This letter describes the acquisition of a territory in 1898.
having received the surrender of the island of guam, i took formal possession at 2:45 p.m., hoisting the american flag on fort santa cruz and saluting it with 21 guns from the charleston. . . . no spanish vessel of war has visited guam during the last eighteen months.
letter from captain henry glass to secretary of the navy john d. long, june 24, 1898
how did this acquisition benefit the united states in the early twentieth century?