"Let's make a deal!" said the United States.

"Great!" said Cuba. "We'll both get something we want, right?"

"Um, sure…" said the U.S., with shifty eyes.

The Platt Amendment was a deal…in a way. It was just really lopsided. The U.S. got way more than it gave, but the interesting thing here is how the whole arrangement was presented as great for Cuba.

For example, check out where the amendment says:

[…] the President is hereby authorized to 'leave the government and control of the island of Cuba to its people' so soon as a government shall have been established in said island under a constitution […] (Intro).

That makes it sound as though the U.S. is giving Cuba control, removing military, and letting Cuba be Cuba. But as we all now know, the rules that came along with that independence were strict.

(Remember, the U.S. couldn't legally take control of Cuba thanks to the Teller Amendment. So, were they really bargaining? Hmm…)

Whether or not the Platt Amendment was really a good deal for one side or the other, there was certainly the idea or perception of bargaining going on. Even though the truth was that Cuba had absolutely zero say in how the terms of the deal would be set.