The pre-1900 base network presaged later American global military dominance.

Evidence

By the end of the nineteenth century, the United States thus had a collection of overseas bases matched in size and global scope by only a few European colonial powers. This base network pales in comparison to what would emerge from World War II. But in displaying American leaders’ ambitions for further economic, political, and military power, it presaged the base nation to come. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 70

Categorization

• XREF: Sets up the book’s through-line that early imperial ambitions forecast today’s ‘base nation’ circumglobal footprint; frames the chapter as origin-of-the-system. — connects to: A small imperial base network preceded the postwar expansion into global dominance — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 53; By 1900 the U.S. had an overseas base network rivaling European colonial powers; The U.S. base network exceeds any prior empire’s footprint — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 104 (+8 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 70
• yield-rescued: below the book’s yield-target cutoff, included anyway for connecting to: A small imperial base network preceded the postwar expansion into global dominance — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 53; By 1900 the U.S. had an overseas base network rivaling European colonial powers; The U.S. base network exceeds any prior empire’s footprint — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 104 (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• US overseas bases extend an ancient imperial strategy of encircling domination #complicates (0.70)