Complex sentence: Eventually the story spread to newspapers all across the country and then into Europe, and, although the story underwent different versions, the essence remained: the United States was sending an expedition to tear down the Great Wall of China.
Split into simpler sentences: Eventually the story spread to newspapers all across the country and then into Europe. Aalthough the story underwent different versions, the essence remained: the United States was sending an expedition to tear down the Great Wall of China.