The
Emergence of
the US as a
World Power
Chapter 5
The US becomes a
World Power
I. The Imperialist Vision
A. American Foreign Policy Trends
What is Foreign Policy?
- All of the stands and actions which a nation
takes in every aspect of its relationships with
other countries
- includes diplomatic, military, commercial, etc.
1. Historical Goals
a. National Security
b. Promote Trade
c. Promote and support Democracy
d. Altruism (unselfish regard for the welfare of
others) Humanitarianism
e. Gain Respect
2. Early Foreign Policy Trends as outlined
by George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson
a. Avoid entangling alliances
b. Promote trade!
George Washington’s Advice?
“The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign
nations, is in extending our commercial relations - to
have with them as little political connection as possible”
3. 1823: Monroe Doctrine: policy of excluding
further European colonization in the
Western Hemisphere
More or less established the
Western Hemisphere as
OUR hemisphere
4. Many early foreign dealings were
TRADE and/or MISSIONARY related
American Foreign Trade:
1870-1914
a. 1840s: opened China (trade, clipper ships,
missionaries to China, Chinese RR
workers to US)
b. 1850s: opened Japan - Matthew Perry
1) Japan reluctant to trade w/ US – fear
destruction of Japanese culture
2) requests for trade deal DENIED!
3) US sends warships (painted black) to
Japan to secure trade treaty
4) Japanese in shock and awe! Sign the
Treaty of Kanagawa
- trade agreement secured!
- Japan began industrializing and
emerged as a leading military
power in Asia – soon defeating
China and then Russia in two
separate wars – and of course later,
taking on the US
Japanese Scroll of Commodore Perry’s Historic 1854 Expedition:
The detailed scroll, attributed to artists Hibata Osuke and Takagawa Bunsen, is the only
eyewitness depiction of the visit known to be in existence. Watercolor paintings show scenes
from the journey based on first-hand sketches, such as the arrival of the fleet of ships, the
American soldiers meeting sumo wrestlers, the Americans gifting a model railway to the
Japanese, and the funeral for an American who died along the way.
•
•
•
•
•
March 1852: Pres Fillmore orders Matthew C. Perry to command Naval Squadron
to establish diplomatic relations with Japan.
July 1853: black ships led by USS Powhatan & commanded by Perry, anchored at
Edo (Tokyo) Bay. Never before had the Japanese seen ships steaming with smoke.
They thought the ships were "giant dragons puffing smoke." They did not know that
steamboats existed and were shocked by the number and size of the guns on
board the ships.
Perry brought a letter from Pres Fillmore, to the Emperor of Japan. He waited with
his armed ships and refused to see any of the lesser dignitaries sent by the
Japanese, insisting on dealing only with the highest emissaries of the Emperor.
Japanese gov’t realized that their country was in no position to defend itself against
a foreign power, & Japan could not retain its isolation policy without risking war. On
March 31, 1854, after weeks of long and tiresome talks, Perry received what he had
so dearly worked for--a treaty with Japan. The Treaty of Kanagawa. The treaty
provided for:
– Peace & friendship btwn US & Japan
– Opening of 2 ports to American ships
– Help for any American ships wrecked on the Japanese coast and protection for
shipwrecked persons
– Permission for American ships to buy supplies, coal, water, and other
necessary provisions in Japanese ports,
This treaty led to significant commercial trade between the US and Japan,
contributed to opening Japan to other Western nations, and ultimately resulted in
the modernization/industrialization of the Japanese State
Matthew Perry Opened Japan to US
Commodore Perry
c. Alaska(1867) - purchased from Russia for
$7.2 m (2 cents/acre)
1) many critical over this purchase
2) “Seward’s Icebox/Seward’s Folly”
d. Need for Coaling Stations (refueling)
trading w/ Pacific required acquisition of
several strategically located islands where
ships could refuel
1) 1867: Midway Islands
2) 1899: Wake Island.
