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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

<p>NH 71839-KN Battle of Manila Bay, 1 May 1898</p>

Spanish American War

The Spanish-American War (April-July 1898) was a brief, intense conflict that effectively ended Spain's worldwide empire and gained the United States several new possessions in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Preceded by a naval tragedy, the destruction of USS Maine at Havana, Cuba, the Spanish-American War featured two major naval battles, one in the Philippines and the other off Cuba, plus several smaller naval clashes.

The Navy also provided essential support for U.S. Army and Marine Corps forces ashore. The war made public heroes of a number of U.S. Navy officers, and marked the beginning of an extremely dynamic period in the Navy's history.