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Who was blamed for the destruction of the USS Maine at the time?

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Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders — Spanish-American War Theodore Roosevelt leading the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War, 1898; print created by Kurz & Allison.

Following the explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, a U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry concluded that the ship had been destroyed by an underwater mine. Consequently, suspicion for the disaster fell upon Spain.123

This narrative was heavily amplified by yellow journalism, particularly through the newspapers of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. These publications seized upon the incident to influence public opinion, famously promoting the slogan, “Remember the ‘Maine,’ to hell with Spain!” to build support for U.S. intervention in the Cuban struggle for independence.41

It is important to note that a subsequent 1976 U.S. naval investigation determined that the explosion was likely caused by an internal fire that ignited the ship's ammunition, rather than by a Spanish mine or deliberate sabotage.1