U.S.Southern Congressmen And The Cuban Revolution,1895-1898

After the Cuban revolution began,southern congressmen were divided over whether to recognize Cuba’s “Belligerent rights”,In March 1898,southern congressmen unanimously passed the appropriations bill of McKinley for war,When the “McKinley report ”was presented to congress in April 1898,most southern congressmen became the biggest obstacle to its passage.Through the discussion and vote of congressmen in the south central part of the congress on the specific foreign policy of the United States,we can understand the attitude of the south in this stage of foreign policy.In this paper,based on the archives of congress,combining modern scholars research,clarify the development of the Cuban revolution,the analysis of the southern congressmen foreign policy at this stage of the vote and expression,to explore the influencing factors of southern congressmen attitude toward foreign policy,and explore the factors in shaping the role of American foreign policy,thought research provides a new perspective for American foreign policy.This article is composed of introduction,main text,and conclusion.The main text is divided into three partsThe first part focuses on the divided attitudes of southern congressmen on whether to recognize Cuba’s “Belligerent rights”.Through the speech of the southern congressmen in the congress and their vote on the “Belligerent rights”resolution in Cuba,the article analyzes their attitude and reasons for the intervention of the United States in the Cuban revolution.Most southern congressmen think it is the American public’s will to recognise Cuba’s“Belligerent rights”,and they can use the President’s and the republicans’ neutrality towards Cuba to attack them in the American spirit,thereby creating a positive image for the Democrats.A small group of southern congressmen,in the interests of the south,consider the consequences of recognising Cuba’s “Belligerent rights”,which could increase the burden on the south.In congress,therefore,they oppose recognition of Cuba’s“Belligerent rights”.The speeches and votes of members of the Southern Congress in Congress reflect a kind of identityentanglement in which they view American foreign policy.Even though they are americans,they are southerners.The second part looks at the reasons and concerns behind the support for the appropriations bill by southern congressmen.By sorting out the growing hostility between the north and the south,the marginalization of the south in federal politics and the crisis of trust in the south in other parts of the United States since the civil war and reconstruction,it is concluded that the internal problems of the United States have greatly affected the south’s views on foreign affairs,which is more obvious in the discussion in congress.But the support of southern congressmen for the appropriations bill did not mean that they wanted the war.The third part focuses on the opposition of southern congressmen to the“McKinley report”.By sorting out the background and contents of the “McKinley report”,the discussion of the “McKinley report” by the southern congressmen in the congress and the voting result of the report,this paper explores the reasons why the southern congressmen,especially the southern Democratic Party in the senate,firmly opposed the "McKinley report".A few southern Democrats were totally opposed to the war with Spain.Almost all southern congressmen opposed the war for the expansion of American territory,but most southern congressmen supported a war to liberate Cuba from Spanish rule.