Final answer:
The U.S. Navy acquired Guam and the Philippines from the Spanish Empire during the Spanish-American War, aligning with Alfred Mahan's strategic vision for naval bases to support U.S. naval power in the Pacific.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of the Spanish-American War, the U.S. Navy took several territories in the Pacific Ocean that had been part of the Spanish empire. The most significant acquisitions included Guam and the Philippines. This expansion was in line with the strategic vision of Alfred Mahan, who advocated for naval bases across the Pacific to support a larger and more effective U.S. Navy, rather than pursuing mere territorial expansion for its own sake.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt ordered the attack on the Spanish fleet in the Philippines, resulting in a decisive victory for Commodore George Dewey's fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay. The American victory led to the Spanish surrender of their Pacific territories, thus marking Spain's end as a colonial power and the beginning of U.S. imperialism in the region.
The Spanish Crown, as a result of the defeat, agreed to Cuban independence and ceded Guam and the Philippines to the U.S. These acquisitions positioned the United States as a significant power with strategic military and economic interests in the Pacific.