Existing comment:
The Spanish-American War:
Following the sinking of the battleship Maine in Havana Harbor, President McKinley was pressured to declare war on Spain, which controlled Cuba. National Guard units had to volunteer due to the decision that the president did not have the legal right to "federalize" the Guard. 165,000 Guardsmen served in the War, which was won by the U.S., paving the way for its growth into a world power. |