CHINA OPEN DOOR POLICY
Shanna, Allie, Danielle, Sarah
China's Qing Dynasty began to crumble- nations saw China as a weakened power and demanded trade
China Open Door Policy- Initiated by Secretary of State John Hay
Issued to Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Japan, France, and Italy
Requested that no nation with a sphere of influence use that power to benefit only itself
Involvement
Problem: Other nations were sectioning off parts of China for themselves
U.S. did not want other nations to gain too much power off of China
Wanted to ensure free access to China for U.S. political and business interests
Motives Main fear was that other countries would block off
U.S. trade with China
In 1898, president McKinley requested access to China, promising that he would not ask for any special advantages
This was in hopes to create free trade for all of the countries who wanted to trade with China
U.S. did not want territory in China, just the right to trade
Justifications
Americans believed:1. The growth of the economy depended on
exports
2. The U.S. had a right to intervene abroad to keep foreign markets open
3. Feared the closing of American products, citizens, or ideas threatened American survival
Reactions Shandong, China- a rebellion began in 1896,
ended in 1898
A group called the Boxers created anti-Christian hysteria
Hated all foreigners and tried to drive them out
Forts were built in Beijing to block out foreigners, they failed miserably
Final Result
Japan violated the Open Door principle with its Twenty-One Demands to China
Japan’s defeat in World War II and the communist victory in China’s civil war ended all special privileges to foreigners
The Open Door Policy has since remained meaningless
When it comes to the Open Door Policy, America acted as the Hemisphere’s Mafia Don
Intentions were played to be beneficial to the other countries- really America didn’t want to lose access to China
Actions were beneficial to China and U.S. only
China was a weak power and would have been taken advantage of by other countries if the U.S. had not intervened
Works Cited [Senate Foreign Relations Committee] Treaties, International
Acts, Protocols, and Agreements between The United States of America and other Powers 1776-1909 William M. Mallory, ed., Washington, 1910, vol. 1, pp. 246-247.
“Open Door Policy.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 07 Oct. 2010 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/429642/Open-Door-policy>.
“Open Door Policy" A Dictionary of Contemporary World History. Jan Palmowski. Oxford University Press, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. West Morris Mendham HS. 12 October 2010 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t46.e1757>