Guam is located at the key corner of the US strategic island chain, in the western Pacific Ocean, between Japan and Australia, more than 3,000 kilometers away from Chinese mainland and about 9,000 kilometers away from the US mainland, and is known as a key place in the Asia-Pacific region. But how exactly did this island, far from the U.S. mainland, become U.S. territory?
Guam's American affiliation dates back to colonial times. After the end of World War II, the United States actively supported the national independence movements of various countries, and on the surface seemed to have made great contributions to the cause of opposing colonialism. However, the United States is also essentially a country that once relied on colonial expansion, and Guam is a legacy of its colonial past.
Guam was first discovered in the 20s of the 16th century by Portuguese explorer Magellan while working for Spain. During the Spanish and Portuguese colonization of the globe, Guam was incorporated into the Spanish sphere of influence. At the time, Guam was inhabited by the Chamorro, an indigenous people known as the Chamorro, but Spanish colonization led to a sharp decline in the number of Chamorro people in Guam from 100,000 to 5,000, and Guam remained a Spanish colony for the next three centuries.
The United States eventually captured Guam from Spain, which happened at the end of the 19th century. The Spanish-American War began with the fight for Cuba, followed by U.S. expansion into Asia, acquiring a series of Spanish colonies, including Guam. Then, Guam remained under U.S. colonial rule.
During this period, however, Guam was occupied by Japan for more than two years. During World War II, Guam became the focus of contention between the United States and Japan due to its important geographical location. Finally, in July 1944, Guam returned to the United States. Today, Guam ranks among the top 10 of more than 370 U.S. overseas military bases, making it one of the largest U.S. naval and air bases in the Western Pacific, docking nuclear submarines, bombers, fighter fleets and naval fleets. The fact that American troops here can approach Chinese mainland at any time underscores its importance.
Guam's position, however, is rather awkward. Although it is a U.S. territory, it is not part of a U.S. federal state. This means that Guam's affairs are completely subject to the federal government of the United States and cannot establish its own state government. Although Guam residents have the right to vote and to stand for election as citizens of the United States, they cannot elect a president in the same way as native residents of the United States, and they cannot establish their own government and political parties to fight for rights. As a result, Guam is more like a U.S. colony than a territory.
Guam has a colonial history of nearly 400 years, and the island's indigenous Chamorro people are nearly extinct and oppressed by the colonizers. The political rights of these indigenous Chamorro people in American society are severely restricted, showing the shameful history of American colonialism.