The premise was straightforward enough: help Cuba remove the Spaniards from their borders. But when the smoke cleared, the Spanish-American War proved to be the factor that brought the United States out of isolationism to its position as a world power. The PBS film Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War examines the different elements that led to the war, including William Randolph Hearst's yellow journalism, the Maine, economic conditions, and race issues. After the war, the United States would acquire Cuba, the Philippines, and other Spanish possessions. ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide