Chapter 20
Progressive Era
Mrs. VanWart
Section 20-5:
Seeking a World Role
Foreign policies of:
T Roosevelt
Taft
Wilson
T. Roosevelt foreign policy:
• “Big Stick” Diplomacy
• “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go
far” (African proverb?)
-negotiate peacefully
-BUT also have threat of force (military)
available
Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe Doctrine
• US is obligated to intervene if nations in
Americas became unstable (owe $)
-TR: US must “exercise our international police
power”
-in response to European gunboat diplomacy
over debtor nations (Dominican Republic)
28)
T. Roosevelt Cartoon
Artwork: #8780 of 8962 by Granger
Previous Next View All
Panama Canal
• Built for commercial & military uses 1904-1914
for $500M
• Colombia would not lease canal zone to U.S.
• U.S. sponsors revolt by new Republic of
Panama; pays it $10M
• Dr. Gorgas instrumental (eradicated yellow
fever)
• 1921: US pays Colombia $25M for loss of
Panama (despite TR’s objections)
U.S. and Asia
• Russo-Japanese War (1904-05): both tried to
control Manchuria, Korea
--TR won Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating
• Gentlemen’s Agreement
• 1908 Root-Takahira Agreement
• “great white fleet:” U.S. display of power (esp.
Japan)
Taft’s Foreign Policy
• “Dollar Diplomacy”
-U.S. businesses urged to invest abroad
(China, Caribbean, S. America)
-investors would be protected by US govt
Taft’s Foreign Policy
-substituted “dollars for bullets”; no need to flex
military muscle like TR (?)
-US investment in China angers Japan
(encroaches on its sphere of influence)
Wilson’s Foreign Policy
• “Moral Diplomacy”
-WW rejects Big Stick and Dollar Diplomacy
-Blend of morality and Christianity
-wanted US to “direct” democracy & self-govt
of weaker nations (intervened in Mexican civil
war)
-did not recognize “illegitimate” (de facto)
govts
Wilson’s Foreign Policy
Mexico
-Huerta overthrows Madero (assassinated)
-US does not recognize
-Tampico incident:
-US sends arms to Carranza (Huerta rival)
-US Marines arrested, then released
-Apology, but no salute to US flag
-Wilson wants to use armed force (Apr 1914)
-Veracruz
Wilson’s Foreign Policy
Mexico
-Veracruz incident:
-Reports of German ship with arms for Huerta
-WW orders city seized
-Mexicans unite against US (ABC powers
mediate)
-Carranza takes over
-US withdraws troops (Nov)
Wilson’s Foreign Policy
Mexico
-US chases Pancho Villa (Pershing unsuccessful)
-Jan 1917 Wilson removes troops (WWI
involvement looming)