This work investigates the ideological motivations and political strategies of the prominent figures who opposed the United States' acquisition of overseas territories following the Spanish-American War. Robert L. Beisner, a historian specializing in American foreign policy, examines the diverse coalition of intellectuals, politicians, and activists who formed the Anti-Imperialist League. By analyzing their public rhetoric and private correspondence, he argues that their opposition was rooted in a complex blend of constitutional concerns, racial anxieties, and traditional American isolationism.

Historians and scholars of American foreign policy frequently cite this work as a definitive study of the anti-imperialist movement at the turn of the twentieth century. Readers often note the academic rigor and the depth of archival research presented throughout the text.