Why is it that the U.S. has a base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba?

Question

I mean did the U.S. capture that part of land by force from Cuba or was is it sold to U.S. by Cuba? I need some information about it so I can write a paper for my English class regarding whether U.S. an empire or not. Thanks for your!

Answer 1

The Navy Base at Gitmo is a carry over from the Spanish American war. We retained a base there and kept it after Castro came into power in 58/59'.

Answer 2

Guantanamo started as a coaling station after the end of the Spanish-American War. It has continued to be a Naval base since then. Once Cuba became independent, we continued to lease the base from that government. Ever since the Castro government took power in Havana, they have never cashed the checks for the lease payment.
It came into real public attention in the autumn of 1962 when President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and our ambassador to the United Nation, Adlai Stevenson, revealed the presence of Soviet intermediate range ballistic missiles on that island. The 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade was dispatched from Camp Pendleton and the rest of the U.S. Armed Forces went to a full, pre-war footing. Since then the Marines have been stationed there to keep an eye on the Cuban force on the other side of the fence line.
After passage of Public Law #107-40 (Military Authorization To Combat Terrorism) in September of 2001, Guantanamo became the detention center for illegal combatants from Afghanistan and other parts of the world.
It continues to carry out that primary mission today.
The only parts of the world retained permanently as a result of the Spanish-American War were Puerto Rico and Guam. All other land entities were granted independence. Hardly the mark of an "empire".

Answer 3

It is a misnomer to say that America is an empire as empire's forcefully conquer sovereign nations for the purpose of permanent territorial expansion and the establishment of permanent political hegemony. When America finds itself in the position of governing another population it has historically been done in the context of a military response due to an attack, or a threat to its national security. The exception to the rule arguably is Vietnam and Iraq, although Vietnam was a proxy war fought in the geo political context of the Cold War. Even though America is FACTUALLY not an empire some similarities are undeniable. The fact is that America is the closest thing in the world today that resembles an empire, but isn't one.

To answer your question American involvement in Cuba began in 1898 during the Spanish American war. America gave Cuba (then a territorial possession of the Spanish Empire) formal recognition, and passed a resolution condemning Spanish cruelty in Cuba. Spain issued a declaration of war, and after America won the war it assumed responsibility for the governance of the Island which is typical and even mandated by international law.

Answer 4

Here is a site that may help;

http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/funfacts/guantan.htm

Search the net for: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba lease

You will get more info.

Answer 5

The United States also pays for the lease on Gitmo. One dollar a year, the check is never cashed though. Sorry, no empire though I'm sure your teacher thinks otherwise.