On this day, February 15, in 1898

The US battleship Maine exploded and sank killing 260 Americans. At the time of the explosion, The Maine was in the Caribbean protecting US interests in Cuba. By claiming that the Spanish intentionally blew up their ship, The US was able to initiate the Spanish-American war, in which they acquired Puerto Rico, Guam & the Philippines. Additionally, America’s new presence in the Pacific enabled their conquest of Hawaii that same year. It was later determined that the USS Maine sank due to an accidental fire. What a financially convenient accident.