As events began to unfold in Cuba in early 1898, the U.S. Navy anticipated the need to have a plan for its warships. Naval leaders knew that it would take time to get battleships in the right place at the right time.
For example, in December 1897, the USS had been ordered received orders to head to Havana Harbor. And in January 1898, Commodore George Dewey was alerted to growing tension with Spain. Dewey was the newly appointed commander of the U.S. Asiatic Squadron, which protected U.S. interests in the Pacific Ocean. After the exploded in February but before war was declared in April, Dewey was ordered to gather his squadron together and sail to Hong Kong. From that position, it would be faster and easier to reach the Philippines, which was a Spanish territory. The U.S. Navy’s preparations allowed Dewey to steam into Manila Bay and defeat the Spanish fleet there on May 1.
