A rising sense of nationalism in America along with anger at repressive Spanish rule in Cuba led to the war, aided by the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor on Feb. 15, 1898, and strident newspaper demands for U.S. reprisals.

War was declared on April 19, and a two-front war was conducted in the Spanish colonies of Cuba and the Philippines. American naval forces quickly defeated the Spanish navy in both places, and ground troops followed with successes. Spain surrendered on July 12 in Cuba and on August 14 in the Philippines.

However, Filipino rebels who had opposed their Spanish masters continued their fight against the Americans long after the peace treaty with Spain. The Philippine insurrection went on for three years, and many of the nearly 2,500 American deaths in the war came during that part of the conflict. War deaths included 15 from St. Louis, Lake, Cook and Carlton counties.

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