platt amendment definition us history

platt amendment definition us history

The Significance and Impact of the Platt Amendment in U.S. History

1. Introduction to the Platt Amendment

An untimely arrival of a U.S. squadron made the U.S. citizens reach an alternative. At first, the U.S. army defeated itself at Santiago, but for the second time, which was in 1898, the U.S. could not feel any of the Spanish arms. During 1899, U.S. Congressmen had opposing visions regarding the future of Cuba. Many of them believed that Cuba should become an independent state or, by some means, join the U.S.; others believed that Cuba must remain imprisoned in the U.S. There was a very debate in the U.S. Congress. But the ordinary American began to think that the U.S. should act both paternally and generously. Well, the U.S. became the winner. According to a census that had been published by the United States Army, Cuba counted more citizens and income than some of the smaller states. The Platt Amendment is the most conspicuous and interesting legal document which describes the U.S. politicians’ pluralistic policy and a great evidence of the appearance of different American interests.

The war between the Spanish regime and the Cubans during 1895-1898 significantly involved the U.S. This war definitely broke out some restraints in the U.S. policy. Some Americans used this intense situation and were preparing to war with Spain and gain some useful land for their own benefits. That is the way how the U.S. joined the war itself. Americans were 100% sure that the U.S. Army was going to defeat the Spanish one, as soon as the U.S. was only one out of several troubles for Spain at that time period. The U.S. did not invade the states which belonged to other European countries, as well as did not participate in others’ activities in Cuba. Furthermore, the U.S. Secretary of State did his best to keep Spanish colonies under European, but not American, regulation.

2. Historical Context and Origins of the Platt Amendment

The Platt Amendment was an appendix to the 1903 Treaty of Relations between the United States and Cuba which Congress ordered the President of the United States to sign. The amendment may not have been wholly unfair, but its imposition made Cuban patriots uneasy and gave them reason to feel humiliated. The enforced or captive diplomacy which succeeded the adoption of the Platt Amendment created a dangerous precedent and marked the beginning of a greater securities system imposed by force. By 1903, the United States had opted for a benevolent imperial rule in the wake of the Spanish-American War. In a message to the President on April 11, Secretary of State John Hay stated that the attitude and conduct of the Cuban government had convinced the American authorities that anarchy and disorder were possible and insurrection in Cuba as well as foreign intervention seemed inevitable. Public opinion had made President McKinley realize that the Government could not abandon Cuba shortly after liberating it. At the same time, it would be well to grant the Cubans proper sovereignty. Moreover, U.S. military occupation had to be ended quickly. The Platt Amendment grew out of this political and diplomatic dilemma and the acrimonious debates between the great political factions of that period.

When U.S. troops entered Cuba in 1898 during the Spanish-American War, the administration in Washington had committed itself unequivocally to the goal of Cuban independence. Yet by the early 20th century, a new generation of Cuban leaders had increasingly endorsed an anti-U.S. platform, and not all of them recognized Manila’s right to veto their aspirations. Even before the United States and Cuba signed the 1903 lease for naval facilities in Guantanamo Bay, the terms of Washington’s financial support and the economic provisions called for by the First and Second Cuban Constitutional Conventions had fueled debate and in some cases bitter disillusionment. With the perpetually dormant but in theory revived Platt Amendment as the lens, this study seeks to articulate the significance of the recurring U.S. lease for Guantanamo, and to place its history in the broader framework of U.S.-Cuban relations.

3. Key Provisions and Implications of the Platt Amendment

When reading the text of the Platt amendment, in the initial understanding, all of its provisions are a “warning to Cuban alien elements”, and are relatively severe measures to its internal policy. But in fact, in the direction of the Cuban government, it made more extensive provisions. Under the stress of the U.S. policy of Occidental-dominican, Cuba cannot but accept the claims. On the other hand, what is often ignored is that Cuba has always had the right not to accept, challenge, or overthrow the arrogant assertion of the U.S. The U.S. decision of “love and benevolence” did not specify “when and how the content will be abolished”. Consequently, the existence of the Platt amendment has a distorted structure, serving the interests of the United States. The Platt amendment, in fact, passed very specific political and strategic tasks. Based on the colonialist and imperialist ideology, its task is to create a necessary condition for the establishment of U.S. government justice management system and global military expansion action. Finally, the support of this control and expansion comes from the legal protection of the Platt amendment. Its significance is in that regard.

First, the Platt Amendment limited territorial independence or expansion by forbidding any change, allowing occupation, and legalizing U.S. military bases. Secondly, the amendment demanded that the host country credit, financial affairs, and internal regulation of the U.S. crime initiated specified requirements, such as restricting the right to engage in naval agreements that will hurt or cause loss of U.S. property. The platform prohibits any attempt to allow them to establish treaties with third world countries and enshrines claims of refueling rights. The third area that has an important impact was the establishment of the Guantanamo naval military base, which was tantamount to the U.S. occupying Cuban territory in the Platt amendment, legally depriving Cuba of territorial sovereignty.

4. Controversies and Criticisms Surrounding the Platt Amendment

The very arrangement that was the Platt Amendment had long-lasting effects more numerous than would normally be associated with so small a piece of legislation. Without directly being in violation of the Teller Amendment, the aspect of the Platt Amendment which made Cuba a protectorate of the United States was certainly a substantial move in that direction. “Not many laws can scientifically be demonstrated to have raised the personal stature of a country to the status of a republic. In contrast to the Gaelic reflection on their turbulent past, it may become necessary in the present to reflect and remember Cuba’s “turbulent” future, the future which was the result of a treaty between two Western Hemisphere nations back in 1901.

Ever since its inception, the Platt Amendment has been the subject of much debate and controversy. In spite of the fact that it only existed for about 14 years, it has had a profound effect on the course of modern time events. Critics of the Amendment emphasized its involvement in Cuba’s problems and in inciting ill feelings against the United States in Cuba and in the rest of Latin America.

5. Legacy and Lasting Effects of the Platt Amendment

In the long run, the Platt Amendment had far-reaching ramifications. It made the United States Cuba’s suzerain, thus extending and formalizing the pre-existing economic relationship of the two countries. The paternalistic superior attitude of the U.S. toward Cuba led to a lack of genuine respect for the Cuban people and institutions. They were treated as immature, irresponsible children who could not be entrusted with a large measure of self-government. Furthermore, the strict tutelage provoked reactionary nationalist resistance in Cuban society, which in turn set an unhealthy precedent. The long dictatorial phase inaugurated by Gerardo Machado and consolidated by Fulgencio Batista made more feasible today’s rule by Fidel Castro. In a sense, Castro is the heir to the Platt Amendment. Finally, the Platt Amendment helped to render Cuba politically and strategically useful to the U.S. Only that narrow interpretation of Cuban independence to prevent international interference in Cuban affairs has given lasting significance to this weak but threatening piece of legislation.

The impact of the Platt Amendment was immediate and far-reaching. With the Teller Amendment and the Platt Amendment, the U.S. declared its total control over newly acquired territories and future properties for military and economic use. It also meant a complete retreat from participation in the international peace movement and a repudiation of the liberal ideals and policies of the Democratic party and the Wilson administration. From this time on, American foreign policy and diplomacy would abjure idealism, internationalism, cooperation, and collective security for practical imperialist realism.