Spanish Civil War in 1895

Gilded Age Cato: The Life of Walter Q. Gresham said:
On March 8 a Spanish warship fired on, but missed, the American merchantman Allianca while it was passing between Cuba and Haiti.

Secretary of State Gresham initially was belligerent to Spain until he got praise from jingoists (who he hated), when he then dismissed the case.

Removing Secretary of State Gresham is easy - he was a low-tariff Republican judge who declined almost every possible career advancement. The only reason he was even appointed was that Cleveland recognized that economically he had been a Democrat for many years, but Gresham only left after Harrison was elected (the two hated each other). He had no FP experience at all, and was a bungler in the role (he dithered extensively in Hawaii and Venezuela; Gresham was an expert ditherer).

Take Gresham out of Foggy Bottom and turn that miss into a hit... well...

For one thing Cleveland wouldn't annex the Phillippines, which means they become German or Japanese most likely.
 
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Secretary of State Gresham initially was belligerent to Spain until he got praise from jingoists (who he hated), when he then dismissed the case.

Removing Secretary of State Gresham is easy - he was a low-tariff Republican judge who declined almost every possible career advancement. The only reason he was even appointed was that Cleveland recognized that economically he had been a Democrat for many years, but Gresham only left after Harrison was elected (the two hated each other). He had no FP experience at all, and was a bungler in the role (he dithered extensively in Hawaii and Venezuela; Gresham was an expert ditherer).

Take Gresham out of Foggy Bottom and turn that miss into a hit... well...

For one thing Cleveland wouldn't annex the Phillippines, which means they become German or Japanese most likely.

I'm slightly confused (not that that isn't my usual state!)

So, a different Sec of State makes enough of a fuss of the incident that it leads to war - I imagine its an escalation rather than an outright declaration, maybe the stopping of some Spanish merchantmen or something, which in turn leads to a run to war

However, this thread is termed Spanish Civil War - exactly why are they having one? Or is it intended that they lose to the USA then their country collapses into civil war (which it didn't do in 1898)?

Its also far from a given that Spain WOULD lose to the USA, at least not in the way it did in 1898 since its naval advantage is lessened by 1) some US ships not having yet being built, 2) the older Spanish warships being in relatively better condition than 3 years later (tho this may be balanced by some newer ones not being built yet too, I'd need to check)

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
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