Presidents at War: William Howard Taft and the Invasion of Cuba
In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed future president William Howard Taft to the position of Secretary of War. (This cabinet position was later renamed Secretary of Defense.) At the time, Taft was Governor-General of the Philippines and was committed to making positive changes there, so he was reluctant to leave. But he accepted the cabinet appointment because it allowed him to remain involved in the Philippines. Roosevelt also promised Taft that he would support his later appointment to the United States Supreme Court, something that had been a goal of Taft's.
Taft had never served in the military, but this didn't matter to Roosevelt, since he made his own basic policy decisions regarding military affairs. He used Taft for special projects. Roosevelt said of Taft, "If only there were three of you. I could appoint one of you to the Court, one to the War Department and one to the Philippines."
On September 29, 1906, Secretary Taft initiated what became known as the Second Occupation of Cuba. Cuba and the United States had signed the Cuban–American Treaty of Relations of 1903, which provided in part that the United States could intervene militarily to preserve Cuban independence. In 1905, a conflict arise between Cuba's liberal and moderate parties began during the presidential election of September 1905. It was alleged that Tomas Palma and his party rigged the election to ensure victory over the liberal's candidate, José Miguel Gómez. In response, the liberals orchestrated a revolt in August 1906. Both sides wanted the United States to intervene militarily, believing that the Americans would support their side. Palma formally requested that Roosevelt send the United States Army to Cuba. Roosevelt was reluctant to do so. He sent Secretary Taft and Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon to discuss a diplomatic solution to the problem. Arriving on September 19, Taft and Bacon hoped to mediate with both parties but Palma refused to negotiate with the rebel leaders. When Palma realized that Roosevelt had no intention of intervening in Cuba on his behalf so he resigned his office on September 28, 1906.
The following day, on September 29, 1906, Secretary Taft invoked the terms of the Cuban–American Treaty of Relations of 1903. He established a Provisional Government in Cuba and declaring himself Provisional Governor. On October 23, 1906, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 518, ratifying the order. The US ordered the United States Navy to land a brigade of marines. The marines, under the command of Colonel Littleton Waller, were sent to protect American citizens and patrol the island until the United States Army arrived.
The rebels offered no resistance. When U.S. soldiers arrived on the island, the Liberals laid down their weapons and cooperated with the Americans. United States Army General Frederick Funston supervised the surrender of the rebels which took place before the army had actually began to arrive.
On October 6, the first army soldiers landed from the transport Sumner. The force was originally called the "Army of Cuban Intervention" but it was renamed on October 15, by William H. Taft, to "Army of the Cuban Pacification". Congress and Roosevelt authorized the deployment of 18,000 men to Cuba for the expedition but the number of American military personnel was about 6,621 men.
Since the rebels had already laid down their arms, the Americans focused on building roads and outposts across the island. A total of 92 kilometers of new roads were constructed during the occupation and the army manned about thirty different posts spread out through both the rural and urban areas, including Guantanamo Bay. Headquarters was at Camp Columbia, located west of Havana. Typhoid, malaria and gonorrhea were major concerns to the military, between the invasion in 1906 and the withdrawal in 1909, ten percent of the soldiers contracted these diseases.
Another concern was the protection of American owned sugarcane plantations, the majority being in Santa Clara Province. Most of the garrisons were stationed in Santa Clara, strategically deployed along railways, roads, and other shipping lanes used to transport sugar cane. In order to prevent future rebellions, the Americans organized a Military Intelligence Division, to gather information about the rebels and other things. The Military Intelligence Division prepared a list of names of all those who had participated in the revolt of 1906.
In 1908, Charles Edward Magoon assumed the position of Cuba's provisional governor and that September he decided that the country was stable enough to hold an election. The regional election took place on May 25, 1908 and the presidential election on November 14, both were supervised by the American military. The process took place without incident and José Miguel Gómez was elected. President Gómez's election and the formation of the Cuban Army ended the need for an American occupation force so the troops were withdrawn over the following weeks.
Taft had never served in the military, but this didn't matter to Roosevelt, since he made his own basic policy decisions regarding military affairs. He used Taft for special projects. Roosevelt said of Taft, "If only there were three of you. I could appoint one of you to the Court, one to the War Department and one to the Philippines."
On September 29, 1906, Secretary Taft initiated what became known as the Second Occupation of Cuba. Cuba and the United States had signed the Cuban–American Treaty of Relations of 1903, which provided in part that the United States could intervene militarily to preserve Cuban independence. In 1905, a conflict arise between Cuba's liberal and moderate parties began during the presidential election of September 1905. It was alleged that Tomas Palma and his party rigged the election to ensure victory over the liberal's candidate, José Miguel Gómez. In response, the liberals orchestrated a revolt in August 1906. Both sides wanted the United States to intervene militarily, believing that the Americans would support their side. Palma formally requested that Roosevelt send the United States Army to Cuba. Roosevelt was reluctant to do so. He sent Secretary Taft and Assistant Secretary of State Robert Bacon to discuss a diplomatic solution to the problem. Arriving on September 19, Taft and Bacon hoped to mediate with both parties but Palma refused to negotiate with the rebel leaders. When Palma realized that Roosevelt had no intention of intervening in Cuba on his behalf so he resigned his office on September 28, 1906.
The following day, on September 29, 1906, Secretary Taft invoked the terms of the Cuban–American Treaty of Relations of 1903. He established a Provisional Government in Cuba and declaring himself Provisional Governor. On October 23, 1906, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 518, ratifying the order. The US ordered the United States Navy to land a brigade of marines. The marines, under the command of Colonel Littleton Waller, were sent to protect American citizens and patrol the island until the United States Army arrived.
The rebels offered no resistance. When U.S. soldiers arrived on the island, the Liberals laid down their weapons and cooperated with the Americans. United States Army General Frederick Funston supervised the surrender of the rebels which took place before the army had actually began to arrive.
On October 6, the first army soldiers landed from the transport Sumner. The force was originally called the "Army of Cuban Intervention" but it was renamed on October 15, by William H. Taft, to "Army of the Cuban Pacification". Congress and Roosevelt authorized the deployment of 18,000 men to Cuba for the expedition but the number of American military personnel was about 6,621 men.
Since the rebels had already laid down their arms, the Americans focused on building roads and outposts across the island. A total of 92 kilometers of new roads were constructed during the occupation and the army manned about thirty different posts spread out through both the rural and urban areas, including Guantanamo Bay. Headquarters was at Camp Columbia, located west of Havana. Typhoid, malaria and gonorrhea were major concerns to the military, between the invasion in 1906 and the withdrawal in 1909, ten percent of the soldiers contracted these diseases.
Another concern was the protection of American owned sugarcane plantations, the majority being in Santa Clara Province. Most of the garrisons were stationed in Santa Clara, strategically deployed along railways, roads, and other shipping lanes used to transport sugar cane. In order to prevent future rebellions, the Americans organized a Military Intelligence Division, to gather information about the rebels and other things. The Military Intelligence Division prepared a list of names of all those who had participated in the revolt of 1906.
In 1908, Charles Edward Magoon assumed the position of Cuba's provisional governor and that September he decided that the country was stable enough to hold an election. The regional election took place on May 25, 1908 and the presidential election on November 14, both were supervised by the American military. The process took place without incident and José Miguel Gómez was elected. President Gómez's election and the formation of the Cuban Army ended the need for an American occupation force so the troops were withdrawn over the following weeks.