THE OPEN DOOR
POLICY
Objective: Define
Open Door policy and
its role in US
Imperialism
APK
Importance
 The Open Door policy of 1899 was
originally adopted so that the United States
could
– 1. restrict Chinese immigration.
– 2. stop Japan from attacking China.
– 3. gain equal trading rights in China.
– 4. encourage the development of democracy in
China.
CHINA & THE OPEN DOOR
POLICY.
 U.S. INVOLVEMENT STARTS IN 1830’S
 THE CHINESE EMPIRE IS IN DECLINE.
– Foreign powers in China were lured by huge Chinese
market and missionary zeal
 EUROPEAN “SPHERES OF INFLUENCE”
– By late 19th c., Japan and western European powers had
carved much of China into separate spheres of influence.
– Within each sphere, a nation held economic dominance
 1899 BRITISH WANT A JOINT US /BRITISH
DECLARATION
– American manufactures feared Chinese markets would be
monopolized by Europeans while American missionaries
had a number of groups in China.
 MCKINLEY REFUSES
SEC OF STATE JOHN HAY
 CIRCULATES AN OPEN DOOR NOTE
UNILATERALLY.(Summer of 1899)
– Issued by Secretary of State John Hay
• (US at a disadvantage geographically compared to
Russia and Japan, and American feared they might get
frozen out if they didn’t act quickly.
 DECLARES CHINESE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
SHOULD BE RESPECTED.
– Urged all the Great Powers to announce that in their
leaseholds or SO they would respect certain Chinese rights
and ideal of fair competition – In effect, when any GP dealt
with a foreign trader, it would observe Open Door.
 CHINA SHOULD BE OPEN TO ALL.
– Open Door gained wide acceptance in US
– Policy did not gain international acceptance as it was weak
and relatively short-lived
THE “BOXER REBELLION.”
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1900 THE UNIVERSAL FIST OF HARMONY= THE BOXERS.
DEMAND CHINA FOR THE CHINESE.
WANT TO EXPEL THE “FOREIGN DEVILS.”
55 DAY AT PEKING.
ALLIED ARMY BREAK THE SIEGE.
– Millions of Chinese enraged over Open Door Policy
– Super Patriotic Boxers killed over 200 missionaries and other
whites; a number of foreign diplomats besieged in Beijing
– Multinational force of 18,000 arrived to put down rebellion
• Included Japan, Russia, Britain, France, Germany and US
troops (2.5K)
– Victorious they assessed an indemnity of $333 million
(US got $24.5 mil), when Washington found sum
excessive, remitted $18 million
• Appreciative of US, Chinese gov set aside money to educate
a select group of Chinese students in the US as a gesture of
good will
– Hay announced in 1900 that henceforth the Open Door would embrace
territorial integrity of China in addition to its commercial treaty.
HAY ISSUES A 2ND OPEN
DOOR NOTE.
 U.S. IS TOO WEAK TO UNILATERALLY
ENFORCE THE DEMAND.
 BUT CLEVER DIPLOMACY WORKS.
– Sought to eliminate carving up China with Boxer
outrages as a pretext
– Hay did not ask for formal acceptances
– China thus spared partition during these years.
 Outcomes
– US maintained a lasting influence in Asia
– Created a market for American goods to be sold
Importance
 The Open Door policy of 1899 was
originally adopted so that the United States
could
– 1. restrict Chinese immigration.
– 2. stop Japan from attacking China.
– 3. gain equal trading rights in China.
– 4. encourage the development of democracy in
China.
Closure
 One lasting effect of the U.S. Open Door
policy in China was that
– 1. it set the stage for continuing U.S. influence
in Asia.
– 2. China and the United States always have
enjoyed a history of good relations.
– 3. Asian countries were forced to allow U.S.
military bases there.
– 4. the United States became reluctant to trade
with other Asian countries.
Closure
 In the early 1900s, China was important to
the United States because
– 1. the United States needed an ally in the fight
against Japan.
– 2. China had become a strong military power
and could pose a threat.
– 3. businesses wanted to export goods to China,
a huge market.
– 4. China was an important source of raw
materials for U.S. factories.
Closure
 What caused the United States to adopt the
Open Door Policy?
– 1. European powers threatened to invade the
U.S.
– 2. European powers were about to monopolize
trade in China.
– 3. European powers approached the U.S. about
sharing China.
– 4. China wanted the U.S. to come and rescue
them from the European powers.
Closure
 The rapid growth of industry in the United
States helped fuel the U.S. Open Door
Policy because
– 1. America needed unspoiled places for its
workers to vacation.
– 2. Americans had more time to read about
foreign places.
– 3. the United States was producing more
goods than its own people could buy.
– 4. Americans wanted to take over foreign
factories and learn their secrets.