It is publicly noticed that the Spanish government dared to take belligerent means in response to the declaration of war for the part of the United States, although it was sure that the Republic was more predominant in national competence to wage war than Spain. No study had been successful to expose what motivated Spain to make such an irrational decision. Messrs.Sebastian Balfour and David Trusk seem to be near the mark on this point, while many articles had criticized the Spanish government, attributing its irrational decision to incompetence as well as lack of confirmed policy. According to these two professors, amongst the Spanish nation there was a traditional conservative opinion to guard the possession of Cuba at any cost. At the same time a widely diffused political discontent was harboured among the people. Being flanked by these two national opinions, the Spanish government became apprehensive that the first opinion would instigate the latter into the political instability resulting in collapse of the regime of Restauration, in case that the Spanish government grant independence to the Cuban insurgents bowing down to the American intervention. So the government preferred to wage a war with the United States in order to demonstrate to the nation that there was no other way but to abandon Cuban island, retaining preparedness for a possible loss of the war. However, this analysis is nothing but a mere inference which is less backed with proof and more dependent on conventional situations. This article attempts to analyse this problem in more fundamental dimensions such as the Spanish particular way of thinking and the images of the Other on American society for the part of Spain. As to the images which Spain had on American society, it is defined as perceptions and representations of the Other on the American society (democracy) for the part of Spain. As to the Spanish way of thinking it is sure that Spain rested upon the traditional order of the Old World, especially on the law among European nations through which Spain might consider not only the essential quality of this war, but also a perspective on how to terminate it. On the contrary, the United States confronted Spain with its Monroe doctrine as well as its traditional censure against Vienna regime politics of Europe. Furthermore it revealed its imperialistic territorial ambition toward the Asian Pacific region. What images Spain had on the American society (democracy) is investigated in the context of history of cultural intercourse between Europeans and Americans. In the 19th century many Europeans visited North-America. They were not only interested in the conspicuous prosperity and growing presence of America, but also imbued with censure against the hypocrisy that admitted slavery in parallel with the principle of liberty and equality. European visitors observed social conditions in the Republic from the point of view of their value and principle, and studied what the American democracy was and how it worked. However, there was a discrepancy between European and American notes on the essence of democracy. As a result Europeans regarded American life as indecency, being backed with the reflexion of their own sentiments of refinement. In their conceit the European civilization was more advanced than that of America. Their recognition resulted in contemptuous images for the American democracy. The images of the Other on Americans for the part of Spain were formed in this context. Consequently it is natural to think that the Spanish diplomacy toward the United States, the Spanish way of thinking and their acquired images on Americans (the American democracy) influenced each other. Also it is possible to assume that these two cultural factors motivated the Spanish government behind the scenes to respond belligerently to the declaration of war for the part of the United States. From this point of view this article attempts to verify the assumption inductively analysing actions and discourses of Spain in relation with the war.

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