Only weeks separated Maine's loss from the American ultimatum, fleet movements, volunteer call-up, blockade, and declaration of war. Congress appropriated fifty million dollars for military preparation twenty-two days after the explosion, while Oregon began its voyage from San Francisco and the inquiry reported a mine. One explanation is that people already preparing for war exploited an accident, without having deliberately arranged the explosion as a pretext. Only sixty-nine days separated Maine's loss on 15 February from the declaration of war on 25 April.
Chapter · 36:10-43:05
From Maine's loss to war in ten weeks
Congress funded mobilization, Dewey prepared in Asia, and Oregon steamed toward Cuba as the crisis reached a declaration of war within ten weeks.