An American mining engineer, called Jennings Cox, supposedly created the Daiquiri during the Spanish–American War whilst in Cuba, and the drink is named after a beach and an iron mine near Santiago de Cuba. The drink became popular when it was introduced to the Army and Navy Club in Washington DC in the early 1900s.
The Good Neighbor policy, helped make Latin America fashionable. Consequently, rum-based drinks (once frowned upon as being the choice of sailors and down-and-outs), also became fashionable, and the daiquiri saw a tremendous rise in popularity in the US and was apparently a favourite of President John F. Kennedy.