The Battle Of The Uss Maine

The United States went to war with Spain in 1898 for three different reasons: social, economic, and political. These causes were stimulated by commercialism and nationalism. Based on these interpretations it is clear that the desire to be a world wide power, and advance commerical interest were primary factors that led to the declaration of war on Spain.

While public tensions before August 1898 were surely high, nothing turned the public against Spain like the tragic blowing up of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor. The lives of 260 American officers and men were lost. The yellow press and American investigators quickly blamed spanish officials in Cuba for the mysterious wreck. Although it is extremely unlikely that the spanish had anything to do with the Maine’s sinking, the War-Mad American public accepted this conclusion out of rage, overwhelmingly persuading President Mckinley to begin the war. McKinley personally did not want to fight a war against Spain, for he had seen enough bloodshed as a General in the Civil War. But the public, encouraged by the Cuban patriotic cause, yellow journalism, and the sinking of the Maine, clamored for a war. Finally, President McKinley yielded and gave the people what they wanted. He believed that the people should rule, even if they don’t know what’s best for themselves. Public pressure was the main reason we went to war with Spain, and the biggest cultivator of public unrest was the blowing up of “The Maine”.

A. sank the entire Spanish fleet in Manila without a single American loss of life

Nationalism was another major factor in declaring war against Spain. Nationalism emerged in the United States and all of its people seemed to support the war. The “yellow press” printed multiple stories of scandals, including the explosion of the Maine in the Havana harbor. The yellow press printed that the Spanish were responsible for this action, which led to the slogan “Remember the Maine.” Nationalism and pride surged within the United States and war became imminent. The “rough riders,” who were volunteers from the United States, invaded the Santiago harbor in order to drive out Spanish ships. They paved the way for the American army and forced Spain to sign an armistice. After the war was over and the Cubans were free, The Platt Amendment was passed. It provided that Cuba had to state in its own constitution that the US might intervene with troops in Cuba in order to restore order and to provide mutual protection. It also promised to sell or lease naval stations to the US. The doctrine of Manifest Destiny also played a major part in the war. The US wanted to expand its country and spread its Anglo-Saxon culture. Imperialism was also part of this objective.

Shankman discusses the view of the war, and the sinking of the Maine, from the perspective of the Methodist church. Throughout the church there was varying opinions of the explosion and the war itself. Some people believed that the war would be necessary, while others believed there was no need for a war. IN an editorial from a New York Methodist newspaper in April 1898: "Should we now go to war," insisted the Syracuse Northern Christian Advocate, "our cause will be just, and Methodism will be ready to do its full duty. Every Methodist preacher will be a recruiting officer” (Shankman, 1973). However, in the south, the Southern Christian Advocate pushed for people to help send aid to the Cubans that are refugees and on the island; some groups even set up soup kitchens and churches donated some money as charity. These opinions helped spread the divide after the attack on the Maine:

America’s imperial moment arrived when they freed Cuba from Spanish rule. America had to do what was necessary to keep Spain at Bay. President McKinley cautiously lobbied to Spain that they stop destroying American property in Cuba. Since Spain was unwilling to compromise, in 1898, McKinley sent over the battleship Maine, to show that the United

On March 9, 1862, the battle between the Union’s USS Monitor and the Confederate’s USS Merrimack was history’s first duel between ironclad warships. The cannons bounced effortlessly off the iron armor of the boats. This battle was known as the Battle of Hampton Roads and was part of the Confederate effort to break the Union blockade of Southern ports. This battle ended in a draw where neither side could declare victory, but it started the era of naval warfare. The use of ironclads marked the end of thousands of years of wooden warships.

Americans were quick to believe that the sinking of the USS Maine was the Spanish. Americans assumed right away that the Spanish destroyed the USS Maine and were ready to fight for the destruction of the Maine. “I have already sent to congress the report of the destruction of the battleship Maine.” (President William McKinley’s war message to congress.) two hundred and sixty Americans died when the Maine exploded, this left Americans upset and ready to fighting.

