# Guantonamo Bay, Cuba **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantonamo-bay-cuba/65530 "2001-05-15T19:52:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AndrewD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@AndrewD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewD)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantonamo-bay-cuba/65530/1 "2001-05-15T19:52:19Z")
I searched the archives and could not find an answer to this, so I am hoping someone here knows. When did the United States take possession of Guantonamo Bay, Cuba? Have we held it since the Spanish-American War? Has Cuba ever tried to take it back? Thanks. Andrew ---
**Author:** ![MrDeath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@MrDeath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDeath)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2001, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantonamo-bay-cuba/65530/2 "2001-05-15T21:37:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AndrewD \* > \*\*When did the United States take possession of Guantonamo Bay, Cuba? Have we held it since the Spanish-American War? Has Cuba ever tried to take it back? > \*\* You would have [found it in the archive](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a940617b.html) if you had spelled ‘Guantanamo’ correctly. You can find the treaties that formalize the lease, which started as an ‘occupation’, [here;](http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/History/HISAPXD.HTM) note that in the treaty, the annual rent is “two thousand dollars, in gold coin of the United States”, while Cecil puts it at $4,000 per year. Whom do I believe? Argh! One other thing I noticed in the treaty: the 1902 treaty and ammendment allow for ‘coaling or naval stations’ at Guantanamo Bay and at ‘Bahia Honda bay’. The 1934 treaty doesn’t mention Bahia Honda. Anyone know what happened there? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2001, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantonamo-bay-cuba/65530/3 "2001-05-15T22:32:07Z")
According to this source [http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/History/HISCHP3.HTM](http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/History/HISCHP3.HTM) the U.S. Navy abandoned Bahia Honda as a coaling station after nine years of occupation. When the 1934 Treaty was signed, I suppose mentions of it were dropped just to make sure the U.S. didn’t try to get its hands on it anymore. I suppose the U.S. didn’t feel the need to keep a station on the other side of the island. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2001, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantonamo-bay-cuba/65530/4 "2001-05-15T23:49:48Z")
The United States does not possess Guantanamo Bay, Cuba does. The US merely leases it, although according to one article (linked below), Cuba refuses to accept the money. As it is, there are civilian Cubans who commute to work on the base. Link mentioned above: [http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/05469.html](http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/05469.html) ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2001, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guantonamo-bay-cuba/65530/5 "2001-05-16T07:48:49Z")
A little search goes a long way: [http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/Archives/FY2001/20010420/default.html](http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/Archives/FY2001/20010420/default.html) More than you ever wanted to know: [http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/History/HISIDX.HTM](http://www.nsgtmo.navy.mil/History/HISIDX.HTM)