On this date in 1898, the battleship MAINE exploded in Havana harbor. Of course it was blamed on Spain, so we needed a reason to go to war and take away the Spanish possessions around the world, which we did.
Wm. Randolph Hurst cranked up his yellow journalism, and presto! we had bases all over the world as any self respecting imperial power has a right to.
Years later it was learned that Spain was not to blame, that it was an internal explosion. not a mine.
I wonder why we didn't give back Cuba, the Philippines, Guam, etc.