At a time when Cuba fought to gain independence from Spanish rule, President William McKinley showed leadership by ending the feud between the rebels and Spanish forces and establishing a stable government. U.S. interest in purchasing Cuba had begun before 1898. Following the Ten Year War, American sugar interests bought up large amounts of land in Cuba. Alterations in the U.S. sugar tariff favoring homegrown beet sugar helped encourage the renewal of revolutionary passion in 1895. On April 23, President McKinley asked for 125,000 volunteers to fight against Spain. The following day, Spain issued a declaration of war. However, on the other side of the world, a Spanish fleet docked in Cuba’s Santiago harbor after racing across the Atlantic from Spain. The Spanish fleet destroyed off Santiago by U.S. warships under Admiral William Sampson, and the Spanish surrendered the city. In Puerto Rico, Spanish forces crumbled in the face of superior U.S. forces, and on August 12 an armistice was signed between Spain and the United States, ending the conflict.

Maine was a United States battleship that was sent to Havana, Cuba to protect United States’ citizens and investments during domestic unrest2. During this time the U.S.S. Maine was originally based in the Florida Keys. The Maine received orders to go to Havana and arrived on January 25, 1898. On February 15, 1898 at 9:40 p.m., the Maine was ripped apart by one or two explosions. The causalities of this explosion were 260 out of 374 of the crew3.

When the United States finally declared war against Spain on 25 April 1898, those in charge of making such decisions had an event with which to convince those who were unsure that war was necessary. The explosion of the USS Maine, an American battleship, on 15 February 1898 provided the impetus for declaring war ostensibly under the feeling of national security. In trying to persuade Congress that declaring war was absolutely necessary beyond all

In 1898 America declared war on Spain. There were many reason for this action. The reasons were political. Economical, and humanitarian. Cuba was controlled by Spain in this time period.

The war initially began in 1895 with the rebellion of Cubans under Spanish control. Accordingly, Spain sent forces to dispel this rebellion, but in vain. Early in the year of 1898, the ship USS Maine was sent to Cuba, and sunk on February 15 of that same year. About a week prior to the USS Maine’s sinking, a letter, written by Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, and famously called the De Lôme Letter2, was released by U.S. newspapers. The letter slandered U.S. President William McKinley, the incumbent at the time, as well as his methods of dealing with both foreign and domestic affairs. Indeed, many, including McKinley, saw this letter as a large sign of disrespect, especially when coming from the Spanish ambassador to the United States. This, coupled with the sinking of the USS Maine, raised the concern of a possible war with Spain. And, as such, Spain declared war on America on April 24, 1898, with the United States following with a declaration of their own the very next day. McKinley’s first decision was not to go into war, but he was forced into it through the pressures of the Democratic Party and his inability to provide sufficient answers concerning the sinking of the USS Maine3. While the declaration of war itself is not always viewed as imperialistic, the actions prior to this were quite imperialistic themselves. It seemed as if the U.S. declared war in response to Spain, whereas in reality if Americans hadn't

On April 25, 1898 the United States declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. The war ended with the signing of

The battleship, USS Marine was stationed in Havana’s harbor to protect American interest in Cuba. An explosion destroyed the vessel on February 15, 1898. “A naval court of inquiry blamed the explosion on a mine, further inflaming public sentiment against Spain” (HIS104 U.S. History Since 1877 30-Jun-2008, OL20). Again, the press stirred up the public with stories and headlines of a Spanish conspiracy. American now demanded revenge for the deaths of 266 sailors (Faragher, J., 2008, Out of Many). President McKinley demanded that Spanish government end brutality of the Cuban people, engage in armistice, and promise the eventual independence of Cuba. Upon Spain’s refusal, McKinley asked for a declaration of war. (HIS104 U.S. History, Lecture, 30-Jun-2008, OL20). “In order to assure the world that it was fighting only for the good of Cuba and not for colonial gain, the US passed the Teller Amendment, which promised to make Cuba independent after the war was over” (SparkNotes: The Spanish American War, 1898-1901: Summary).