In short
In February 1895, Cuban rebels launched a war of independence against Spanish colonial rule, igniting a three-year conflict that would draw in the United States and reshape the Caribbean. Spain responded by deploying over 220,000 troops—the largest military force it had ever sent across the Atlantic—but faced an insurgency led by José Martí and others determined to end nearly four centuries of Spanish dominion.
How it unfolded.
The five-minute version
What actually happened.
The Cuban War of Independence, fought from 1895 to 1898, was the last of three liberation wars that Cuba fought against Spain, following the Ten Years' War (1868–1878) and the Little War (1879–1880). Throughout the course of the war, Spain sent 220,285 soldiers to Cuba, the largest army to cross the Atlantic until World War II, according to the Library of Congress. Spain created the first modern concentration camps using its reconcentration policy, which caused the deaths of at least 170,000 Cubans, or 10% of the population at the time.
As it was happening
13 voices, 1385 days.
One beat at a time. Click any dot on the timeline to jump, press play for autoplay, or use the arrow keys to step.
Grito de Baire—Uprising Begins
Cuban rebels led by José Martí initiate the war of independence with coordinated uprisings across eastern Cuba, launching the Grito de Baire (Cry of Baire).
Voices from this moment (4)
Speech to the Spanish Cortes, March 1895
Mar 15
“Spain possesses the will and the means to suppress this…”
New York Journal editorial, April 1895
Apr 10
“The Spanish butchers murder Cuban innocents with impunity.”
Manifesto of the Cuban Revolutionary Party, February 1895
Feb 24
“Cuba must be free, and the island must belong to Cubans.”
Grito de Baire—Uprising Begins
Feb 24
“Cuban rebels led by José Martí initiate the war of…”
As it was happening
13 voices, 1385 days.
Day 0 · February 24, 1895
Grito de Baire—Uprising Begins
Cuban rebels led by José Martí initiate the war of independence with coordinated uprisings across eastern Cuba, launching the Grito de Baire (Cry of Baire).
“Spain possesses the will and the means to suppress this…”
- Speech to the Spanish Cortes, March 1895, Mar 15
“The Spanish butchers murder Cuban innocents with impunity.”
- New York Journal editorial, April 1895, Apr 10
“Cuba must be free, and the island must belong to Cubans.”
- Manifesto of the Cuban Revolutionary Party, February 1895, Feb 24
“Cuban rebels led by José Martí initiate the war of…”
- Grito de Baire—Uprising Begins, Feb 24
Day 84 · May 19, 1895
Death of José Martí
The intellectual architect of Cuban independence and military leader José Martí is killed in combat near Dos Ríos, a critical blow to rebel morale and direction.
“Total war demands total measures.”
- Synthesized from period military dispatches and contemporaneous accounts, 1896, Feb 1
“The intellectual architect of Cuban independence and…”
- Death of José Martí, May 19
Day 357 · February 16, 1896
Spain Sends Major Reinforcements
Spanish General Valeriano Weyler arrives in Cuba with orders to suppress the rebellion; he implements the reconcentration policy, forcibly relocating rural Cubans into camps where thousands die from disease.
“Spain sends 220,000 soldiers but cannot occupy every cane…”
- Synthesized from military correspondence and memoirs, 1896-1897, Nov 15
“Spanish General Valeriano Weyler arrives in Cuba with…”
- Spain Sends Major Reinforcements, Feb 16
Day 974 · October 25, 1897
Spanish Autonomy Offer Rejected
Spain offers limited autonomy to Cuba under a new governor, but rebels reject the proposal as insufficient, pushing the conflict toward escalation.
“Spain offers limited autonomy to Cuba under a new governor,…”
- Spanish Autonomy Offer Rejected, Oct 25
Day 1087 · February 15, 1898
USS Maine Explosion
The American battleship USS Maine explodes in Havana harbor, killing 266 sailors; the incident triggers American public fury and provides justification for U.S. entry into the conflict.
“The American battleship USS Maine explodes in Havana…”
- USS Maine Explosion, Feb 15
Day 1156 · April 25, 1898
United States Declares War
The U.S. Congress declares war on Spain, officially entering the Cuban conflict. American military forces begin deployment to Caribbean theaters.
“The U.”
- United States Declares War, Apr 25
Day 1223 · July 1, 1898
Battle of San Juan Hill
American forces, including the Rough Riders regiment, attack Spanish positions at San Juan and Kettle hills near Santiago de Cuba in a decisive engagement.
“American forces, including the Rough Riders regiment,…”
- Battle of San Juan Hill, Jul 1
Day 1385 · December 10, 1898
Treaty of Paris Signed
Spain cedes Cuba to the United States and surrenders Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. The treaty formally ends the Spanish-American War.
“Spain cedes Cuba to the United States and surrenders Puerto…”
- Treaty of Paris Signed, Dec 10
The numbers.
3 numbers that anchor the scale.
By the numbers
The countable parts.
Duration
0–1898 (3 years, 11 months)
Spanish troops deployed
0 soldiers
Estimated Cuban casualties
0+ (including civilians from disease and famine)
Captured in time.
Captured before it changed
The web as it looked, the day it happened.
Wayback Machine snapshots of the pages people actually loaded that day. Click any card to open the archive at full size.
Sources & citations.
Sources
Where this came from.
Every claim on this page traces to a public, license-clean source. We don't asterisk well.
Wikipedia
1 source- 1.Cuban War of Independence
en.wikipedia.org