Chapter 18-Section 3 Notes/ Outline: B-3
I.
II.
III.
Vocabulary – Terms
a. Insurrection- rebellion, in this instance, against U.S. rule
b. Guerrilla Warfare- a form of nontraditional warfare generally
involving small bands of fighters
c. Sphere of influence- Britain, France, Germany, and Russia’s privileged access to Chinese
ports and markets
d. Boxer Rebellion- Chinese secret organization that which led to an uprising in Northern
China against the spread of Western & Japanese influence
e. Open Door Policy- policy proposed to keep China open to trade with all countries on an
equal basis
f. Russo-Japanese War- war fought between Russia and Japan over rival imperial
ambitions in Korea & Manchuria
g. “Gentlemen’s Agreement”- agreement between the U.S. and Japan where the school
board pledged to stop its segregation policy; Japan would limit emigration of citizens to
the U.S.
h. Great White Fleet- new force of navy ships, consisting of 16 white battleships, which
demonstrated America’s increased military power
i. William Howard Taft- future President of the United States
j. John Hay- former U.S. Secretary of State
Filipinos Rebel Against U.S. Rule
a. Filipino-Spanish War
i. During the war between the Philippines and the Spanish, Emilio Aguinaldo, a
Filipino nationalist leader, believed America's intentions as an ally was to assist
the Philippines in achieving independence.
b. Insurrection
i. However, America decided to maintain control of the Philippines. Aguinaldo
became disappointed with America, and helped to organize an insurrection
against U.S. rule. The Filipino rebels believed they fought for the same principle
of self-rule that had inspired America's colonial patriots during the American
Revolution.
Guerilla Warfare Erupts in the Philippines
a. Due to lack of weapons, the Filipino rebels relied on guerilla warfare to attack behind
American lines. America went to extraordinary measures to defeat these warriors, and
just as the Spanish did in Cuba, U.S soldiers gathered civilians into overcrowded
concentration camps.
i. General Jacob Smith
1. Despite orders to capture the native people, General Smith did not want
prisoners. He stated, "I wish you to kill and burn, the more you kill and
burn the better you will please me." His comment was backed by the
San Francisco Argonaut (a popular newspaper in 1902). The following is
a few sections from the newspaper: '‘WE DO WANT THE FILIPINOS. WE
DO WANT THE PHILIPPINES… The more of them killed the better… they
must yield before the superior race.''
IV.
V.
VI.
ii. The End of the Filipino War
1. In the spring of 1901, the Americans captured Aguinaldo. Although the
fighting didn't end immediately, his capture started the end of the
insurrection. The war in the Philippines resulted in more lives lost than
the Spanish-American war, with nearly 5,000 Americans and 200,000
Filipinos dead. The U.S. government sent more than 100,000 troops and
spent over $400 million to defeat the insurgency.
Reforms Lead to Promise of Self-Rule
a. In 1901, William Howard Taft became governor of the Philippines. He had big plans to
help the islands recover from the rebellion.
b. Taft censored the press and placed protesters in jail to maintain order and win the
Filipino’s support.
c. At this time he also extended limited self-rule and ordered the construction of schools,
roads, and bridges.
Jones Act
a. In 1916, Congress passed the Jones Act. This pledged that the Philippines would
ultimately gain their independence.
b. Thirty years later, after U.S. forces freed the islands from Japanese occupation at the
end of World War II, the Philippines finally became an independent nation.
The United States Pursues Interests in China
i. The once powerful China had dug itself into a hole of political, economic, and
military disarray by 1899. However, its large population was a tempting target
for imported goods of other nations. But instead of competing for Chinese
trade, Britain, France, Germany, and Russia split China into distinct spheres of
influence.
ii. Within their respective zones, each power had access to Chinese ports and
markets. Japan had also begun expanding its regional influence, and had
subsequently seized territory in China and Korea. The United States did not have
a zone in China, and this new system of privileges threatened to limit American
trade in China.
b. America Declares Equal Trade in China
i. To overcome these obstacles, U.S. Secretary of State John Hay issued the first of
a series of notes to foreign diplomats in 1899. He informed the leaders of
imperialist nations that the U.S. expected “perfect equality of treatment for
commerce” in China. Hay’s note did little to sway the decisions of European
nations or Japan immediately. Although, it would eventually come to serve as an
important guiding principle of American foreign policy in Asia.
c. The U.S. Intervenes in the Boxer Rebellion
i. However, some Chinese were outraged at the growing influence of outsiders in
their country. They responded by joining secret societies. An example of such a
society, the Righteous and Harmonious Fists, earned the nickname “Boxers”
from Europeans due to its members being trained in martial arts. These
societies typically celebrated traditional Chinese customs and criticized those of
VII.
the West. They also condemned any Chinese converts to Christianity.
