Question

Who is General Weyler? What did he do to Cuban rebels?

A) A Cuban rebel leader who advocated for peace.

B) A Spanish diplomat promoting negotiations.

C) A journalist reporting on the Cuban rebellion.

D) A Spanish general who used brutal tactics against Cuban rebels.

E) A mediator facilitating talks between Spain and Cuba.

Answer 1

General Valeriano Weyler was a Spanish general who implemented a harsh policy known as reconcentration in Cuba, leading to severe suffering and many deaths, which turned public opinion against Spain and incited further support for Cuban rebels.

Step-by-step explanation:

General Valeriano Weyler is best characterized as D) A Spanish general who used brutal tactics against Cuban rebels. During the Cuban struggle for independence, General Weyler was sent by Spain in 1896 to pacify the rebellion. His notorious policy, known as reconcentration, forced local populations to relocate to fortified camps and towns to cut off the guerilla fighters' access to resources and support.

This reconcentration policy led to dire conditions, which included disease, starvation, and high mortality, with an estimated one in every four Cubans dying inside these camps. Weyler's harsh methods resulted in a backlash, further inciting support for the rebels and revulsion against Spain, especially from the American public, driven by vivid press coverage that earned him the epithet "Butcher" Weyler.