Answer:
Yellow journalism played a significant role in creating the conditions that led to the Spanish-American War in 1898. At the time, newspapers in the United States were engaged in a fierce competition for readership, and sensationalistic stories that emphasized violence, sex, and scandal were seen as a way to boost sales.
One of the most prominent examples of this style of journalism was the coverage of the conflict in Cuba between Spanish colonial forces and Cuban rebels seeking independence. American newspapers, led by William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer's New York World, printed exaggerated and often fabricated stories of Spanish atrocities against the Cuban population. These stories played on Americans' sympathies for the Cuban rebels and created a sense of outrage and a desire for intervention.
The most famous example of this kind of reporting was the "De Lome letter," in which Spanish ambassador to the United States, Enrique Dupuy de Lome, criticized President William McKinley in a private letter that was stolen and published by Hearst's newspaper. The letter was seen as an insult to American honor and helped to further inflame public sentiment against Spain.
The sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor in February 1898, which killed 266 American sailors, was also heavily covered by the yellow press. Although the cause of the explosion that sank the ship was never definitively determined, many newspapers blamed it on Spain, creating a frenzy of jingoistic sentiment and calls for war.
Overall, yellow journalism helped to create an atmosphere of sensationalism, exaggeration, and emotion that helped to shape public opinion and push the United States toward war with Spain. While there were certainly other factors that contributed to the outbreak of the conflict, the role of the press in shaping public opinion cannot be overstated.
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