Both uninhabited when
acquired by US
5. American Imperialist Acquisitions
Imperialism = the economic and
political domination of a strong nation
over weaker nations
a. Hawaii Status of Hawaii prior to this
era? Sovereign nation; monarchy
1) 1820s: traders, missionaries whalers
2) mid 1800s: American settlers growing
sugarcane
3) 1875: US Senate ratifies treaty exempting
Hawaiian sugar from tariffs
* when treaty up for renewal, US
demands exclusive rights to Pearl
Harbor as a naval station
* Americans controlled 2/3 of islands
taxable real estate and were
influential in Hawaiian gov’t
4) 1890: McKinley tariff – removed tariff on all
imported sugar ending Hawaii’s advantage in
US market
*economy collapses
5) 1891: Queen Liliuokalani – tried to curb
American influence and put Hawaiians in
control of their own economy
*attempted to impose new constitution
that would have reasserted her
authority over Hawaiians
6) US sugar planters arrange coup
coup: sudden, violent overthrow of an existing
gov’t by a small group
* Sanford Dole, a prominent American
affiliated with the sugar planters
called in US servicemen called in
* Queen Lil forced to give up power
7) Planters set up gov’t in “The Republic of
Hawaii”
* Sanford Dole becomes President
* Queen Lil under house arrest
Sanford Dole
Queen Lil’s Protest
I Liliuokalani, by the Grace of God and under the Constitution of the
Hawaiian Kingdom, Queen, do hereby solemnly protest against any and all
acts done against myself and the Constitutional Government of the
Hawaiian Kingdom by certain persons claiming to have established a
Provisional Government of and for this Kingdom. That I yield to the superior
force of the United States of America whose Minister Plenipotentiary, His
Excellency John L. Stevens, has caused United States troops to be landed
a Honolulu and declared that he would support the Provisional Government.
Now to avoid any collision of armed forces, and perhaps the loss of life, I do
this under protest and impelled by said force yield my authority until such
time as the Government of the United States shall, upon facts being
presented to it, undo the action of its representatives and reinstate me in the
authority which I claim as the Constitutional Sovereign of the Hawaiian
Islands.
Done at Honolulu this 17th day of January, A.D. 1893.
8) 1893: some call for annexation of
Hawaii. Pres Cleveland opposed to
imperialism and withdrew treaty from
Senate and tried to restore Queen Lil
*Planters wait for new President
9) 1898: McKinley President; Hawaii
annexed, Sanford Dole becomes
Governor
b. Samoa
1) 1872: US ships refuel
2) 1878: becomes “protectorate of the US
3) 1889: close to war w/ Brits and Germany
over Samoas – saved by a hurricane
4) 1899: Brits withdraw, Germany and US
divide the Samoan islands
6. Latin America
a. US bought raw materials from region, but LAs
bought most of their manufactured goods from
Europe – US wanted to change this
b. US wanted Europe to know that US is
dominate power in region
c. James C. Blaine – Sec. of State
- organized a conference to support peace &
increase trade
- Pan-Americanism – US and LA should work
together
- goal: to create customs union (reduce tariffs, =
trade practices), system to work out disputes
(keep Europe from meddling in American affairs)
- goals not accomplished but agree to cooperate.
Led to Organization of American States (OAS)
C. Driving Forces Behind American Imperialism
1. European Example - brought out our
competitive spirit
a. Power judged by an empire’s size
b. Reasons behind European expansion
1)High tariffs btwn industrialized nations
reduced trade – needed overseas places to
sell their products
2) Lack of investment opportunities in Europe –
needed new places to invest – most of the
industries that Europe’s economy needed
had already been built
c. established protectorates to protect
investments
2. Social Darwinism and other new ideas of
the age in religion and science
a. Social Darwinism: believed that
nations compete with e/o politically,
economically, and militarily, and that
only the strongest would survive
b. Anglo-Saxonism: English speaking
nations had superior character,
ideas, and systems of gov’t. Thus,
they were destined to dominate the
planet
3. Religious and Missionary Interests
a. Missionary: a person who is sent to a
foreign country to do religious work
(such as to convince people to join a
religion or to help people who are sick,
poor, etc.)
