Reconcentration policy facts for kids

The Spanish Reconcentration policy was a plan created by General Valeriano Weyler in Cuba. Its main goal was to move people living in the countryside into special camps. This policy was first thought of by Arsenio Martínez Campos, who was the Governor of Cuba. He wanted to separate rebels from the regular people in rural areas who sometimes helped them.

Under this policy, people in the countryside had only eight days to move to these camps. These camps were in towns that were protected. If people did not move, they were told they would be harmed. Life in the camps was very hard. Homes were often falling apart, there was not enough food, and diseases spread quickly. By 1898, about one-third of Cuba's population had been forced into these camps. Around 170,000 Cuban civilians died because of the terrible conditions. This was about 10% of all the people in Cuba at that time. This policy is remembered as the first time that modern concentration camps were used in history.

Why the Policy Started

The Reconcentration policy was a plan to move people from Cuba's countryside. It was developed by Arsenio Martínez Campos. He wanted to separate rebels from the people who lived in rural areas. These rural people sometimes gave food and shelter to the rebels.

People had eight days to move to the camps. If they did not obey, they were told they would be harmed. The housing in these camps was often in bad shape. Food was hard to find, and sickness spread quickly. By 1898, a large part of Cuba's population was in these camps. Many Cubans died because of the harsh conditions. This policy is known as the first time modern concentration camps were built.

The Cuban War of Independence

Rebel leaders like Máximo Gómez and Antonio Maceo Grajales used a special fighting style. They used guerrilla warfare in the countryside. This meant they would often attack quickly and then disappear. They also destroyed sugar plantations. These plantations were owned by rich people in Cuba.

The rebels got a lot of help from farmers and especially from Black plantation workers. A group of Cubans living outside the country, called the Cuban Junta, also helped. They convinced many Americans to support the rebels. By 1896, the rebels started attacking the western part of the island. This area was very rich. They destroyed sugar plantations, which hurt Spain's economy a lot.

Spanish Leaders in Cuba

Arsenio Martínez Campos was the Governor of Cuba. He told Spain that they needed tougher plans to win against the rebels. He believed it was necessary to move the people who supported the rebels away from them. This would make it easier for Spain to fight. However, Campos could not bring himself to order this forced movement of people. So, he resigned from his position.

In 1896, Valeriano Weyler was chosen to lead the Spanish forces and become governor of Cuba. Weyler had studied the conflict in Cuba before. He strongly believed that moving the rural population was key for Spain to win the war.

How the Policy Was Carried Out

In the fall of 1896, Weyler made a rule. He said that rural Cubans who did not have approved farming work had to move. They had to go into camps located in fortified towns. All resources and land in the countryside were destroyed. This was done so the rebels could not use them. Farm animals were moved into cities. Trading with rural areas was also stopped.

By the end of that year, the Cuban countryside was empty of normal life. Only warfare remained. Inside the camps, many people started to die. They died from diseases and from not having enough food. Even with these terrible events, Weyler continued to enforce his policy.

See also

In Spanish: Reconcentración para niños