Operation Just Cause... ...for as long as it takes
When the US battleship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor,
Roosevelt was eager to place the blame on Spain. Left in charge of
the Navy for a day while his boss was away, the hawkish Assistant
Secretary telegrammed squadron commanders in the Pacific and put them on high
alert against Spain's Pacific fleet--a brazen usurpation of power.
Two months later, the US declared war on Spain, and Roosevelt resigned his Navy
position to organize the First Volunteer Cavalry, known
popularly as the Rough Riders, a motley mix of men from all
walks of life. The gentleman soldier led his troops to a bloody
victory on Cuba's San Juan Hill and returned home a bonafide
hero, brimming with imperialistic fervor. He forever
remembered his "crowded hour" in battle as the defining
episode of his life and one that helped launch his national
political career.
This information and more on Theodore Roosevelt can be found at the PBS website:
