Leaked telegrams and cables are nothing new in European and American History. They have started wars and insulted national leaders...something that remains to be seen with the latest Wikileak releases.
This week, students in 9th grade are learning about the Spanish American War, when the Americans moved into Cuba and the Philippines.
One of the factors in the Spanish American war was a telegram from the Spanish Ambassador who said that the President of the United States, McKinley, was weak. This was seen as a personal insult. The telegram said : "...McKinley is weak and catering to the rabble and, besides, a low politician who desires to leave a door open to himself and to stand well with the jingos of his party."
The "leaking" of the De Lome letter was one of the factors that led to the Spanish American War.
