In the South Cuba Theater, what happened to the Spanish fleet?

• A. It sailed out of Cuba
• B. It surrendered in Santiago
• C. It was destroyed by disease
• D. It reinforced in Cuba

Answer: (A)

The focus here is what happened to the Spanish fleet in the South Cuba Theater during the war. The Spanish squadron had been blockaded in Santiago de Cuba, unable to operate freely because of the American fleet and naval fire from the harbor. With supplies shrinking and the risk of annihilation increasing, the Spanish chose to try a breakout—to sail out of the Cuban waters and attempt to reach safety or join other forces. This sortie, as a final act in that theater, best fits the idea that the fleet moved out of Cuba. The other possibilities don’t match what actually occurred in that theater: there wasn’t a formal surrender in Santiago during the breakout, disease did not wipe out the fleet there, and there were no reinforcements arriving to sustain operations in Cuba.