Eventually, all of this conflict resulting in a full-on rebellion against the “foreign
devils.”
ii. In May 1900, the Boxers murdered foreign missionaries and bombarded the
foreign diplomats’ district in Beijing. A force comprised of European, American,
and Japanese troops was sent to the Chinese capital to subdue the Boxer
Rebellion. The initial force of 2,100 soldiers eventually grew to over 20,000,
including 2,000 Americans. Upon suppressing the rebellion, European powers
urged China’s imperial government to pay an indemnity (money to repair
damages that were caused due to the rebellion). However, this only added more
fuel to the ever-increasing nationalist fire. These nationalists would eventually
revolt against and overthrow the emperor in 1911.
d. Hay Reaffirms the Open Door Policy
i. As the Boxer Rebellion began to engulf China, Secretary of State Hay upheld
America’s Open Door Policy. In an additional letter to European powers, Hay
stated that the U.S. wanted to “preserve Chinese territorial and administrative
entity.” Put more simply, America had no plans to place colonies in China; all it
desired was free trade there. As an act of kindness, the United States put some
of its indemnity money from China to good use by funding scholarships for
Chinese students to study in America.
Tensions Rise Between America and Japan
a. Japan wished to expand its influence in China, much as the United States had been
doing. Similarly, the Japanese also frowned upon the European sphere of influence of
the area. To add to that, Japan took offense to the fact that Russian troops began to
occupy Manchuria, a section of China that bordered Russia. In February of 1904, even
without a declaration of war, Japan attacked and bottled up Russia’s Pacific fleet that
was stationed at Port Arthur, China. This victory seemingly went to Japan’s head, and
followed up on its victory with a series of major land skirmishes in Manchuria that
resulted in in over 100,000 Russian casualties. However, the Japanese also suffered
severe losses in the fighting.
b. Roosevelt Settles the Russo-Japanese War
i. In 1905, representatives from Russia and Japan met in in Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, to negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War. When the talks
hindered in progress, President Theodore Roosevelt stepped in and was able to
convince the two sides to sign a peace treaty. (Roosevelt had become the
President after McKinley had been assassinated in 1901.) Roosevelt was
awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. His intervention – and
subsequent receipt of the very famous award – adequately illustrated America’s
increasing role in world affairs.
c. Anti-Asian Prejudice Troubles Relations
i. Even with Roosevelt’s success, America had entered into a rocky relationship
with Japan. One of the main causes of this conflict was anti-Asian sentiment
harbored among the hearts of the West Coast of the United States. In the fall of
1906, the San Francisco School Board effectively prohibited Japanese, Chinese,
VIII.
and Korean children from attending public schools with white children. This
occurrence resulted in Japan’s immediate wrath. One Tokyo journal demanded
that Japan fight back, saying, “Stand up Japanese nation! Our countrymen have
been HUMILIATED on the other side of the Pacific.”
ii. Roosevelt was not a fan of the decision to segregate Asian children in the San
Francisco schools. He completely understood Japan’s intense anger with
America. To stifle the tensions, he negotiated a “Gentlemen’s Agreement” with
Japan. This pact would cause the school board to end its segregation policy.
Japan agreed that it would limit the emigration of its citizens to the United
States.
The Great White Fleet Sets Sail
a. Roosevelt employed diplomacy in his efforts to ease the conflict with Japan, but he also
promoted military preparedness to protect U.S. interests in Asia. By expressing
increasing concerns about Japan’s territorial expansion at the expense of China, Korea,
and Russia, the President was able to gain congressional support for a new force of navy
ships, known as the Great White Fleet. In 1907, Roosevelt sent the armada of 16 white
battleships, which was the Navy’s peacetime color scheme, on a “good will cruise”
across the globe. The voyage was meant to demonstrate America’s increased military
power to the world.
b. However, this type of voyage was not unprecedented. Naval courtesy calls had actually
become quite common in the 16th century, and became ever more important with the
rise of nationalism. As mentioned before, though, one of the main reasons for the Great
White Fleet’s voyage was to display that the U.S. had become a major sea power in the
years following the Spanish-American War. As the Panama Canal wasn’t completed at
the time of the voyage, the fleet had to pass through the Straits of Magellan. The scope
of such an operation was unprecedented in U.S. history, as ships had to sail from all
points of the compass to rendezvous points and proceed according to a carefully
orchestrated, well-thought out plan. It involved nearly all of the Navy’s operational
capability.