The Sinking of the USS Maine: Declaring War Against Spain

Early in 1898, the battleship USS Maine was sent to Havana. Supposedly undertaken to protect U.S. interests in Cuba, this action was a blatant effort to change Spanish colonial policies. Then, on the night of February 15, the Maine blew up in Havana Harbor with the loss of 260 lives. Though the exact cause of the explosion was unknown, the loss of the Maine became the focal point for Americans who sought war. The cry ‘Remember the Maine - to hell with Spain!’ swept the country, and the day after the board of inquiry’s report come out, President William McKinley sent Madrid an ultimatum, which led directly to the U.S. declaration of war against Spain in April. This book examines the historical circumstances leading up the destruction of the Maine, the immediate aftermath, and the long-term consequences.