How McKinley Tried to Stop War—but Ended Up Leading America Into Empire

During William McKinley’s presidency (1897–1901), the United States underwent a dramatic shift toward imperialism, marking a departure from its earlier tradition of avoiding overseas colonies. The pivotal moment came with the Spanish-American War of 1898. Although McKinley initially sought diplomatic solutions to the crisis in Cuba, mounting public pressure—fueled by reports of Spanish atrocities and the sinking of the USS Maine—led him to request congressional authorization for military action.