Céspedes launched the grito remained basically the same and none of the
de Yara (war-cry from Yara), calling upon his promised reforms had been enacted. In 1892,
fellow Cubans to rebel against Spanish rule. the Cuban intellectual José Martí (1853–95),
After conquering Bayamo, the rebels set up in exile in the US, made a major contri bution
a revolutionary government and chose to the struggles that would follow: he
Céspedes as President of the Republic. founded the Partido Revolu cionario Cubano,
On that occasion, the Cuban national which united the Cuban forces in
anthem was sung for the first time. favour of independence.
The new republic, however, was The war against Spanish
short-lived. The Spanish came back repression resumed on 24 February
with a vengeance and the rebels – 1895. The leading figures were
known as mambises (villains) – Martí – the real author and
responded with the famous coordinator of Cuba’s struggle for
“machete assaults”. In the meantime, independence, who died in battle on
the struggle had spread to other Máximo Gómez 19 May, Máximo Gómez (recruited
provinces, but differences among the by Martí himself, who went to
rebels certainly did not help the cause. Santo Domingo to meet him) and Antonio
The Ten Years’ War – during which the first Maceo. These last two had al ready distin-
Cuban constitution was written (1869) – guished themselves in the Ten Years’ War.
ended in 1878 with the Treaty of Zanjón, There was an escalation in the war and Spain
at which the rebels capitulated. Some sent reinforcements, but the situ ation was
revolutionaries rejected this agreement; already out of control. Gómez and Maceo
one was General Antonio Maceo, extended the war from the east to the west,
who was forced into exile. gradually liberating the island. Not even
There followed the so-called the arrival of the Spanish general Valeriano
“guerra chica”, a brief conflict Weyler, who was granted extra ordinary
that resulted in the official powers, did any good: the war had taken a
abolition of slavery in 1886 decided turn for the worse for the Spanish.
(slave trade had in practice On 15 February 1898, when the Cubans
been prohibited since 1880). had practically won, the American cruiser
Cuba was the last American Maine, officially sent to the bay of Havana
colony to abolish slavery. to protect US citizens and property in
It was in this period that Cuban territory, exploded mysteriously,
trade relations with the causing the death of about 250 marines.
General Maceo, who
was exiled in 1878 US developed. The US accused Spain of being responsible

10 February 1878 The Treaty of Zanjón
Road sign for marks the capitulation of the rebels and the
La Demajagua, end of the Ten Years’ War (1868–78), the first
Céspedes’ estate stage in the struggle for independence
1870 1875 1880 1885
10 October 1868 From Yara,
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes 1886 Formal
launches the “cry” that The machete, the symbolic abolition of
triggers the revolt weapon of the rebellion slavery

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