William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer popularized Yellow journalism during the 1890s through their effective use literary language such as melodrama, romance and motif. Thus, during the Spanish-American War, the Yellow journalism became a popular style that would be utilized by journalists to reinforce media war and incite the public. During the 1890s, journalism was mainly fabricated and sensationalized in order to attract the interests of the masses 1 . As a result, the public became more invested in the political and social issues surrounding Spanish-American War. The dramatic events that were popularized on the newspapers became an influential tool that motivated the United States to go into war with Spain.
Renowned journalists in the United States depended on melodramatic headlines to increase their sales. William Randolph Heart knew that the Spanish-American War was a strategic reinforcement that would assist his company in selling its newspapers. Thus, he understood that without the war, he did not have a chance to attract consumer attention or increase revenue income. Moreover, publicizing the war was not only an economic move, but also a political strategy as he knew that he would gain national recognition. Therefore, Heart had his writers compose stories from Cuba, which would have an emotional impact on the American citizens back home. For instance, the writers and editors ensured that the stories were not only sensualized but also horrific as they painted Cuba in a negative state.
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Journalists described the state in Cuba as the most dreadful place with women being held as prisoners, endless executions, rebellions, and millions of children and women starving to death. These were some of the gruesome stories that filled the newspapers and created a negative image of the country in the minds of Americans 2 . Such revelations re-affirmed the United States need to express its interests in Cuba, as the country fought for its independence from Spain. During the mid-19 th century, Cubans invested their efforts to fight the Spanish leadership but were met with brutality and force that left hundreds of them hurt and other dead. Valeriano Weyler, the Spanish general, punished Cubans who resisted their leadership and confined them in inhumane places, which made some to describe him as the inventor of “modern civilian concentration camps 3 .” Thus, Spanish colonization and cruel treatment of the Cubans attracted the attention of the Americans and inspired the nation to act on behalf of the Cubans. Assisting the Cubans acquire their independence would not only help its civilians but will also reflect Americans’ principles and virtues about global revolution.
Hearst was among the journalists who capitalized on the Yellow journalism and set the foundation of the beginning of the Spanish-American War. Once the American’s had learnt of the brutal nature that the Cubans were forced to live in by their colonizers, Theodore Roosevelt began the war. Reporters documented how Roosevelt set up at the San Juan Hill to attack the Spanish, and this story enabled him to gain favor with the public. Roosevelt was able to win the U.S presidential seat due to the newly acquired fame and attention. The war at San Juan Hill was the start of the Spanish-American War, which would later enable the U.S gain global political powers after defeating the Spanish Empire 4 . The Spanish Empire had lost most of its colonies by the end of the war; thus, strengthening the U.S political and economic powers globally. The impact that news reporters had on covering the war introduced a new era of journalism that would not only be melodramatic, but would also be irresponsible in covering domestic and international events.
The U.S press had invested in the political instability in Cuba since this was the first foreign story that Americans were attentive to at the time. Reporters from all major media outlets covered the political and economic state of Cuba for three years until the Spanish-American War. () affirms that newspapers did not leave out any details about Cuba, and seized the opportunity to document the events dramatically. News correspondents such as Creelman, Richard Harding and Stephen Crane alongside their colleagues covered the events in Cuba 5 . These correspondents were fearless and did not care that they reported the news with bias, there mission was to cover the events in the most dramatic way possible.
The bad relationship between Spain and America were reinforced by how the newspapers reported on the political and social issues concerning the two nations. The media had established itself in the U.S as a trustworthy source of information such that the public immediately believed what they read or was reported. Journalism had taken over the country and the federal government was forced to act based on the pressure and tension created by the newspaper 6 . It was challenging for the government to contain the situation and the continued negative reports regarding Spain mounted the public’s negative perceptions about the Spanish and the U.S leaders’ hesitation to act.
Americans everywhere learnt about the state of foreign affairs from the reports and editorials by the newspapers in the country. For instance, American citizens relied on the news conveyed by major media outlets about Cuba and Spain to determine their attitudes about these nations. For instance, 10 months before the war, newspaper readers found at least three or more articles about Cuba in each of the newspapers they read. Even though rival newspapers criticized each other, this did not acquit the Spanish since the public’s opinion had already been formed on earlier reports.
The Maine in Havana Harbor gave media outlets a sensational story to report on concerning the war. Individuals such as Hearst got their best and biggest war story from the sinking of Maine in Havana. Once the Hearst newspaper heard about the sinking of the Maine they immediately blamed the Spanish troops without citing any concrete evidence. The newspaper adamantly reported that the Spanish had caused the sinking of the battleship, which further provoked the U.S citizens who demanded that the government should intervene and protect its citizens 7 . American citizens were misled into thinking that the Spanish had launched an attack on the nation and threatened its safety and stability. Although no one knew what had happened to the Maine some newspapers reported that they had sent their private diving teams to investigate the cause. The newspapers reported the deaths that this event had caused, further infuriating the U.S public who demanded for immediate action.
