Here is yet another question that gave my students fits in the post-bellum lectures:
Did the US military learn any lessons from the Civil War that helped them in the Spanish American War?
Were they more/better prepared for major military operations in the spring of 1898 than they were in the spring of 1861? Use comparison and contrast to examine this issue in detail.
Yes, and no.
We had no clue what we were going up against as far as advanced weaponry (bolt action rifles) and were still stuck in the musket era as far as infantry weapons. We had no clue how to do amphibious invasions. We still had no clue how to do light infantry assaults or use of unconventional tactics/combatants (RoughRiders figured that out, along with better weaponry).
We had an advantage when in came to some assault tactics and especially in assaults on fortified defenses and use of trenches. However, this was essentially a draw with what the Spaniards brought to the table.
By far, our greatest advancement and advantage was in the use of ironclad warships. We learned very quickly that wooden vessels were no match for iron clads and that proved decisive against the Spanish.
Thumbnail sketch of a much larger and longer topic.
This. Especially when you consider the number of Spaniards holding San Juan and Kettle Hills....
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
