But the prison isnt the whole story for more than two centuries guantanamo has been at the center of american imperial ambition first as an object of desire then as a convenient staging ground in guantanamo an american history jonathan m hansen presents the first complete account of this fascinating place the us presence at guantanamo predates even the nation itself as the bay figured centrally in the imperial expansion plans of colonist and british sailor lawrence washington . An american history an on the ground history of american empire say the word guantanamo and orange jumpsuits chain link fences torture and indefinite detention come to mind to critics the world over guantanamo bay cuba is a striking symbol of american hypocrisy but the prison isnt the whole story. But the prison isnt the whole story for more than two centuries guantanamo has been at the center of american imperial ambition first as an object of desire then as a convenient staging ground. Since the beginning of the twentieth century the us naval base at guantanamo bay cuba has caused tensions between the united states and cuba cubas attitu