April 20,1898: President William McKinley signs the declaration of war against Spain; beginning the Spanish-American War



When William McKinley assumed the Presidency in 1897, the general consensus was that his administration would be one of peace and prosperity. Some in his administration clamored for a war of expansion to compete against the European nation that were conducting various wars in order to get colonial holdings. However, McKinley was a veteran of the Civil War and he had seen first hand the human cost of war. He had no stomach for another pointless war, but events during his first term would push him closer and closer to the brink.

The Spanish had maintained a stranglehold on the island of Cuba for centuries. The island nation experienced several occurrences of popular uprisings throughout its history. By the end of the 19th century, the Spanish regime began using more ruthless tactics to put down these rebellions. Concentration camps were a common tactic they used to quell political dissidents. This is when most Americans became aware of the situation. A public outcry ran throughout the country. In waning months of 1897, another uprising occurred on the island. In order to quell public pressure, McKinley dispatched the USS Maine to Havana Harbor to monitor the evolving situation. On February 15, the Maine exploded while anchored there. The President ordered a court of inquiry to investigate the explosion. They found that the explosion was caused by a Spanish underwater mine. The American public cried bloody murder. However, the President was still weary of war. On April 11, he sent the matter for Congressional approval. On April 20, they sent their approval back and the President signed the declaration of war, plunging the United States into the Spanish-American War.

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