026 The Spanish American War & The Birth of US Imperialism

In this episode, we take a close look at a small war that had a massive impact on American history - the Spanish American War that began in 1898. In fact, the US is still dealing with its effects at this very moment, since there are thousands of American military personal stationed all around the world, most notably in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Korea. At the heart of this story is the question: Why in the 1890s did the US abandon a century of isolationist foreign policy to become an imperialist (or interventionist, if you prefer) power? This episode has two parts: 1) First, I'll start with a brief overview of traditional US foreign policy before 1890 and what changed at the end of the 19th century. 2) Second, I'll talk to historian Stephen Kinzer about his latest book, titled: The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire. This book takes a close look at the Spanish-American War, the great debate it triggered over imperialism, and how its resolution marked a new and troubling chapter in US history. Show page and credits: http://inthepastlane.com/episode-026/