The "Splendid Little War"
The United States declared war on Spain in April 1898, setting the stage for the first overseas conflict fought by the United States. The country was expressing its support of the Cuban and Filipino struggle against Spanish rule and responding to the mysterious explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in February 1898, which killed more than 250 American sailors. While the Spanish–American War was fought entirely overseas, national parks tell stories of training camps and military regiments.