THE NATION AT WAR1900-1920

TR FOREIGN POLICY

• “Big-Stick” Diplomacy was the slogan describing TR’s corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. The United States he claimed had the right not only to oppose European intervention in the Western Hemisphere, but also intervene itself in the domestic affairs of their neighbors if they proved unable to maintain order and national sovereignty on their own.

TR

• TR was the 1st President to play a significant role in world affairs

• Imperialism in the Western Hemisphere: “Speak softly but carry a big stick {and} you will go far.”

• Disciple of Alfred Thayer Mahan• Proponent of domination of Western Hemisphere• Military and naval strength• Isthmian Canal (Panama)• Need for overseas bases & coaling stations• Export American products, ideas, and values worldwide

PANAMA CANAL

• S-A war showed the need for a canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

• U.S. now had major interests in both spheres (Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippines)

STEPS to a CANAL1. Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850)2. Ferdinand de Lesseps (of Suez fame) fails in Panama due to

diseases in the swampy marshes around canal zone (1887-1889)3. Hay-Pauncefote Treaty (1901) – Britain agreed to give U.S. right

to build canal and right to fortify it as well4. Columbian Senate rejected a treaty with the U.S. for a canal in

Panama (which was part of Columbia)5. Panama Revolution (1903) - U.S. naval forces didn’t allow

Columbian troops across the isthmus (GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY)6. Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty- US paid Panama Canal Co. $40 million

and canal zone was widened from 6 to 10 miles.7. TR -> “I took the canal….now let Congress debate what to do

next…”8. Latin America resented “The Colossus of the North” after its

taking Puerto Rico, Cuba, and now Panama. “ARE WE NEXT?”9. Canal completed in 1914 at a cost of $400 million

GREATEST CHALLENGE TO BUILDING THE CANAL?

• DISEASE…Workers spent the first two years dredging and draining the swamps around the canal zone. Fumigating the jungles in the region also reduced the dominance of malaria and yellow fever.

OTHER TR FOREIGN POLICY

• 1905- Treaty gave supervisory powers over Dominican tariff collections (In effect, Dominican Republic became a protectorate of the United States)

• TR sent Marines into Cuba after an uprising in 1906 and stayed until 1909.

• Russo-Japanese War (1904)- TR negotiated an end to the war (Treaty of Portsmouth)

• WHY?– War threatened the Open Door to China– TR didn’t want either power to gain a monopoly in Asia – TR didn’t want interests in Philippines harmed.

• FOR HIS MEDIATION, TR WON THE 1906 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.• BY-PRODUCTS OF TREATY OF PORTSMOUTH:

– US-JAPANESE RELATIONS WORSENED-ARMS RACE BEGINS– US-RUSSIAN REALTIONS SOURED-BLAMED TR FOR MILITARY

LOSS

SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL BOARD INCIDENT (1906)

• San Francisco school officials announce that Asian school children had to attend special schools.– EXAMPLE OF U.S. nativism regarding Asians

• People of Japan were furious over discrimination, they were highly sensitive to race issues.

• Irresponsible talk of war appeared in Japanese “yellow press”• TR did not want California to start a war that other sattes would

have to fight.

• Gentleman’s Agreement: Japanese agreed to stop the flow of laborers to U.S. and Californians agreed not to ban Japanese from public schools.

US-JAPANESE RELATIONS

• Fearing Japanese perceptions of U.S. weakness, TR sent the “GREAT WHITE FLEET” on a highly visible around the world tour in 1907.

• Root-Takahira Agreement (1908)- U.S. and Japan pledged to respect each other’s possessions in the Pacific and to upholf the Open Door in China.

• Lansing-Ishii Agreement (1917)- U.S. acknowledged Japan’s special interests in China and aimed partially to reduce German influence in and around China in WWI.

WILLIAM H. TAFT

• Dollar Diplomacy-– US foreign policy protected by Wall Street dollars

invested abroad– Using Wall Street dollars to uphold foreign

policy…sought to reduce rival powers, e.g. Germany, from raking advantage of financial chaos in the Caribbean.

– U.S. bankers would strengthen U.S. defenses and foreign policies while bringing prosperity to the U.S.

– DOLLAR DIPLOMACY REPLACED THE BIG STICK!

WILSON

• WW hated imperialism…

• Yet, Wilson would eventually intervene in Latin America more than any other president in American history.

WILSON’S ANTI-IMPERIALIST POLICIES

• Granted Philippines as “territorial” status and promised independence

• Initially proclaimed that US would no longer offer special support to American investors in Latin America

• Made Puerto Ricans citizens Jones Act (1917)

Imperialism under Wilson

• 1912- WW sent Marines into Nicaragua (became a protectorate)

• 1914-15- sent forces into Haiti (became a protectorate)

• 1914- Ordered navy and to intercept a German ship carrying arms to Mexico

• 1914-1917- MEXICO• 1916- sent Marines into Dominican Republic

(became a protectorate); remained until 1934• 1917- US purchased Virgin Islands from

Denmark