b. Josiah Strong – linked Anglo-Saxonism
to Christian missionary ideas. (“progress
follows the missionary”) -said “The
Anglo-Saxon is divinely commissioned
to be his brother’s keeper.” – His ideas
convinced many Americans to support
imperialism and the expansion of US
power overseas
c. Rudyard Kipling – “White Man’s Burden”
“Take up the White
Man's burden—
Send forth the best ye
breed—
Go bind your sons to
exile
To serve your captives'
need;
To wait in heavy
harness,
On fluttered folk and
wild—
Your new-caught, sullen
peoples,
Half-devil and halfchild.”
4. Economic Reasons for Expansion
a. 1890 – trade imbalance of $1.6B
b. Had to find new markets, sources of
raw materials, places where Americans
could safely invest surplus capital
c. Senator Albert Beveridge – “traders of
the world must be us”
5. Nationalism (Jingoism)
– “we do not fight/but, by Jingo, if we do/
we’ve got the ships, we’ve got the
men/we’ve got the money too”
a. The extreme belief that your own
country is always best
1) often shown in enthusiastic
support for war against another
country
2) Failure to expand seen as a sign
of decay (like Spain)
b. Saw it as part of Manifest Destiny
to expand overseas and spread its
civilization to other people
6. Military/Strategic Interests
a. Alfred T. Mahan – wrote Influence
of Sea Power Upon History
1) argued that nations could
achieve greatness only by sea
power
2) called for a strong navy, naval
bases and an inter-oceanic
canal
b. 1880: US navy = 12th in world
- Congress approved funds to
construct 1st American
battleships w/ large guns/wide
cruising range
** By 1900: US navy = 3rd in world
7. Close of the Frontier (Turner’s Thesis)
a. West is settled
b. Must look further West – beyond our
continental borders – the new Manifest
Destiny – need a new frontier to
conquer
II. Spanish-American War
“A Splendid Little War”
A. Background to the SpanishAmerican War
1. Spain – a fading World Power
2. Cuba – colony of Spain (1492-1898)
a. Cubans in midst of bloody
revolution against Spain for their
independence
b. US views Spain as tyrant, supports
Cubans
3. The Philippines – colony of Spain
(1571-1898)
B. Causes of the Spanish-American War
1. Economic Interests
a. US has thriving biz with Cuba (only 90 miles
from Florida!)
1) $27 m in trade annually
2) US invests $50 -100m in Cuban mines,
RRs,sugar plantations
b. Sugar!
1) Cuba produced ~ 1/3 world’s sugar in
mid 1800s – lots of wealth produced for
Spain!
2) US wanted Cuban sugar, but too
expensive due to tariffs (imposed on
Spain)…... but if Cuba were free …… 
2. Humanitarian Reasons
a. support for the “Cuba Libre” movement
(begun 1860s) led by Jose Marti
1) Marti raised $$ trained Cuban exiles in
US for later invasion of Cuba
2) Americans compared Cuban struggle
for independence to the American
Revolution
b. Reports of Spanish Atrocities against Cubans
1) 1890s, Spain sent “Butcher” Wyler to
crush Cuban insurrection.
2) Cuban villagers sent to “reconcentration
camps” where appx 200,000 died –
Americans outraged – call for US
intervention in the conflict
3. Public Opinion
a. US officially neutral, but American public
openly supports Cuban rebels against Spain
b. Americans support Cuban rebels thanks in
part to Yellow Journalism – a type of
sensational, biased, and often false reporting
for the sake of attracting readers
1) circulation wars btwn William Randolph
Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer
2) If truth didn’t sell enough papers,
manufacture the truth!
“blood on the roadsides, blood in the
fields, blood on the doorsteps,
blood, blood, blood!”
