Yellow journalism headlines like "Spanish Atrocities in Cuba" and "The Sinking of the USS Maine: Spanish Sabotage" exaggerated events to demonize Spain and cultivate support for U.S. involvement. They played a major role in pressuring the U.S. government, leading to the Spanish-American War in 1898.
Yes, that is correct. Yellow journalism, a style of reporting that emphasized sensationalism and exaggeration, played a significant role in shaping public opinion and pushing the United States towards the Spanish-American War. Newspapers like the New York Journal and the New York World, run by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer respectively, published stories with dramatic headlines, often containing falsehoods or skewed information.
The headline "Spanish Atrocities in Cuba" was meant to depict Spain as brutally suppressing the Cuban people during their struggle for independence, while "The Sinking of the USS Maine: Spanish Sabotage" suggested that Spain was responsible for the explosion that sank the USS Maine in Havana harbor.
In both cases, the intent was to create a strong emotional response from readers and generate support for U.S. intervention in Cuba. These exaggerated headlines helped to whip up public sentiment against Spain and portrayed the conflict as a fight for justice and liberation.
The combination of sensationalist journalism, public outrage, and political pressure ultimately led the U.S. government to declare war on Spain in 1898, resulting in the Spanish-American War. This war marked the emergence of the United States as a global power and led to significant territorial acquisitions, including the annexation of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.