1898: Spain, responding to an American ultimatum to pull out of Cuba, declared war on the United States. This did not end well--especially since, on that same day, Commodore George Dewey's cruiser squadron left Hong Kong for the Philippines. To learn more about the Spanish-American War, visit HistoryNet.com.
Also today in history, in the U.S. and elsewhere:
1877: Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire.
1915: The Germans first started using Chlorine gas, emitted from cylinders (and thus very vulnerable to changes in the wind) at Ypres. The Ottoman massacre of Armenians began (Armenian Martyrs' Day).
1961: After the general screwing up in the name of "plausible deniability," President John F. Kennedy accepted "full responsibility" for the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. If you want to know more about JFKs triumphs and tragedies visit HistoryNet.com.
