Little is remembered of Spanish-American War today

By Tom Emery

Military action in the Spanish-American War lasted less than four months, and the war receives only passing mention in history books today.

Feb. 15 marks the anniversary of the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor, the flashpoint in tensions between the United States and Spain that led to the conflict. The issues had roots in the ongoing fight for Cuban independence.

Americans were sympathetic to the plight of the Cubans as pro-war hawks and the press portrayed the Spanish as a brutal authority.

At the time, many blamed the destruction of the 324-foot battleship Maine on...