The product of thirty-one years of research, this book represents an extensive study of an intense decade in world history. The ten years, 1896-1906, saw the Boer Wars, the Spanish-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Russo-Japanese War. The imperialist nations had to fight to keep command of their territories, claim new ones, and smite rivals. Particularly important during this time is the growth of the United States as a coloniser and international force. Presented in the book is an analyses of the major characters and events during the height of the modern imperial powers. This massive endeavour covers the happenings from 1899 through the Portsmouth Peace Conference in 1906.