Schoonover, Thomas. Uncle Sam’s War of 1898 and the Origins of Globalization (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2003). 180 pages.

Uncle Sam’s War of 1898 and the Origins of Globalization explains Europe’s involvement in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean long before the United States became a world power (p 2). Written by Thomas Schoonover, a professor of history at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the book is a summary of Europe’s endeavor to control the Caribbean region, the gateway to the Pacific and Asian markets (p 3). Beginning with the “Age of Discovery,” Europeans sought direct trade with Asia. Columbus envisioned a direct route via the Atlantic Ocean. After the Americas got in the way, explorers searched for a northwest passage which would lead them to the Pacific Ocean. Even though this northwest passage was never found, European powers were determined to make a route to Asia if they could not find one. This idea dragged the United States into a battle against European imperialist for control over the Caribbean to fulfill Columbus’ dream, direct trade with Asia. Not only does it describe American and European involvement, but it also tells of Japan and China’s plans to ship goods eastward (p 33).

It is a great source of information detailing the events before and after the Spanish-American war. However, America’s rise to imperialism seems to take place long before the War of 1898. The War of 1898 was a turning point in European imperialism but not the origin of American imperialism. The origins of American imperialism is in the 1840s when “U.S. officials contemplated naval bases in the far east” (p 52).

Another important detail the book outlines is Japan and China's involvement in trade. Not only were European powers seeking to build a passage across Central America, but Japan and China sent laborers to aid in this endeavor. Japan and China at first sought to improve trade relations with Europe (p 33).

While the French and the Spanish were squabbling over control of the Caribbean as a gateway to the Pacific Ocean, Britain already had a passageway, the Suez Canal, a much shorter route than sailing across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, other European powers did not have the access Britain had to the East, this is why they fought over control of the Caribbean. The Suez Canal is usually left out when discussing European imperialism and their involvement in Central America and the Caribbean. Schoonover mentions its existence but does not explain why Britain did not have a more aggressive role in imperial expansion in the Central American region because of this canal.

This book is indeed a great source for information about European and American imperialism. It is great book to start an American history debate on the origins of American imperialism. The book elaborates on the reasons for American imperialism and its start in Central America while also mentioning European endeavors gain control of that region. And like Walter LaFeber says, “During a time when Americans speak all too glibly about their ‘empire,’ it is necessary to understand where they took the fork in the road to that empire” (p. xi).