Which source of media was used to convince the American public to go to war with Spain?
Print media, particularly newspapers, played a significant role in convincing the American public to go to war with Spain. The period leading up to the Spanish-American War in 1898 is often referred to as the "Yellow Journalism" era, characterized by sensationalized and biased reporting.
Newspapers such as William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer's New York World were engaged in fierce competition and used their influence to shape public opinion, often promoting war with Spain. They published exaggerated stories, misleading headlines, and fabricated reports to sell more newspapers and increase their readership.
The sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in February 1898 further intensified these newspapers' efforts and fueled anti-Spanish sentiments. Although the cause of the explosion was uncertain, several newspapers, especially the New York Journal, blamed Spain without concrete evidence, mixing journalism with speculation.
These sensationalized stories and exaggerated reports evoked a sense of outrage among the American public and contributed significantly to shaping a pro-war sentiment. Thus, print media, particularly the "Yellow Press," played a crucial role in convincing the American public to support military intervention against Spain.