Hearst was ready to exploit the situation and urged his editors to inform the public of the kind of action that was needed. He instructed his editor to “spread the story all over the page. This means war.” other leading newspapers also followed with such exaggerated headlines including Joseph Pulitzer World that reported “Spanish treachery 8 .” Their intent was to influence the U.S into believing that the Spanish were after them. Media outlets such as the New York Journal and the World released fake cable that documented the Navy Secretary of the Maine asserting that the explosion was not an accident. Such assentation brewed tension in the country and forced the government to act in order to avoid political unrest. Consequently, the newspapers had declared that the U.S would be in war with Spain even before the conflicts had begun.
The extensive coverage of the Maine ensured that the public still recalled the explosion, which encouraged the nation to declare war on Spain months later. This stance demonstrated the peak of yellow journalism as it had both power and influence over the country. The explosion of the ship had destroyed any prospective relationships that would have been established between Spain and the U.S. Newspapers described how the naval vessel had been sent to the harbor as an indication of the U.S powers, and a strategy to reduce the tensions between Spain and the United States, but now ship had been attacked leaving hundreds of Americans dead 9 . Such descriptions made the U.S citizens more convinced that the government had to act before the Spanish attacked again. Despite lack of evidence proving that there was an attack on the ship, Hearst and Pulitzer wrote stories and sold hundreds of newspapers for years fueling ant-Spanish public sentiments in America. The newspapers consisted of unsubstantiated rumors about the Spanish’s plot to attack and sink the Maine. Even when the U.S Naval investigation proved that the explosion was as a result of a mine in the harbor, the advocates of yellow newspaper had already began campaigning for the war.
Hearst and other media houses were desperate to create news for their audience and profit from it irrespective of whether it was true or false. For instance, Hearst had attempted to plan a scheme that would paint the Spanish in a negative light by bribing or at times planting evidence that would show Spain was beginning a war. With such malicious tactics, the yellow journalism was able to thrive in the U.S and influenced public opinion as well as the federal government’s actions. Moreover, the newspapers often used their correspondents to develop news that would fit the public’s opinions. Hearst did not act alone in his malicious schemes, and individuals such as Pulitzer used their correspondents to form an allegiance with some of the Spanish troops. This was a tactic to create doubt among the Spanish, who would consider one of the generals, Máximo Gómez a traitors as he had formed a strong friendship with Sylvester Scovel a reporter with the World. As a result, Gomez eventually became a rebel agent and would exchange information with Scovel which would be used by the American authorities.
Conclusion
Yellow journalism influenced the Spanish-American War by inciting the public. Most of Media outlets exploited the political conditions in Cuba to make profits and gain popularity in the U.S which lead to the war. Thus, yellow journalism is an important part of the development of the U.S foreign affairs due to its role in war. The relationship between yellow journalism and the Spanish-American war, shows that the media has the power to attract the public’s attention and influence their reaction on domestic and global issues. The melodramatic writing style of yellow journalism led to the negative perceptions that American citizens had towards the Spanish which encouraged them to support the Spanish-American War.
Bibliography
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1 Hamilton, John Maxwell. “In a Battle for Readers, Two Media Barons Sparked a War in the 1890s.” How Yellow Journalism Sparked the Spanish-American War. National Geographic, April 26, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/magazine/2019/03-04/yellow-journalism-role-spanish-american-war/#close
2 Brown, Charles H. The Correspondents War: Journalists in the Spanish-American War . New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1967.
3 Hamilton, John Maxwell. “In a Battle for Readers, Two Media Barons Sparked a War in the 1890s.” How Yellow Journalism Sparked the Spanish-American War. National Geographic, April 26, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/magazine/2019/03-04/yellow-journalism-role-spanish-american-war/#close
4 Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History Seagull . 5th ed. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2017.
5 Wilkerson, Marcus M. Public Opinion and the Spanish-American War: a Study in War Propaganda . New York: Russell et Russell, 1967.
6 Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History Seagull . 5th ed. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2017.
7 New York journal and advertiser . [New York N.Y] (New York, NY), Feb. 17 1899. https://www.loc.gov/item/sn83030180/1899-02-17/ed-1/
8 Hamilton, John Maxwell. “In a Battle for Readers, Two Media Barons Sparked a War in the 1890s.” How Yellow Journalism Sparked the Spanish-American War. National Geographic, April 26, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/magazine/2019/03-04/yellow-journalism-role-spanish-american-war/#close
9 “William Randolph Hearst.” Spanish-American War. Encyclopedia.com, November 12, 2019. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/educational-magazines/william-randolph-hearst.
