New York Journal U.S.S. Maine Explosion, 1898: Yellow Journalism and U.S. Imperialism

This article written for the New York Journal recounts the destruction of U.S.S. Maine in Havana harbor and advocates for aggressive foreign policy change with Spain. The article begins by criticizing the U.S. government for not doing enough to combat the growing strength of the Spanish Navy in recent years. As the article continues, the author states that whether or not the destruction of the Maine was Spain’s fault, ‘restoring peace’ in Cuba is most important. Therefore, the author advocates for liberating Cuba of Spanish rule. The writing of this source comes shortly after the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine which killed 260 American crewmen in Havana harbor, which would eventually lead to the outbreak of the Spanish-American war. At the time, American imperialism had slowly been grasping independent Latin American nations, and Spain, while considered an unjust ruler, was in the way of further economic development. The Spanish-American war would allow for American Imperialism to spread to Cuba and Puerto Rico as well as other Spanish colonies. The Cuban independence movements up until this point had been suppressed by Spain, but U.S. intervention would allow for liberation from Spain, followed by inevitable imperialism. These struggles for smaller independent nations such as Cuba plagued the Neocolonialism era and would be combated during the populist movements.

Much of the author’s tone in the article is worried and fearful, attempting to instill a sense of urgency in the reader. The goal of this interventionist action in Cuba from the authors perspective is to stop the violence and allow for Cuban independence. It is possible this is a genuine call to action, but it is also possible, with much of the biased and misinformative “Yellow Journalism” of the time, that this article comes from a place of U.S. supremacy, in the sense that the author believes the United States would do a better job of controlling Cuba than Spain has done. As someone in the United States, the author of this document has an interest in U.S. control or ‘liberation’ of Cuba from Spanish rule. This sentiment was echoed by many other journalists at the time and was profitable when directed at a middle-class reading base. Criticisms of Wall Street elites in this document, solidify the audience as lower middle-class or middle class readers.

Works Cited

“Primary Sources: Major Events: USS Maine Explosion.” LibGuides. Christopher Newport University. Accessed March 9, 2021. https://cnu.libguides.com/primarymajorevents/ussmaine.

“Spain’s Victory of Peace”, New York Journal. February 17th, 1898.