Why did the US annex Guam and American Samoa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?

The United States annexed Guam and American Samoa mainly because their locations were valuable for naval bases and refueling ships across the Pacific. Guam was acquired after the Spanish-American War, and American Samoa provided a harbor at Pago Pago. Their strategic importance—not rich natural resources or a goal of promoting democracy—best explains the annexations.

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