Answer:
The correct answer is B. The sinking of the U.S.S. Maine sparked the beginning of the Spanish-American War.
Explanation:
The war between Spain and the United States was fought in 1898 and ended with the victory of the United States. The United States seized the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. These include Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. The United States lost 379 soldiers in battles and over five thousand by diseases.
In mid of the Cuban War of Independence, the American warship USS Maine exploded and sank in the Havana port on February 15, 1898, and was accused of Spanish sabotage. President William McKinley asked Congress for permission to send US troops to Cuba, as Spain was seen as the main responsible for the sinking. The Congress demanded that Spain immediately withdraw from Cuba. Spain responded by cutting diplomatic relations with the United States on April 20, and both states officially declared war.
The first battle took place on May 1, 1898 in the Philippines, and the US Navy destroyed the Spanish squadron in the Gulf of Manila. At the same time, the Spanish were displaced by Filipino independence fighters. The final battle took place in Manila, in which Spain surrendered to the United States on 13 August 1898.
