In 1898, a mysterious ship explosion in Havana harbor triggered the Spanish-American War
The sudden destruction of an American battleship in a Cuban harbor killed 266 sailors and ignited a media frenzy that pushed the United States into its first major overseas conflict.
On the night of February 15, 1898, a massive explosion ripped through the hull of the USS Maine while it was anchored in Havana. The blast killed nearly three-quarters of the crew and sent shockwaves through the American public. While the cause remained unproven, 'Yellow Journalism' newspapers blamed Spain, using the rallying cry 'Remember the Maine!' to drum up support for war.
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