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“Remember the Maine” was a slogan used to build enthusiasm for a war with Spain after the battleship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, but the phrase was effective in stirring up popular sentiment and likely contributed to America’s decision to pursue war. American newspapers, owned by newspaper moguls who favored imperialism, heavily employed the slogan. The US quickly prevailed in the war, acquiring colonial possessions and securing a friendly and independent Cuba.
The phrase “remember Maine” refers to the explosion of the battleship Maine in the port of Havana in Spanish-controlled Cuba. This phrase has been used to build enthusiasm in America for a war with Spain. It was heavily employed by the printing operations of early newspaper barons such as William Randolph Hearst, known generally for “whodunit” or partisan journalism. “Remember the Maine” was very effective in stirring up popular sentiment, and the slogan likely contributed to America’s decision to pursue war with Spain.
The battleship Maine was sent to Havana in 1898 to make a diplomatic point. Cuba had been in revolt against Spain since 1895 and the United States wanted to make its political and military presence felt in the region. In part, this was a natural extension of the well-established American policy codified by the Monroe Doctrine. Under this doctrine, the United States claimed the right to prevent European involvement in the affairs of nations in the Americas. This was also the golden age of European imperialism, and many Americans wanted to secure an empire for the United States, perhaps one that would include Cuba.
While resting at anchor in Havana Harbor, Maine exploded in the middle of the night on February 15, 1898. The ship soon sank and over half her crew died in the explosion. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, although an accident is now considered the most likely explanation by historians. Other scholars believe that Spain was responsible or even that the ship was deliberately sabotaged to provoke a war, but there is no firm consensus.
At the time, however, the Americans assumed that the explosion had been caused by an attack by Spanish forces. The phrase “Remember the Maine”, often followed by “to hell with Spain”, was widely repeated in the American press. Many ordinary Americans, who had been ambivalent about the idea of war with Spain to conquer imperial territory or to liberate Cuba, were persuaded by this war propaganda that conflict was necessary.
American newspapers of the time were far from neutral in the run-up to the war. Most of the nation’s major newspapers were owned by newspaper moguls, and these men favored a policy of imperialism. They quickly realized that the destruction of Maine could be a very powerful rallying cry, and much of the force behind the movement to remember Maine stemmed from their efforts. This is seen by some scholars as an early example of the modern approach to war propaganda that became ubiquitous during the world wars.
The United States decided to pursue war with Spain. The enthusiasm created by the cry of “Remember the Maine” aided in recruiting efforts and ensured widespread initial support for the war. Spain was quite weak at the time and the US quickly prevailed. America acquired a variety of colonial possessions, especially the Philippines, and secured a friendly and independent Cuba.
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