⚓The Spanish-American War1898
Explosion of the USS Maine
The USS Maine, an American battleship anchored in Havana Harbor to protect American interests during the Cuban revolt against Spain, was destroyed by a massive explosion on the evening of February 15, 1898. Two hundred and sixty-six sailors and officers were killed. The cause of the explosion has never been definitively established — naval investigations at the time blamed an external mine, while later studies suggest an internal magazine accident — but the disaster was immediately seized upon by the American press, particularly William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal, as evidence of Spanish treachery.
The Maine explosion became the emotional catalyst for the Spanish-American War. The rallying cry 'Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!' swept the nation, overwhelming diplomatic efforts and forcing President McKinley's hand. Though the actual cause remains disputed to this day, the explosion demonstrated the enormous power of the emerging mass media to shape public opinion and push a nation toward war.
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