PRESIDENT WILLIAM MCKINLEY SHOT IN BUFFALO

President William McKinley shot in Buffalo

At a public reception in Buffalo, New York, President McKinley was shot by an assassin, suffering wounds that would prove fatal days later. His death brought Vice President Theodore Roosevelt into the presidency at a relatively young age and at a time when the United States was adjusting to new overseas responsibilities after the Spanish–American War. Roosevelt became a strong advocate for a modern, powerful navy and for reforms that professionalized the Army and linked national defense more closely to emerging industrial capacity. He backed the construction of new battleships, supported the idea of sending a “Great White Fleet” around the world, and pushed for officer education that emphasized both technology and global strategy. The tragedy in Buffalo thus had long-term consequences for how the nation thought about sea power, readiness, and the role of armed forces in projecting influence abroad.