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The sinking of the USS Maine on 15 February, 1898 precipitated the Spanish-American War.  The ship was docked in Havana, Cuba, which was at that time a Spanish colony when it mysteriously exploded during the night.  The U.S. cried foul play on the part of the Spanish, and the incident served as a convenient casus belli for the U.S.  The subsequent war effectively ended Spain’s 400 year reign as an Imperial power, particularly in the Caribbean and Pacific.

The war was a clear demonstration of the new industrial might of the United States, which easily defeated Spanish fleets around the world.  Many of the bases captured from Spain, such as the Philippines and Guam, became important U.S. possessions by the start of World War II.   

 
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