'We . . . Must Expect a Disaster'
By Ensign Carlos R. Rosende, U.S. Navy
At the 1898 Battle of Santiago, the U.S. Navy earned an overwhelming victory, one that the opposing Spanish commander had long foreseen.
On 15 February 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor. The exact cause would remain unknown for decades and even now is subject to some debate. But an American public driven largely by yellow journalism and a government eager to flex its new maritime muscle were quick to blame Spain. On 25 April, President William McKinley asked Congress for a formal declaration of war.
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