The first battle of the Spanish-American war was fought in Manila Bay. the first war was fought in 1898 between the Spanish and the Americans because the United States intervened in the Cuban war of Independence. it is true that the main reason for the war was the American support towards Cuban independence, but the war was fought between the Americans and the Spanish in both Pacific and the Caribbean. The United States Naval power was too hot to handle for the Spanish during this war and it turned out to be the decisive factior in case of this war.