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→War with Spain, 1898: add info about Medal of Honor
==War with Spain, 1898==
==War with Spain, 1898==
When the battleship ''Maine'' was blown up in Manila harbor on February 15, 1898, Roosevelt, immediately resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and worked with Colonel [[Leonard Wood]] to recruit a volunteer cavalry regiment composed of TR's Ivy League friends and Western cowboys for the [[Spanish-American War|coming war against Spain]]. Hundreds answered his invitation to join in this grand endeavor, and, after brief training, the "Rough Riders" arrived in Cuba. On July 1, 1898, Roosevelt seized the initiative and led his men on the celebrated charge of San Juan Hill where 89 of the 490 who followed were killed. Nevertheless, the press and Roosevelt made this the most important battle of the campaign. The "splendid little war" (as termed by John Hay, State Ambassador to England<ref>Frank Freidel, ''The Splendid Little War'', (Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1958)</ref>) was soon over and TR returned to a hero's welcome in new York City.
When the battleship ''Maine'' was blown up in Manila harbor on February 15, 1898, Roosevelt, immediately resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and worked with Colonel [[Leonard Wood]] to recruit a volunteer cavalry regiment composed of TR's Ivy League friends and western cowboys for the [[Spanish-American War|coming war against Spain]]. Hundreds answered his invitation to join in this grand endeavor, and, after brief training, the "Rough Riders" arrived in Cuba. On July 1, 1898, Roosevelt seized the initiative and led his men on the celebrated charge of San Juan Hill where 89 of the 490 who followed were killed. Nevertheless, the press and Roosevelt made this the most important battle of the campaign. The "splendid little war" (as termed by John Hay, State Ambassador to England<ref>Frank Freidel, ''The Splendid Little War'', (Boston: Little, Brown and Co. 1958)</ref>) was soon over and TR returned to a hero's welcome in New York City.
After the battles in Cuba, malaria, yellow fever and typhoid became an issue for the troops. Roosevelt, not constrained by a military career, complained to both the White House and the press about the need for the troops to return home for better care. This, coupled with a bias against volunteers, is most likely the reason that when Roosevelt was nominated for the Congressional [[Medal of Honor]] for his bravery during the battle at San Juan Hill, the nomination was not approved.<ref name="medal">[http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/medalofhonor.htm Roosevelt Medal of Honor]</ref>
President [[Bill Clinton]] posthumously bestowed the Medal of Honor to Roosevelt on January 16, 2001, saying,
<blockquote>
...TR was a larger-than-life figure who gave our nation a larger-than-life vision of our place in the world. Part of that vision was formed on San Juan Hill. His Rough Riders were made up of all kinds of Americans from all walks of life. They were considered unpolished and undisciplined, but they were true citizen soldiers. By taking San Juan Hill, eventually they forced the enemy fleet into the Battle of Santiago Bay, where it was routed. This led to the Spanish surrender and opened the era of America as a global power.<ref name="medal"/>
</blockquote>
Roosevelt and his eldest son, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr., are one of only two father/son pairs to earn the Medal of Honor. Roosevelt Jr. posthumously received his for actions on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day during [[World War II]]. Roosevelt is the first and only president to receive the Medal of Honor.
==Governor of New York==
==Governor of New York==