MAP ACTIVITY Map 20.3 The Spanish-American War, 1898 The Spanish-American War was fought in two theaters, the Philippine Islands and Cuba. Five days after President William McKinley called for a declaration of war, Admiral George Dewey captured Manila. The war lasted only eight months. Troops landed in Cuba in mid-June and by mid-July had destroyed the Spanish fleet. READING THE MAP: Which countries held imperial control over countries and territories immediately surrounding the Philippine Islands and Cuba? CONNECTIONS: What role did American newspapers play in the start of the war? How did the results of the war serve American aims in both Asia and the Western Hemisphere?