<P> The Spanish--American War (Spanish: Guerra hispano - americana or Guerra hispano - estadounidense; Filipino: Digmaang Espanyol - Amerikano) was a conflict fought between Spain and the United States in 1898 . Hostilities began in the aftermath of the internal explosion of the USS Maine in Havana harbor in Cuba leading to United States intervention in the Cuban War of Independence . American acquisition of Spain's Pacific possessions led to its involvement in the Philippine Revolution and ultimately in the Philippine--American War . </P> <P> Revolts had been occurring for some years in Cuba against Spanish rule . The U.S. later backed these revolts upon entering the Spanish--American War . There had been war scares before, as in the Virginius Affair in 1873, but in the late 1890s, U.S. public opinion was agitated by anti-Spanish propaganda led by newspaper publishers such as Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst which used yellow journalism to call for war . The business community across the United States had just recovered from a deep depression and feared that a war would reverse the gains . It lobbied vigorously against going to war . </P> <P> The United States Navy armored cruiser Maine had mysteriously sunk in Havana harbor; political pressures from the Democratic Party pushed the administration of Republican President William McKinley into a war that he had wished to avoid . Spain promised time and time again that it would reform, but never delivered . The United States sent an ultimatum to Spain demanding that it surrender control of Cuba . First Madrid declared war, and Washington then followed suit . </P> <P> The main issue was Cuban independence; the ten - week war was fought in both the Caribbean and the Pacific . U.S. naval power proved decisive, allowing expeditionary forces to disembark in Cuba against a Spanish garrison already facing nationwide Cuban insurgent attacks and further wasted by yellow fever . Numerically superior Cuban, Philippine, and U.S. forces obtained the surrender of Santiago de Cuba and Manila despite the good performance of some Spanish infantry units and fierce fighting for positions such as San Juan Hill . Madrid sued for peace with two obsolete Spanish squadrons sunk in Santiago de Cuba and Manila Bay and a third, more modern fleet recalled home to protect the Spanish coasts . </P>

Who was involved in the spanish american war
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