The Spanish-American war had its genesis in the Cuban struggle for independence. Americans public were thereafter galvanized by reports of Spanish repression. When the USS Maine was mysteriously destroyed in the Havana harbour on 15 February, Americans grew even more insistent that intervention was required. After a brief period of saber0rattling and bellicose negotiations, the U.S. Congress declared Cuba's right to independence and the immediate withdrawal of Spanish military forces from the island. On 24 April, Spain declared war on the United States. A U.S. declaration of war followed on 25 April. What followed was a completely one-sided affair, as the U.S. soundly trounced the undermanned and underprepared Spanish armed forces. On 1 May, U.S. Commodore George Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet while in port in the Philippines. The Americans soon caught up with the...
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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Spanish-American War". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 20 January 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1028, accessed 09 June 2026.]
