Established as America's first foreign naval base following the Spanish-American War, Guantánamo is now more often thought of as our Devil's Island. This book takes readers beyond the orange-jumpsuited detainees of today's headlines to provide the first comprehensive history of Guantánamo from its origins to the present. Occupying 45 square miles of land and sea, Guantánamo has for more than a century symbolized the imperial impulse within U.S. foreign policy, and its occupation is decried by Cuba as a violation of international law--even though a treaty legally grants the U.S. a lease in perpetuity. Stephen Schwab now describes the base's role in American, Caribbean, and global history, explaining how it came to be, why it's still there, and how it continues to serve a variety of purposes.--From publisher description.

The significance of Guantánamo -- The rise of the U.S. Navy and Theodore Roosevelt -- The battle for Guantánamo in 1898 -- Cubans resist U.S. base acquisition -- The first overseas U.S. base -- Peace and war: Franklin D. Roosevelt -- The Cold War, part 1: Dwight D. Eisenhower -- The Cold War, part 2: John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson -- Guantánamo endures -- Imperial Germany and the Caribbean, 1890s-1917 -- Transcriptions of letters from Elihu Root -- Theodore Roosevelt's message to Congress for representation in Cuba, 1902 -- Leasing agreement between the United States and Cuba, 1903 -- Treaty agreement between the United States and Cuba, 1934 -- Statement by the government of Cuba, 2002.