The Yanks are coming!

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In its time Spain has controlled lots of the World; Holland and Belgium, parts of what is now Italy and a rather large chunk of America from somewhere up by California down to the tip of Argentina  - oh, and a bit of Africa. So, it was a shock for the Spanish when the USA took the last few remnants of that Empire - Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Phillipines - off them in double quick time in the Spanish American War of 1898.

One of my English language students told me that after the defeat the Spanish people and government alike thought it a real possibility that the United States would invade. A consequence for Cartagena was that the string of defensive forts that overlook the harbour were strengthened and new ones built.

I have no idea whether it's true or not but I thought it was an interesting idea.

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