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What conclusion did the 1976 U.S. naval investigation reach about the USS Maine explosion?
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Spanish-American War
Theodore Roosevelt leading the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War, 1898; print created by Kurz & Allison.
The 1976 U.S. naval investigation concluded that the explosion of the USS Maine was most likely caused by an internal fire that ignited the ship's ammunition. This finding contradicted the initial 1898 U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry, which had attributed the destruction to an external underwater mine, fueling tensions that led to the Spanish-American War. The 1976 study effectively ruled out the theory of deliberate sabotage or a Spanish mine.12