Propaganda That Started a War

Did newspapers help push America into the Spanish-American War?

The explosion of the USS Maine has become one of the most famous events in American history, but the real story didn’t end in Havana Harbor. It was only beginning.

In Part 2 of this documentary series, we examine the rise of Yellow Journalism, the fierce circulation battle between William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, and how sensational headlines shaped public opinion before investigators had even determined what destroyed the Maine.

We also investigate one of history’s most famous media quotes—“You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.” Did Hearst actually write those words? The evidence is far more complicated than most history books suggest.

More than a century later, the USS Maine remains one of history’s greatest case studies in journalism, public opinion, propaganda, and the power of narrative. This documentary separates documented fact from popular myth to examine what really happened—and why it still matters today.