Panama Canal Controversy the Book Book Report

There were arguments that the U.S. had vital interests in maintaining control over the canal due to the need to move warships and submarines through the locks during world crises. Others cited the Soviet nuclear threat and wondered if giving the canal back to Panama would open the door for Soviet influence in the region. And there was the "psychological penalty of a pull-out" (147); giving the canal back could make America seem weak. In the end, however, after years of conflicting ideas and assertions, a deal was signed in 1977 and the canal went back to Panama in 2000.

In conclusion, this book was a wonderfully well-written and detailed account of everything about the Panama Canal from the beginning through 1977. Perhaps the book would have been more aptly titled "The Panama Canal's Many Controversies," since over the many years (about 100 years) there seemed to be one controversy after another.In the end, President Carter should be given credit for making the deal and informing the American people as to what it really entailed, in order to garner the public support.

Works Cited'

Ryan, Paul B. The….....