United States
On February 15, 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine exploded while anchored in Havana Harbor, Cuba, killing more than 260 crew members. The cause of the explosion remains debated, but it ignited public outrage and helped trigger the Spanish–American War. The rallying cry “Remember the Maine!” galvanized public support for intervention. The event reflected growing U.S. interest in global influence and marked a turning point toward American imperial expansion.
