A harvest in Cuba

A harvest in Cuba, 1898

Colonel Alfredo Santos y Cruz stared at the "harvest" in amazement. They looked just like cut sugar cane stalks.

Colonel Santos had misgivings when Captain Davila arrived fresh from assignment as a liason officer in Germany. He brought with him a "team" and four hellish machines. A letter from Madrid informed Col. Santos that Davila was a "specialist" and that he would defer to him in all matters regarding the machines.

An excited Captain Davila, his stained by grease, runs over to Colonel Santos, "Think of the irony.... these amazing machines were invented by Hiram Maxim, an American." Davila jokes as he points at the crumpled body of Teddy Roosevelt. "We took down their commander and his horse first. They were uhmm.... hard to miss, especially for Senor Maxim....get it, get it?" "The rest froze, we mowed them down like wheat." After reflection, a stunned Colonel Santos replies.... "There is no wheat in Cuba, just sugar cane".


Will the world pay attention and learn from what the Maxims did on San Juan Hill?
Will TR's economic policies still be implemented?
Will the trusts still be busted?
 
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Colonel Alfredo Santos y Cruz stared at the "harvest" in amazement. They looked just like cut sugar cane stalks.

Colonel Santos had misgivings when Captain Davila arrived fresh from assignment as a liason officer in Germany. He brought with him a "team" and four hellish machines. A letter from Madrid informed Col. Santos that Davila was a "specialist" and that he would defer to him in all matters regarding the machines.

An excited Captain Davila, his stained by grease, runs over to Colonel Santos, "Think of the irony.... these amazing machines were invented by Hiram Maxim, an American." Davila jokes as he points at the crumpled body of T.R. "We took down their commander and his horse first, they were uhmm.... hard to miss, especially for Senor Maxim....get it, get it?" "the rest froze and then we mowed them down like wheat." After reflection, a stunned Colonel Santos replies.... "There is no wheat in Cuba, just sugar cane".


Will TR's economic policies still be implemented?
Will the trusts still be busted?
Will the world pay attention and learn from what the Maxims did on San Juan Hill?

This beginning will upset many here.
 
Colonel Alfredo Santos y Cruz stared at the "harvest" in amazement. They looked just like cut sugar cane stalks.

Colonel Santos had misgivings when Captain Davila arrived fresh from assignment as a liason officer in Germany. He brought with him a "team" and four hellish machines. A letter from Madrid informed Col. Santos that Davila was a "specialist" and that he would defer to him in all matters regarding the machines.

An excited Captain Davila, his stained by grease, runs over to Colonel Santos, "Think of the irony.... these amazing machines were invented by Hiram Maxim, an American." Davila jokes as he points at the crumpled body of Teddy Roosevelt. "We took down their commander and his horse first. They were uhmm.... hard to miss, especially for Senor Maxim....get it, get it?" "The rest froze, we mowed them down like wheat." After reflection, a stunned Colonel Santos replies.... "There is no wheat in Cuba, just sugar cane".


Will the world pay attention and learn from what the Maxims did on San Juan Hill?
Will TR's economic policies still be implemented?
Will the trusts still be busted?
Cool!!! I WANT MORE OF THIS STUFF!
 
Cool!!! I WANT MORE OF THIS STUFF!

Thanks for the compliment, I"ll try....


Wednesday, August 15, 1898

Colonel Santos put the thoughts of his sugar cane plantation to the back of mind. He surveyed his regiment with immense pride. They were exhausted, yet victorious again. Regulars from Spain mixed with local militia, police, even hastily armed tenant farmers. Spain was a poor nation, but Cuba was still Spanish and standing proud. .

They owed their victories to their faith in Nuestra Senora de Cobre, their determination, and the small elite specialist "teams". Whether armed with Maxim guns or the phenomenal French 75mm guns, the "flying batteries" were directed across battle fields by messangers and signal flags Time and time again, they had stopped the enemy with precision fire.

Thursay August 23, 1898 The Splendid War is going south...

"I want the good news first" McKinley said gruffly. "Well The Phillipines are secured" Came the expected reply. "The bad news....?" MCKinnley added. "Cuba, again, and again". "Of course we'll win, but that is going to take time". The litany went on. "We need more of everything. More trained units, more naval ships for the blockaid and especially... more men experienced with Maxims."

MCkinley nodded. The military humiliation in Cuba was impacting the homefront. The roughing up of the Rough Riders at San Juan Hill and the realization that the muckrackers were well, dirty had cut willing recruits to a trickle.

Even worse, the Cuban debacle was opening up old wounds at home. Nothing serious, just alot of annoyance. Southern newspapers printed stories of embattled Spanish gentleman planters standing tall against "yankee aggression". Rumors spread that Spanish victories were toasted in some New Orleans taverns. In Virginia, Pat Fallill, a street preacher, proclaimed that the defeats No, wait, DEFEATS did not exist. McKinley and his cabinet prefered the term... "set backs" in Cuba were God's punishment for yankee arrogance, yankee promiscuity, and dang near, yankee everything.

A proposed solution:

"Admiral Dewey wants to open a new front using a naval campaign. We"ll shut the Spanish down and that will also shut the mouths of southern drunkards and crazies". The plan is.....

to be cont.
 
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