Should We Have Kept the American Empire?

In 1918 the United States controlled Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, Cuba, Nicaragua, the Panama Canal Zone, Hawaii, Samoa, Midway, the Virgin Islands, Alaska and dozens of Pacific islands. By the mid-20th century it had relinquished most, keeping only Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Alaska and a few Pacific islands, while maintaining strong Caribbean influence. The article claims the remaining territories still yield substantial economic benefits and argues that retaining the empire’s 1918 size would have been equally advantageous.