ABSTRACT
Between World War I and the end of World War II the expansion of the U.S. presence in the Caribbean basin was dramatic. That transition derived from many factors and had many faces. U.S. policy makers were driven in large part by the desire to maintain stability in a region that was viewed as strategically important to the nation. Proximity to the United States intensified strategic concerns. The now operational Panama Canal (since 1914) made the access routes and strategic locations along those routes in the Caribbean of extreme importance to American military and commercial interests. Trade and investment flows increased significantly in these years as well, with Cuba remaining of particular significance.
