Monument to the Victims of the USS Maine (Havana) Monument to the Victims of the USS Maine (Havana) The Monument to the Victims of the USS "Maine" (Spanish: "Monumento a las víctimas del Maine") was built in 1925 in on the Malecón boulevard at the end of Línea street, in the Vedado neighborhood of Havana, Cuba, built in honor of the American sailors that died in the explosion of in 1898, which served as the pretext for the United States to declare war on Spain thus starting the Spanish–American War. The ship had anchored at Havana three weeks prior at the request of American consul Fitzhugh Lee. The monument
Japanese cruiser Matsushima bombardment of the Chinese coastal forts at Keelung. "Matsushima" was among warships anchored in the Seto Inland Sea off Nagahama, Shikoku, Japan, when a strong gale struck on 29 October 1897. The central battery ironclad "Fusō"′s anchor chain broke, and "Fusō" drifted across the harbor, collided with "Matsushima"′s ram, then struck her sister ship "Itsukushima" before sinking in shallow water on a reef. "Fusō" later was refloated, repaired, and returned to service. "Matsushima" was reclassified as a second-class cruiser on 21 March 1898. Prince Arisugawa Takehito was later appointed captain, followed by future admiral Uryū Sotokichi. From 3 May 1898