On February 15, 1898, 266 American Sailors were killed in the explosion of the USS Maine, an American battleship docked in the Havana Harbor in Cuba. Through recent investigations the source as to what caused the explosion is said to have been by five tons of powder stored within the ship’s forward magazines. The explosion caused immense damage to the ship, leaving what was left to sink to the bottom of the harbor. Just days after the incident many begun to speculate if the explosion was purely accidental or if it was an attack by the Spanish. We at The New York World have reviewed and examined the incident to a point where we can theorize exactly who and what cause this tragedy. We have reason to believe that the Cubans are responsible
In the novel, Dead Wake by Erik Larson, the author depicts a true tale of the sinking of the Lusitania. After setting sail from New York on May 1st, 1915, the Lusitania came into contact with a German U-boat, known as the U-20, who eventually sank the ship and killed thousands six days later on May 7th, 1915. However, as simple as the case may seem, Larson believes that the Lusitania’s destruction was very preventable, but those in control of the ship’s aid seemed to benefit greatly from its obliteration. This benefit, gained by Room 40, the British Royal Navy’s secret intelligence administration, was the hope that American’s on the Lusitania would die in the sinking, and therefore draw America into the war, aiding Britain. Throughout the very
There are many opinions on how the Maine exploded, was it an accident or was it the spanish? The explosion of the USS Maine was an accident because several other ships had been affected from the explosion. The explosion of the USS Maine was not an accident because Spain was upset with the U.S. for wanting to free Cuba, and there were two gunshots heard. The explosion of the USS Maine was not an accident.
The Americans believed that the explosion of the ship was an act of sabotage from Spain, so they retaliated and started a war. This movie related to this week’s module because it spoke on the Spanish American War and how it essentially started from the destruction of the USS Maine. The book has a specific section dedicated to the war and why it changed America’s role in the World. Also, the book relates to the movie because they both mention how the American people were so demanding of war, that they denied looking further into the reason behind the explosion of the USS Maine. Additionally, the lectures and chapters in this week’s module also relate to the movie because they both focus on the result of the war and how the occurrence was “A splendid little War”.
February 15, in the area of 9:30 PM the Maine was shattered. This extraordinary ship was shattered by two separate explosions and quickly sank to the foundation of the harbor (McSherry). The two explosions as well as the sinking unfortunately led to two officers along with two hundred sixty enlisted men to die (Cavendish). Navel investigators figured that a mine had blown up which potentially ignited the forward magazines. Much later after the war, studies indicated that a coal bunker fire ignited and across it was an ammunition magazines room leading to the two explosions on the Maine
Finally, considering the attack on the Maine was an intentional attack by the Spanish, it could have been an assassination attempt. Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross, was in Cuba during the revolt against Spanish rule (Remember the Maine). She was helping the medically-deprived people in the area when the Maine showed up in Havana harbor. Clara Barton boarded the ship, had dinner, and left hours before the Maine unexpectedly exploded. To think of this as a cause of the destruction of a U.S. battleship is too elaborate.
Due to the aid of the United States and their attribution to the independence of Cuba in the Spanish-American War helped build a relationship with Latin America, however, the ongoing interference of the United States caused a development of rivalry among Cuban nationalists. The United States grew interested in the Cuban struggle through what is known to be yellow journalism, which over accentuated stories to sell more copies of their newspapers and overall caused an interest to assist Cuba in their fight for independence. Although this was a narcissistic approach to sell more copies of their newspapers, it prompted the American public to become more aware of Cuban circumstances which later escalated when the battleship USS Maine was sent to
General Bernardo de Galvez led the Spanish who provided significant support to these colonies in gaining independence. His fleet sailed into Pensacola Bay and caught the offenders off guard. After a fierce battle, the Spanish eventually invaded and successfully captured the British, who retreated and gave up control of Pensacola. This victory was a critical moment in American history, and General Galvez’s strategic thinking and contributions aided this success. One of his notable achievements was the innovative weaponry he used to adapt to the unique environment of Pensacola to gain an advantage over the British.
We chose this topic because America took a stand against Spain when they blew up the USS Maine. On February 15, 1898 the USS Maine was in Havana, when it was blown up killing 260 American sailors. America blamed it on Spain, which they controlled Cuba and Puerto Rico, and declared war. We also chose this topic because we wanted to learn more about the war and also to teach other more about it. The Spanish American war is not taught a lot in school because it only lasted three months.
This week, we had a variety of readings discussing the relations between certain Latin American countries and the United States, the Panama Canal, and the explosion of the American battleship Maine. Following the explosion of the battleship Maine, there was an outcry for war, with the declaration of war against Spain being approved by congress on April 22, 1898, a little over a month after the explosion. From reading the various news articles, one thing I find quite interesting is the role yellow journalism played in shaping American public perception of the event. Specifically, two articles, the one about the Maine survivor, and the article from Hearst’s Journal. The article about the Maine survivor outlines the tragedy that occurred and
As the war came to an end, an agreement was made in 1898. The Spanish-American War, a time of war and conflict, eventually ended with the United States and Spain’s formal agreement to the terms of the Treaty of Paris. Captain Charles Dwight Sigsbee, a veteran of the Union Navy, commanded the Maine. At 9:40 p.m. on the night of February 15, 1898 the United States battleship Maine, riding quietly at anchor in Havana harbour, was blown up, apparently by a mine, in an explosion
Canadian/American relations have always been much like that of a brother and his younger sister. They are dependent on one another, and their bond is built off of friendship and trust. When battles occur, they ride in together, and when one is in need, support is given. In 1917, the Halifax Explosion devastated a section of Nova Scotia, and the size of the accident destroyed a large amount of both people and homes. The medicinal and reparation costs were more than the surrounding cities could afford.
Through examination of current and past textbooks, and comparing how they describe what caused America’s involvement in Cuba, one can be seen how America has slowly come to terms with its imperialistic past. Shortly following the Spanish American War, Americans chose to overlook the mistakes their country had made during the war. They insistently held on to their belief that America was the heroic force of the war, freeing defenseless Cubans from the oppressive rule of Spain.
Americans learned more about what happened during the Spanish American War through articles that exposed the violent tensions in Cuba. The Americans then felt the need that we should help Cuba against Spain. The Americans in power wanted to remain neutral, while the public wanted to go to war. The U.S. Maine was a battleship that was sent to Cuba to spy on them and understand the situation in person. While the ship was there, it mysteriously blew up, the blame was put on Spain for the explosion.
Maine exploded (“U.S. Diplomacy”). On February 15, 1898, six days after the de Lôme scandal, the battleship U.S.S. Maine blew up in Havana Harbor, killing 268 men (“February 15, 1898”). At the time, the reason for the explosion was unknown (Danzer). However, the American press, with no evidence, blamed the destruction of the Maine on the Spanish (“February 15, 1898”). Newspaper headlines read, “Spanish Treachery!”
Essay One: Imperialism Flies circle great black lumps as the moist air ravages the corpses. Dried blood soaked into the ground after faceless soldiers brutally destroyed its owners’ lives. These were the stories in the newspapers, the movies, and the films. Horrified by these crimes against humanity, the American public was spurred into action against the Spanish oppressors. the United States invaded Cuba in 1898 to pursue humanitarian efforts.