The United States has maintained a military presence at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba since 1903, when it leased the land from the Cuban government. The purpose of the base has changed over time, but it has primarily been used as a naval station and detention center.

The first lease agreement for the base was signed in 1903, during the Spanish-American War. The agreement allowed the United States to establish a coaling and naval station in Guantanamo Bay. The United States paid the Cuban government $2,000 per year for the land, and the agreement was renewed every year until 1934.

In 1934, the United States and Cuba signed a new lease agreement that granted the United States a perpetual lease on the land. The agreement stated that the United States could use the land for “coaling or naval purposes,” but did not specify any further details.

During World War II, the United States expanded its military presence at Guantanamo Bay, building additional infrastructure and using the base as a training facility. In the 1950s, the base was used to support the United States’ efforts in the Korean War.

In the 1990s, the United States began using the base as a detention center for prisoners captured in conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan. The detention center has been controversial, with human rights groups and international organizations criticizing the United States for holding prisoners indefinitely without charge and for the use of harsh interrogation techniques.

The United States has continued to maintain a military presence at Guantanamo Bay, despite calls from the Cuban government and international organizations to close the detention center and return the land to Cuba. Some reasons for this include the strategic location of the base, which provides the United States with a presence in the Caribbean, and the lack of an alternative location to hold detainees captured in conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

In conclusion, the United States has maintained a military presence at Guantanamo Bay since 1903, primarily using the base as a naval station and detention center. The base has been controversial due to its use as a detention center, but the United States has continued to maintain a presence at the base due to its strategic location and the lack of an alternative location to hold detainees.