Myths of American History – Eight – “remember The Maine!”

Manipulating public opinion by the use of media, lies and creating passions is nothing new.
William Mckinley is credited with being the first to fully exploit the ’selling’ of a President by
advertisement, and the ’selling’  of ideas by propaganda.

Looking back, one ponders how America so easily confiscated Hawaii, the Philipines, Puerto Rico,
Guam, and gained control of Cuba.

McKinley had a vision of American capitalists reigning supreme in world markets. Annexing Hawaii
was a first step. He wanted to Americanize it and establish a naval base bringing American closer
to Asian markets. The Philippines were the next step to enter the Asian market.

As Spain controlled the Philippines, it was time to provoke enmity. This began with reports of
atrocities being committed by Spain in Cuba.

William Randolph Hearst, the famous newspaper publisher, ran articles about the situation in Cuba
to stir the public into a frenzy. This was called ‘yellow journalism’ and still exists where the opinions
of the media mogul spin the facts fed to the public to gain a particular response.

At the height of the anti-Spain sentiments, a new warship, the U.S.S.Maine, was dispatched to
Havana harbour, allegedly to protect U.S. interests.

On February 15, 1898 it mysteriously exploded and sank, causing the deaths of 260 Americans.

This was packaged as an ‘attack’ on an American ship, when in truth the explosion was internal.

Public Opinion was for war with Spain, ‘Remember the Maine!’ was the cry.  McKinley turned the decision to declare war to Congress, so that no one could say it was ‘his’ war. Congress voted for war, and so it began.

The American army was unprepared, poorly equipped, but many local groups, such as Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders raced into the fray.

The naval war in Cuba and the Philippines was successful, and is known as the easiest and most profitable war in U.S. history.

After only 113 days Spain agreed to the peace terms at the Treaty of Paris in July.

Through this war, the U.S. gained ownership of Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico, and temporary control over Cuba. It was during this period Hawaii was annexed.

The Philippines did not come free. Over one million Filipino civilians were killed during the Philippine-American war, one of those minor wars America doesn’t talk about.

The belief that America went to war with Spain because of some injustice or attack is as true as weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.  The deaths of one million people are forgotten as collateral damage.