A fascinating encyclopedic survey of the Spanish-Cuban/American War, the Philippine War, and the small wars between 1899 and the end of the occupation of Haiti in 1934. The name changes themselves are instructive. The usage of "Spanish-American War" ignores the fact that the war in Cuba had been largely won by the Cuban revolutionaries before US intervention, hence the new title, Spanish-Cuban/American War. The use of "Philippine Insurrection" is replaced by Philippine War, since the Philippine forces had taken much of the islands from Spain before US ground forces arrived. And guerillas or revolutionaries have replaced "bandits," the term used by the US to discredit oppositional forces. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

American imperialism in Latin America at the beginning of the twentieth century has been explained, in part, as a response to the threat posed by Germany in the region. But, as Nancy Mitchell demonstrates, the German actions that raised American hackles t

"Through its military policy and foreign policy, America attained superpower status in a remarkably short period of time. Nations survive based on their ability to provide internal order and external defense. Unfortunately, foreign policy goals are not always attained, and sometimes those goals are based on questionable concepts. Power and Policy examines the relationship of the US military and naval power with its foreign policy objectives, exploring the policies and the use of force that propelled the United States into the first ranks of world power. The book asks when military action is needed and how such action can change the very context within which foreign policy unfolds. The study focuses on twelve major decisive events in history during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including: a hurricane in Samoa and its effect on the German and US navies, the outcomes that followed the Spanish-American War, the role of Panama in the development of a trans-continental powerhouse, the US approach to southern neighbors including Nicaragua and Mexico, maneuvering for a stronger global position at the conclusion of World War I, and the establishment of naval parity with Great Britain. The facts, background and analysis enable readers to understand interventions that defined and then re-defined United States foreign policy for the rest of the 20th century."--Publisher's description.

Felix A. Sommerfeld was a German secret service agent assigned to Mexico. During the Mexican Revolution (1910 to 1920) he became a close confidante of Mexican President Madero as well as revolutionary leaders Carranza and Villa. He significantly influenced German and American foreign policy towards Mexico.