1898: The Maine explodes

[Feb 15]( THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1898 [The Maine explodes]( A massive explosion of unknown origin sinks the battleship USS Maine in Cuba's Havana harbor, killing 260 of the fewer than 400 American crew members aboard. One of the first American battleships, the Maine weighed more than 6,000 tons and was built at a cost of more than $2 million. Ostensibly on a... [read more »]( American Revolution 1776 [Nova Scotia governor sends word of potential American invasion »]( Automotive 1998 [Victory at last for Earnhardt at Daytona »]( Civil War 1835 [Alexander Stewart Webb born »]( Cold War 1950 [USSR and PRC sign mutual defense treaty »]( Crime 1933 [The death penalty—then and now »]( Disaster 1996 [Oil tanker runs aground near Wales »]( General Interest 1942 [Japan celebrates major victory in the Pacific »]( 1965 [Canada adopts maple leaf flag »]( Hollywood 1950 [Disney's Cinderella opens »]( Literary 1980 [Lillian Hellman sues Mary McCarthy »]( Music 1984 [Broadway legend Ethel Merman dies »]( Old West 1812 [Wilson Hunt arrives at Astoria, Oregon »]( Presidential 1903 [First Teddy bear goes on sale »]( 1933 [FDR escapes assassination in Miami »]( Sports 1961 [U.S. figure skating team killed in plane crash »]( 1998 [Dale Earnhardt wins first Daytona 500 »]( Vietnam War 1966 [DeGaulle offers to help end Vietnam War »]( 1970 [Chicago Eight defense attorneys sentenced »]( World War I 1915 [Mutiny breaks out among Indian soldiers in Singapore »]( World War II 1942 [Singapore falls to Japan »]( [HISTORY.com]( [SHOWS]( [VIDEOS]( [SCHEDULE]( [TOPICS]( [GAMES]( [Subscribe]( | [Update Profile]( | [Contact Us](mailto:thc.newsletters@aetn.com) This is a promotional email from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You received this message because {EMAIL} is subscribed to This Day In History email updates. If you DO NOT wish to receive these emails please [UNSUBSCRIBE](. Having trouble viewing this message? [View the web version](. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not junk folders) and view images, [please add us to your address book or safe/white list](. © 2017 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Email Marketing, 235 E 45th Street, New York, NY 10017 [Corporate Information]( | [TV Parental Guidelines]( | [Careers]( | [Terms of Use]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Copyright Policy]( | [Ad Sales]( | [Ad Choices](