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The Battle of Guam was a bloodless conflict between the United States and Spain during the Spanish-American War. For the World War II battle, see: Battle of Guam.
Background
Guam had been under Spanish control since 1668. The last message the Spanish authorities on Guam had received from Spain was dated April 14, 1898, a month before war was declared. Henry Glass, captain of the cruiser USS Charleston, was en route to Manila when he opened sealed orders notifying him to proceed to Guam and capture it.
The capture of Guam
Glass drilled his untested crew during the voyage to the island. On June 20, Glass arrived off the shore of Guam. He noticed a Japanese ship anchored in the harbor. Charleston fired upon the island from three of its cannons. The barrage apparently did no harm, since a ship flying the Spanish flag soon appeared and the Spanish officer climbed aboard Charleston and asked to borrow some powder from the Americans to return their salute. Glass informed the officer that war had been declared between the two nations and that the officer was a prisoner of war. He then paroled the officer and sent him back to the island with the message to surrender the island.
The Spanish Governor, Juan Marina, responded to Glass saying that Spanish law forbade him to board an American vessel. Glass notified him that an officer would be sent to the island the next day to discuss the surrender terms. The next morning the navigator of Charleston went ashore with a message from Glass regarding the island's surrender. In the meantime, landing parties were formed and also began to row ashore. Because the Spanish had no adequate defenses (the only cannon the American force could locate were four almost antique guns deemed unsafe even for ceremonial purposes *) and were without powder for their cannon, Governor Marina surrendered, despite his protests of being attacked without any knowledge of the declaration of war.
Surrender
The same day, the Spanish garrison and Governor Marina marched out and boarded the Charleston. Glass went ashore and raised an American flag over the fortifications. His orders included that the island's forts be destroyed, but Glass decided that they were in such disrepair that he left them as they were.
Aftermath
Now that Guam was the United States' first possession in the Pacific Ocean, Glass continued on his way to Manila. The Philippines, Wake Island, and Hawaii were all to become U.S. possessions in the Pacific by the end of the war. Guam remained under U.S. control until briefly captured by the Japanese during World War II.
See also
References
- http://www.spanamwar.com/Guam.htm
- http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/chronphil.html
"Battle of Guam (1898)"