During the mid to late 1890s, the United States began paying closer attention to foreign affairs, and also became more aggressive towards foreign conquests. As newspapers and other forms of press and media developed into a more prevalent occurrence in the average Americans' lives, the power began to shift from the government alone to a government more influenced by its educated public. One of the chief motivators of this educated public was named William Hearst, the leader of the Morning Journal and instigator of much pro-war propaganda to come.
             The world-wide depression caused by Spain was crumbling the investments of many Wall Street-ers, and Hearst used this opportunity to exploit the Spanish involvement, holding them responsible for the depression. By imposing tariffs that were solely providing profits for Spain, the entire Cuban sugar cane industry was diminishing, and after a rebellion led by General Gomez, Americans, reminiscing of their own rebellious revolution, felt the need to come to the aid of the Cubans.
             Hearst continued to report scandals and rallied the support of Americans by informing them of the cruelties the innocent Cubans were enduring from Spain. He began to deeply exaggerate many stories, and even fictionalize war battles, ignoring the increasingly insubordinate Cubans and their wild arson riots. The Cubans were becoming a threat as a colony under the guidance of Gen. Gomez, and so in an attempt to manage the situation, he sent over General Don Weyler. Nicknamed "the Butcher," Weyler was a harsh and violent man. He began murdering the Cuban arsonists, and thus, inadvertently rallying support from Americans. His actions were ineffective, and so in an attempt to subdue the Cubans once again, he issued a 'reconcentrado' which helped him to monitor and eventually restrict the importation and exportation of vital goods to Cuba. Soon, thousands of Cubans died due to the unhygienic st
             ...