Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine [Deep Dive] - February 15th, 2026

[00:00] Thatcher Collins: Welcome to Deep Dive. Today we are looking back at a series of events and lives that have shaped everything from international borders to the way we see the stars. [00:10] Victor Hale: It is a heavy start to the show, Thatcher. [00:14] Victor Hale: Our lead story takes us to the year 1898, [00:18] Victor Hale: to an event that shifted the course of American foreign policy [00:21] Victor Hale: and remains a subject of intense historical scrutiny, [00:26] Victor Hale: the sinking of the USS Maine. [00:29] Thatcher Collins: The Maine had been sent to Havana, Cuba, [00:31] Thatcher Collins: ostensibly on a friendly visit to protect American interests [00:35] Thatcher Collins: after riots broke out in January. [00:38] Thatcher Collins: But on the night of February 15th, everything changed. [00:42] Thatcher Collins: A massive explosion ripped through the ship, killing 266 of the 354 crew members on board. [00:52] Thatcher Collins: It was a catastrophe that sent shockwaves through the Navy. [00:56] Thatcher Collins: Exactly. [00:57] Victor Hale: The legal and diplomatic fallout was immediate. [01:00] Victor Hale: A U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry reported on March 28th that the ship, which was one of [01:05] Victor Hale: the first American battleships and cost over $2 million to build, had been [01:10] Victor Hale: had been destroyed by a submarine mine. [01:13] Victor Hale: However, the court did not explicitly blame any specific person or nation. [01:17] Victor Hale: Despite that lack of a definitive culprit, American public opinion swung heavily against the Spanish military, occupying Cuba. [01:26] Thatcher Collins: Victor, we have to talk about the role of the media there. [01:29] Thatcher Collins: This was the era of yellow journalism. [01:31] Thatcher Collins: William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer used their newspapers to fan the flames of outrage with the famous rallying cry, [01:39] Thatcher Collins: Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain. [01:41] Thatcher Collins: that sentiment eventually led to a naval blockade and a declaration of war by the end of April. [01:48] Victor Hale: That's remarkable because it highlights how media can drive foreign policy. [01:53] Victor Hale: What is also fascinating from a technological perspective [01:56] Victor Hale: is that the Spanish-American War was the first U.S. war documented by the motion picture camera. [02:02] Victor Hale: The Edison Manufacturing Company actually sent William Paley to film the wreckage in Havana [02:08] Victor Hale: and the burial of the victims in Key West. [02:10] Thatcher Collins: Those films were marketed as a way to satisfy the public's craving for true and accurate details of the war preparations. [02:18] Thatcher Collins: It really changed how citizens consumed news of conflict. [02:22] Thatcher Collins: While the diplomatic efforts failed to resolve the main tragedy, the resulting war reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the early 20th century, [02:30] Thatcher Collins: leading to the U.S. acquisition of territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. [02:35] Victor Hale: Right. [02:36] Victor Hale: While we are on the subject of major historical shift stature, we also share this date with three individuals who revolutionized their respective fields. [02:44] Victor Hale: We have to start with Galileo Galilei, born in 1564. [02:49] Thatcher Collins: Galileo is truly the father of modern science. [02:52] Thatcher Collins: His work with the telescope didn't just observe the heavens. [02:56] Thatcher Collins: It provided the foundation for physics and engineering as we know them today. [03:00] Thatcher Collins: He discovered the four largest moons of Jupiter and observed the phases of Venus, proving that the Earth was not the center of the universe. [03:09] Thatcher Collins: He challenged the established worldview through empirical evidence, which brought him into direct conflict with the powerful institutions of his time. [03:17] Victor Hale: No way could we ignore the bravery it took to stand by his observations under the threat of the Inquisition. [03:23] Victor Hale: Now, moving from the stars to social reform, the year 1820 gave us Susan B. Anthony. [03:30] Victor Hale: She was the driving force behind the women's suffrage movement in the United States. [03:34] Victor Hale: She spent her life campaigning for voting rights and social equality, even getting arrested [03:39] Victor Hale: for voting in the 1872 presidential election. [03:42] Thatcher Collins: She was relentless, Victor. [03:44] Thatcher Collins: She traveled the country giving nearly 100 speeches a year. [03:48] Thatcher Collins: Though she didn't live to see the 19th Amendment ratified, [03:51] Thatcher Collins: her leadership and organizational genius [03:53] Thatcher Collins: were the primary catalysts for that victory. [03:55] Thatcher Collins: It is a day of real pioneers. [03:57] Victor Hale: Yeah, and that pioneering spirit takes many forms. [04:01] Victor Hale: In 1954, we see the birth of Matt Groening. [04:04] Victor Hale: While his work in animation might seem far removed from the scientific or political revolutions of Galileo or Anthony, [04:12] Victor Hale: Groening's creation of The Simpsons and Futurama has had an undeniable impact on global culture and satire. [04:19] Thatcher Collins: He really did redefine television storytelling. [04:22] Thatcher Collins: The Simpsons alone become a mirror for society, [04:25] Thatcher Collins: using humor to critique everything from politics to religion and family dynamics. [04:31] Thatcher Collins: From the 16th century to the modern day, [04:33] Thatcher Collins: February 15th seems to be a day for people who aren't afraid to look at the world differently [04:38] Thatcher Collins: and speak truth to power. [04:39] Thatcher Collins: That's a perfect summary, Thatcher. [04:42] Thatcher Collins: It is also a day of global advocacy. [04:45] Thatcher Collins: Today marks International Childhood Cancer Day. [04:49] Thatcher Collins: This isn't just an annual observance, it is currently part of a three-year strategic campaign [04:55] Thatcher Collins: managed by Childhood Cancer International and the International Society of Pediatric Oncology. [05:02] Thatcher Collins: The structure of this campaign is quite rigorous. [05:05] Thatcher Collins: 2024 was about unveiling the challenges and inequalities, [05:08] Thatcher Collins: while 2025 focused on regional innovations. [05:12] Thatcher Collins: Now, in 2026, the focus is on demonstrating impact. [05:17] Thatcher Collins: They are showing the tangible outcomes and success stories [05:20] Thatcher Collins: from the collective efforts to reduce inequities in care across the globe. [05:24] Thatcher Collins: Exactly. [05:25] Thatcher Collins: The ultimate goal is equal access to the best treatment for every child, [05:30] Thatcher Collins: regardless of where they live. [05:32] Thatcher Collins: It is a reminder that while history often focuses on conflicts and individual achievements, [05:38] Thatcher Collins: the collaborative work of health professionals and communities is equally vital in tackling global challenges. [05:45] Thatcher Collins: From the wreckage of the main to the frontiers of space and the fight for health equity, [05:51] Thatcher Collins: February 15th covers quite a spectrum. [05:53] Thatcher Collins: For more resources on these stories and a deeper look at our archives, [05:58] Thatcher Collins: you can visit deepdive.neuralnewscast.com. [06:01] Thatcher Collins: That is all for today's episode. [06:03] Victor Hale: Deep dive is AI-assisted, human-reviewed. [06:08] Victor Hale: Explore history every day on Neural Newscast.