<P> Several forces within the United States were pushing for a war with Spain . Their tactics were wide - ranging and their goal was to engage the opinion of the American people in any way possible . Men such as William Randolph Hearst , the owner of The New York Journal was involved in a circulation war with Joseph Pulitzer of the New York World and saw the conflict as a way to sell papers . Many newspapers ran articles of a sensationalist nature and sent correspondents to Cuba to cover the war . Correspondents had to evade Spanish authorities ; usually they were unable to get reliable news and relied heavily on informants for their stories . Many stories were derived from second or third hand accounts and were either elaborated , misrepresented or completely fabricated by journalists to enhance their dramatic effect . Theodore Roosevelt , who was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy at this time , wanted to use the conflict both to help heal the wounds still fresh from the American Civil War , and to increase the strength of the US Navy , while simultaneously establishing America as a presence on the world stage . Roosevelt put pressure on the United States Congress to come to the aid of the Cuban people . He emphasized Cuban weakness and femininity to justify America 's military intervention . </P>
his new york world used yellow journalism to stir up support for war in cuba
Joseph Pulitzer