Final answer:
Stephen Crane was inspired by his experience as a war correspondent during the Spanish-American War, which significantly influenced his literary Naturalism style and realistic war stories.
Step-by-step explanation:
The event that inspired many of Stephen Crane's writings, including the story "An Episode of War," was his experience as a war correspondent during the Spanish-American War. Crane's exposure to the harsh realities of war influenced his adoption of a literary Naturalism style, as seen in his works like "The Red Badge of Courage."
His firsthand experiences and observations likely provided the genuine, detailed descriptions of war that permeate his stories. This realism and psychological exploration of war are characteristic elements of Crane's notable contributions to American literature.