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Debt Of Gratitude: 1898 And The Moral Sources Of US

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Perez’s (1999) article “Incurring a Debt of Gratitude: 1898 and the Moral Sources of United States Hegemony in Cuba” is a recount of the genesis of the United States-Cuban relations. The author presents an elaboration the activities that transpired and finally culminated in a complex relationship between the United States and the neighboring island of Cuba. The relationship between the United States and Cuba was prompted by an urgent need to liberate the people of the latter from Spanish rule. Under the Spanish rule, the people of Cuba had been subjected to inhumane treatment. As Perez (1999) describes, the Spanish rule was torturous to the citizens who were compelled to seek independence. The United States took advantage of the need for independence, coupled with their duty to ensure civilization as one of the global superpowers, and helped in defeating the Spanish rule. …show more content…

Perez (1999) explains that the involvement of America in driving out the Spanish during the 1898 War may have been strategic to the interests of America. As a small and upcoming country, Cuba had many prospects that attracted the United States. The strategic location of the island from North America further propelled the interest of the American’s in the welfare of the people of Cuba. Apparently, America had commercial, financial, and economic interests on the small island. Eventually, the Cubans, with the help of the United States, managed to drive out the Spanish colonialists. According to Perez (1999), the United States played a significant role in the liberation of the Cuban people. Consequently, Cuba incurred a debt of gratitude to America. Such situations have been experienced in the contemporary world where countries such as Iraq, which have been liberated from some kind of unrest, have incurred a debt of gratitude from their

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