Cuban War of Independence
The Cuban War of Independence, also known as Guerra de los Diez Años (Spanish for Ten Years' War) or the Guerra Grande (Great War) and also the Guerra de Cuba (Cuba War) in Spain, was a war that was led by the Cuban revolutionary Carlos Manuel de Céspedes against the Spanish government in Cuba.
Cuban War of Independence | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of Decolonization of the Americas | |||||
![]() | |||||
| |||||
Belligerents | |||||
|
| ||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
| ||||
Units involved | |||||
Cuban Mambí Armed Forces | Spanish Armed Forces | ||||
Casualties and losses | |||||
8,617 mambises killed (3,437 by illness) Around 300,000 cubans died during the Weyler Reconcentration policy |
More than 63,000 killed (9,413 in combat) 30,000 prisoners 100 canons captured 25,114 rifles captured | ||||
A total amount of 600,000 men died on Cuban territory during the independence conflict. |
It began with the Cry of Yara on October 9, 1868, when Céspedes freed his slaves and declared Cuban independence.
Spanish General Valeriano Weyler implemented a policy destined to annihilate the Cuban independentists, the Reconcentration, that involved concentration camps. Around 300,000 to 400,000 people are believed to have died because of the policy, but it failed stop the war.