Spanish-American War Ten Years Early?

Suppose there is a rebellion in Cuba in the early- to mid-1880's. And for whatever reason, the U.S. intervenes like it did in 1898. How would this war play out, considering the United States hadn't yet completed its massive buildup of the navy?
 
Suppose there is a rebellion in Cuba in the early- to mid-1880's. And for whatever reason, the U.S. intervenes like it did in 1898. How would this war play out, considering the United States hadn't yet completed its massive buildup of the navy?

i dont think the US would interfere. Cuba has been revolting since late 1860s. All US needed was time to get everything in place to challenge a great power and let make the Spanish do mistake after mistake. Mid 1880s is quite a scary hurdle to go against Spain, I can only assume Spain will commission the Peral submarine instead of rejecting it like in OTL due to the war conditions. That submarine is just too advanced for its age to be set loose on the 1880s and with only the Spanish having access to it.
 
Even without the massive naval buildup, the US would probably still win quickly. Spain was extremely weak at this point. The only difference is that the war would be a crushing victory rather than a joke. The US will probably lose more people, too.
 
Even without the massive naval buildup, the US would probably still win quickly. Spain was extremely weak at this point. The only difference is that the war would be a crushing victory rather than a joke. The US will probably lose more people, too.

I don't think US would win quick. Winning quickly requires overwhelming military assets for protecting troops to and from Cuba vs Spain.

Even if Spain is weak in great power terms, no US navy buildup means US would be weaker militarily. US would be fighting a numerical superior navy with equal or greater technology. Those ships in Manila bay sunk in OtL 1898 were already existing for Spain in mid 1880s and not yet considered inferior in the 1880s.

The question if not US wins but if US would even participate a war in the 1880s vs Spain.
 
I don't think US would win quick. Winning quickly requires overwhelming military assets for protecting troops to and from Cuba vs Spain.

Even if Spain is weak in great power terms, no US navy buildup means US would be weaker militarily. US would be fighting a numerical superior navy with equal or greater technology. Those ships in Manila bay sunk in OtL 1898 were already existing for Spain in mid 1880s and not yet considered inferior in the 1880s.

The question if not US wins but if US would even participate a war in the 1880s vs Spain.

Yeah, I don't think it'd be a quick victory. Even if the US managed to prove successful in Cuba, is it very likely that they would gain the Philippines or Puerto Rico as well? The Navy might not have an easy time in the Philippines and Puerto Rico was considered an afterthought in OTL anyways. A harder war may have them just taking Cuba
 

TFSmith121

Banned
If "mid 1880s" means 1885, then:

Suppose there is a rebellion in Cuba in the early- to mid-1880's. And for whatever reason, the U.S. intervenes like it did in 1898. How would this war play out, considering the United States hadn't yet completed its massive buildup of the navy?

the USN didn't commission any of the new Navy until 1886 (USS Atlanta), so this is a non-starter.

Best,
 
Cuba was the theatre of a long guerrilla war from 1860 to 1876. Then the situation normalised and the years from 1876 to mid-1890s were pretty quiet.
The insurrection started again and this time the USA intervened. Irrespective of the navy preparedness and of the Spanish troubles (the third Carlist war ended in 1876) to anticipate the intervention by 10 years would not make any sense in political terms.
 
Yeah, I don't think it'd be a quick victory. Even if the US managed to prove successful in Cuba, is it very likely that they would gain the Philippines or Puerto Rico as well? The Navy might not have an easy time in the Philippines and Puerto Rico was considered an afterthought in OTL anyways. A harder war may have them just taking Cuba

Spain had already an abundance of cruisers in mid 1880s which the US navy had very few of. Since both are into Mahan naval philosophy, Those battleships that would be needed to win vs Spain would be first launched in 1893.

If US navy is inferior to the Spanish Navy, there is no way of projecting power to Cuba. The Spanish can just force a blockade or prevent any US troops from landing at all.
 
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