Empire By Default

After the Spanish-American War of 1898, America’s first imperial overseas adventure, the nation would be acknowledged internationally as a global player with a navy second to none. It was the dawn of the American century. Here, moving from the councils of Madrid to the conferences in Washington, from the victory at Manila Bay to the battle of San Juan Hill, from factional in-fighting to inflammatory journalism, Musicant offers a dramatic narrative that will stand as the definitive account. Here are the issues & debates, the strategies & obstacles, the ideals, interests, & missed opportunities. Here, too, are the political conflicts of the day -- conflicts that America would encounter repeatedly in the 20th century. B&W photos.