New Directions in Foreign
Policy
a detailed exposition
Young America
 Big Stick Diplomacy
 Theodore Roosevelt’s Policy
 Expresses the idea of peaceful negotiation implemented by
some form of force
 America becomes a Militarily strong nation from this idealism
 Panama Canal
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Roosevelt negotiates with Columbia to build a canal
Columbia is uncooperative
America’s Navy supports a revolution to separate Panama
Financial benefits are given to Panama to stay independent
 $10 million along with $250,000 annually
Not as Young America
 Dollar Diplomacy
 Encouraged by President Taft
 Originally implemented by Roosevelt in 1904
 A strategy that opened foreign markets by providing economic
stability
 Loans were backed in foreign countries to promote economic
activity
 Latin America and East Asia
 Designed to exclusively promote trade for America
 Led the U.S. to take up many Latin American debts to avoid
any intervening from other countries
 Monroe doctrine, U.S. felt responsible to watch over these
countries
“This policy has been characterized as
substituting dollars for bullets. It is one that
appeals alike to idealistic humanitarian
sentiments, to the dictates of sound policy and
strategy, and to legitimate commercial aims.”
-William Taft
1912 State of the Union address
America
 Thomas Woodrow Wilson
 (December 28, 1856 - February 3, 1924)
 28th President of the United States
 Elected in 1912
 Democratic Party
 Opposed: William Taft (Republican), Eugene Debs (Party
of America), Theodore Roosevelt (Progressive Party)
 Extremely Productive
 Legislature activity included Federal reserve Act, Federal
Trade Commission Act, Child Labor, & Women’s Suffrage
America & Wilson
 Moral Diplomacy
 Directly opposed the Imperialistic Big Stick Idealism
 Went against sly dollar diplomacy
 Wilson declares the government would no longer give special
support to foreign investors
 American Bankers pull out of Taft’s “Six-nation Loan to China”
 Wilson and the Panama Canal
 Panama Canal Tolls Act of 1912, states America is exempt from
tolls on moving goods through the canal
 Act is repealed in 1914
 Satisfied Britain, because America now had to pay to ship
goods like other countries
America & Wilson
 Moral Diplomacy
 Jones Act, 1916
 Grants the Philippines territorial status and independence once
a “stable government” was established
 Not until July 4th 1946 was Philippine independence given
 Issues in California
 Californian Legislature established a defensive policy of
Japanese immigration
 Sparked several protests in Tokyo
 Wilson sends Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan, to
encourage changes in the policy which relaxed tensions
America Falters
 Haiti – An unstable Empire
 1914 the Haitian people rioted and tore their
brutal president apart.
 In 1915 as a precaution to protect American lives
and property, marines were dispatched
 They remained for 19 years
 Haiti becomes an American protectorate
 Wilson is forced to go back on his Moral Diplomacy
 Uses The Roosevelt Corollary to make a treaty
México
 Mexico was exploited
 Over 1 billion invested by foreigners
 Railroads, oil, mines
 Mexico became rich but the Mexicans were poor
 Revolution ensued
 Escalated when rebels assassinated the popular new
revolutionary president
 Installed a leader, Victoriano Huerta (Indian)
 Accelerated migration to the U.S. to escape the
revolution
México
 American investments plummet
 Jingoes pressed for intervention
 William Randolf Hearst, ranch owner
 Wilson expresses Moral Diplomacy
 Fires the Ambassador stationed in Mexico
 Imposes arms embargo
 Refused to officially recognize Huerta as the
government
“I am going to teach the South American
Republics to elect good men.”
-Woodrow Wilson
How does this relate to moral diplomacy?
México
 American arms flow to Huerta’s enemies to
weaken the regime.
 Venustiano Carranza
 Fransisco (Pancho) Villa
Tampico Incident
 Mexican tensions increased
 April of 1914 a small party of American sailors
was arrested
 Shortly after they were released and Mexico
apologized
 Wilson becomes upset and orders the Navy
to attack the port of Vera Cruz
 He acted before congress’ approval
Tampico Inncident
 Wilson thinks conflict is inevitable
 Mediation is offered by Chile, Brazil, and
Argentina
 Huerta’s regime collapses from external and internal
pressures
 Replaced by Venustiano Carranza
 “Pancho” Villa was discontent with Carranza’s
appointment to President
 In retaliation Villa executed 16 Americans on a train
and 19 civilians in New Mexico
Europe
 Conflict in Europe caused the war
 Alliances cause a chain reaction dragging the
world into crisis
 Central Powers
 Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria
 Allied Forces
 United States, Britain, Russia, France
Photo Representation
The Great War
 Neutrality Proclamation
 Wilson encouraged the country to remain
neutral on Europe’s matters
 Both sides wanted the U.S. involvement
 Most Americans were anti-German in the first place
 Along with their strike in Belgium which was
neutral
 Though the country was tempted most
Americans Still wanted neutrality
Economy
 Though the country was neutral American
goods were traded with Europe reviving the
recession
 Germans, however, still destroyed American
ships angering America
 Lusitania, 128 Americans perished
 America clamors for war
 Wilson still repels war by politically asserting America’s
interests
Change in Policy
 America becomes involved in the war
 Opposite of Neutral Proclamation
 America becomes aggressively involved
 New directions in foreign policy don’t
phase the American People
 Full support from the population
Review
 How does America’s Foreign Policy change
in the early 1900’s?
 What is the basis of the Jones Act?
 Why did Wilson want America to stay
neutral during the war?
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