The True Flag by Stephen Kinzer

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Book Report
The book is about the war which took place between Spain and its rivals together with the intervention of the United States in the war. The book elaborates the reasons why Spain was involved in the war, the whole involvement in the war and the role of the United States in the warCITATION Ste18 \p 56 \l 1033 (Kinzer 56). In the book the writer presents reasons why the war qualifies to be a matter of discussion, he states the deeper consequences of the war, he accounts for imperialism in the war especially in regard to the united states and the general influence of the war as well as the perception towards the United States in regard to the war. This paper is a report of Kinzer's book of The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire which gives an account of the author’s viewpoint as regards to Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire and the event that developed therein.
The events which marked the cause of conflict between Spain and its enemies are well documented while the end result of the war is also clearly elaborated in the book. Additionally the consequences of the war are also discussed while the long lasting peace deal that brought the current state of tranquility is also discussed in the book. According to the author of the book, the events which led to the explosion of battleship Maine include the following: it was sent to the Cuba’s Havana harbor to provide protection to the interests of the United States in the period Cuba was fighting for its independenceCITATION Ste18 \p 34 \l 1033 (Kinzer 34). It had been made for a period of over 9 years. Before its explosion it was used for military purposes, and its design, sending to the Cuban region and the ongoing fights characterized the events before its explosion. Several reasons have been advanced to try and explain the cause of the explosion but it’s believed that it was sunk by the bitumen in it which is known to release a gas that is very prone to fire.
As described in The True Flag, the chief arguments for the annexation of the territories won from Spain during the Spanish American war included: Cuba and the Philippines Island were greatly in revolt against the country of Spain. The Cubans had gained independence but Philippines had not. It therefore caused the war to persist and which called for the annexation of the territories during the fight. Notably, Kinzer writes that “The day’s most vivid exchanges were about a delicate but serious matter: the extreme foreignness of native Hawaiians. Both sides used racial arguments.”CITATION Ste18 \p 78 \l 1033 (Kinzer 78)
The annexation of the territories was seen as a way to increase the powers and the dominance held by the countries which were fighting against Spain. It therefore prompted the countries to extend the territory so as to increase their powers and the ability to defeat Spain in the war. it intensified the war between Spain versus Cuba and Philippines and which ultimately made the united states to intervene in an attempt to create peace between the nations at least to bring the war to an endCITATION Ste18 \p 101 \l 1033 (Kinze...