[Bubba Ho-Tep]

From 1876 to 1897, Fort Sumter was used only as an unmanned lighthouse station.

So it was active military post for over 3/4 of its history.

Yeah, they put in some new guns during the Spanish American war, but it was still useless and never saw combat.

None of the scores of coastal forts built by the United States saw combat. Of course, neither has our nuclear missile force. So I guess we should just give that away if someone demands it.

[DiogenesLamp]

So it was active military post for over 3/4 of its history.

How did you get that out of "From 1876 to 1897, Fort Sumter was used only as an unmanned lighthouse station." ?

Does not compute.

[x]

In Japan's view, Hawaii and the Philippines were not essential to America's national security, any more than Malaya was essential to Britain's or Indochina to France's. But countries don't let others decide what is essential to their national security, and if attacked, they respond.

Moreover, at a time when national survival is threatened "symbolic" meaning becomes important. If your country is falling apart into warring states, holding on to something as a symbol to rally around may come to seem essential.

In any case, countries don't let foreign powers or breakaway factions tell them what is and what isn't essential to their survival.