The Spanish-American War (article) | Khan Academy

The destruction of the Maine wasn’t the only catalyst of the Spanish-American war, but rather a sort of “last straw” in Americans negative feelings towards Spain and desire to “protect” Cuba. Some of the other causes include:
– Cuban reconcentration camps formed by the Spanish to try and control the Cuban rebels, yellow-journalism by people like Pulitzer and Hearst invoked sympathy in a lot of Americans for the Cubans and a dislike of Spain
-De Lome, the current Spanish ambassador in the United States at the time had acciedntally leaked a letter meant for the Spanish, revealing his criticism of McKinley (the current president) as indecisive and weak. Americans were horrified at the attack on their president (even though it was kind of true) and hated Spain even more
-Some people (like Theodore Roosevelt) also just really wanted to go to war. TR’s orders as assistant secretary of the navy to US troops in the South Pacific to move towards the Phillipines because he wanted war with Spain and the Philippines was Spanish territory, led to the first shots of the war being fired when the navy attacked Manila shortly after.
Because of these multiple reasons, rather than jsut the one, their decision to go to war at least makes more sense, and I believe it was justified. Or at least, their original intention of aiding Cuba was. Once they began claiming territory for themselves, it becomes a more complex question.

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