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What was the purpose of the 1899 Platt Amendment, and how did it impact the relationship between the United States and Cuba following the Spanish-American War?

User Hdl
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Final answer:

The 1899 Platt Amendment granted the U.S. significant control over Cuba's foreign policy post-Spanish-American War, including the right to intervene in Cuba's affairs and establish a U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay. It affected U.S.-Cuba relations notably by limiting Cuba's independence in external affairs until revisions under Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy in 1934.

Step-by-step explanation:

Purpose of the 1899 Platt Amendment

The 1899 Platt Amendment was a measure that altered the previous Teller Amendment, giving the United States significant control over Cuba's foreign policy following the Spanish-American War. The amendment forbade Cuba from allowing any foreign power to construct military bases on the island and imposed restrictions on Cuba's ability to make diplomatic and commercial decisions independent of U.S. oversight. Some provisions, like those limiting foreign debt, aimed at preserving Cuban independence, while others, such as the stipulation allowing the United States to intervene in Cuban affairs and the leasing of land for a U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, were more clearly in the interest of the United States.

Impact on U.S.-Cuba Relations

The Platt Amendment had a significant effect on the relationship between the United States and Cuba. It embedded the right of the U.S. to intervene in Cuban affairs, to maintain a naval base at Guantanamo Bay, and to influence Cuba's foreign policy and commercial practices. These conditions remained largely intact until the amendment's principles were superseded as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy in 1934, leaving only the Guantanamo Naval Station as a permanent U.S. lease.

User Owen Godfrey
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