Chapter 18 Section 2 Critical Thinking #3

What do you think were the unstated editorial policies of yellow journalism? Support your answer with evidence from the text. Think About:
• James Creelman’s account of Spanish atrocities against Cubans (page 552)
• Hearst’s remark to Remington
• the Journal headline about the explosion of the battleship Maine

The unstated editorial policies of yellow journalism were over exaggeration. Newspapers and writers started to use exaggeration in order to increase sales and increase American interests in the Spanish war. James Creelman for example portrays Cuba as a blood covered territory in which American people and land are becoming injured. He also mentions that Cuba needs help form a "brave" nation. (pg 552) Hearst sent Remington as an artist to Cuba to draw war scenes to show a visual image of what he was writing about. Remington told him that war between Spain and America looked very unlikely and Hearst responded by saying “You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.” By this he meant, if you send brutal pictures to back up my exaggerated writing we will help lead to the war. By using yellow journalism, he encouraged many Americans to beg for war against Spain. (pg. 553) When the American battleship Maine exploded in Cuba journalists used yellow journalism to exaggerated what happened, and making it so people were for war against Spain. One newspaper even offered a reward of $50,000 to whoever captured the Spanish that did this to the ship.