The Foreign Policies
Theodore Roosevelt- “Speak softly and carry a big
stick”
William Howard Taft- “Dollar Diplomacy”
Woodrow Wilson- “Moral Diplomacy”
Russo Japanese War
Roosevelt’s Idea
Teddy thought the United States needed more than just the
Monroe Doctrine.
Roosevelt Corollary- if any Latin nation engages in chronic
wrongdoing, the United States had the right to intervene,
which included sending the military.
Civil unrest
Irresponsible finances
Who might be against this policy?
The World’s Police
Roosevelt Corollary in the
Dominican Republic (Santo
Domingo) 1904
DR owed $32 million to
European nations
Corruption, bad book
keeping, poor decisions
European nations wanted
to invade
Teddy decided to invade
himself – take control of
customs house and control
situation
Monroe Doctrine
Roosevelt Corollary
Panama Canal
French attempted it but stopped because of disease and
cost
Revolutionaries want Panama to be independent – US
sends gunboat in support and Panama becomes
independent
1904 begin to build canal
Roosevelt visits – 1st time sitting president leaves US
1914 – Canal opens
Great White Fleet
16 Battleships from Atlantic Fleet
Painted white
Sailed around the world 1907-1908
“We just wanted to let the
world know we were prepared
for anything they wanted to
kick up. We wanted to show
the world what we could do ”
-random sailor
William Howard Taft
Dollar Diplomacy- the strategic use of a country’s finances to
extend its international influence and power
Would invest in international opportunities to gain favor from
other nations as well as provide the United States with
economic expansion opportunities. Send money, not ships.
Prevent European countries from lending money
Sometimes Peaceful, Sometimes Not
Taft wanted to protect the new investment in Panama,
so he attempted to purchase Honduran debt from
British bankers.
Nicaragua – funded revolutionaries, sent in troops to
protect American banks
Wilson’s Moral Diplomacy and
American Exceptionalism
Moral Diplomacy
• Give support to countries that had the same
“morals” as the US
• AKA Democracy
American Exceptionalism
• America has the duty to spread liberty and freedom
• Support fellow democracies and injure other forms of government
Involvement in Mexico
Revolution had been occuring since 1899, in 1913
Victoriano Huerta came into power
Wilson refused to recognize this government – “a
government of butchers”
American ships in Veracruz – weakened Huerta’s
power
Venustiano Carranza came into power – Wilson
recognized
Why is this important? The US is involved in the
internal affairs of other countries
Pancho Villa
Revolutionary – protested President Wilson’s support
of Caranza
Attacked small town in New Mexico
President Wilson sent troops
Lead by John J Pershing
Mexican government did not approve of US troops in
Mexico
What are we today?
Do we follow Teddy Roosevelt’s “Do whatever because
America” policy, William Howard Taft’s “Dollar
Diplomacy,” or Woodrow Wilson’s “Moral
Diplomacy”?