“Yellow” journalism takes its name from the “Yellow kid” comic
strip, which featured a scrappy little bald kid in a flashy yellow
nightshirt. Drawn by R.F. Outcault, the comic strip first ran in
1895 in Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World. The bright yellow
ink attracted readers. Therefore, yellow journalism came to
refer to flashy, unsubstantiated news accounts.
“Yellow Journalism” & Jingoism
Joseph Pulitzer
Hearst to Frederick Remington:
You furnish the pictures,
and I’ll furnish the war!
William Randolph Hearst
4. Events of 1898
a. deLome letter (Feb 9, 1898)
1) Enrique deLome =
Spanish Ambassador
to US
2) In a letter, deLome refers to Pres.
McKinley as “weak and a bidder for the
admiration of the crowd”
3) letter intercepted by Cuban agent and
given to US newspaper
4) Americans outraged over the insult to
Pres. McKinley
b. Explosion of USS Maine in Havana harbor
(Feb 15, 1898)
1) Maine had been sent to Cuba to
evacuate Americans in case of
increased violence there
2) ship explodes killing 266 Americans
3) US press blames Spain. American
public calls for war!
“ Remember the Maine, to hell with
Spain!!”
4) McKinley hesitant , faces growing
criticism for not declaring war
Remember the Maine and
to Hell with Spain!!
Funeral for Maine
victims in Havana
Yellow Journalism Quick Write Assignment:
Thursday Oct 15
With a partner, use pages 184 and 185 from the
textbook to write a newspaper article employing
Yellow Journalism techniques. You may choose to
write about any of the following events that led to
the Spanish-American War (explosion of the USS
Maine or the Spanish treatment of the Cuban
people). This article should be one paragraph in
length and a minimum of 50 words. Alternate
assignment, (must have teacher approval – NO
PARTNER): Draw an editorial cartoon covering one
of the incidents listed above. This too must employ
Yellow Journalism
C. The Spanish-American War 1898
1. Declaration of War
a. April 11, 1898: with both Republicans and
Democrats calling for war, McKinley (R)
reluctantly agrees to ask Congress for
declaration of war against Spain
** feared Democrats would win in 1900 if
he didn’t
b. April 19, 1898: Congress declares Cuba
independent and demands that Spain
withdraw from the island
c. April 24, 1898: Spain declares war on US
d. April 25, 1898: US Congress declares war on
Spain
When President McKinley asked Congress for a
declaration of war, the House of Representatives
voted 311 to 6 in support of the declaration. The
Senate was more evenly divided, voting 42 to 35. To
appease some reluctant members of Congress, the
Teller amendment was added to the declaration. The
amendment called for the United States to help Cuba
become an independent country once the war had
ended.
2. The Plan: A Two Front War
a. US knew war would be decided at sea
1) US had more battleships, newer
battleships
2) Spanish warships old and crews poorly
trained
b. US plan was to defeat Spain’s naval fleet to
prevent Spain from getting supplies to Cuba
c. Also, US had to prevent Spanish fleet in
Philippines (another Spanish colony) from
sailing east to attack the US
so……….
3. 1st Battle of S-A War: The US Takes
the Philippines
a. US Navy’s North Atlantic Squadron blockaded
Cuba
b. US Asiatic fleet in Hong Kong ordered to
attack Spanish fleet in Philippines
c. May 1, 1898: The US Navy led by
Commodore George Dewey attacked Spanish
fleet in Manila Bay
1) Spanish fleet sunk in 7hrs w/o loss of a
single American sailor or ship! (300
Spanish dead)
2) George Dewey becomes American
naval hero!
d. with Spanish naval fleet out of the way, the US
moves to capture the Philippines
e. US sends 20,000 army troops from US. (They
seize Guam, another Spanish possession, on
the way to the Philippines)
USS Olympia in the left foreground, leading the U.S. Asiatic Squadron
in destroying the Spanish fleet off Cavite
Dewey Captures Manila!
f. With help from Filipino patriot, Emilio Aguinaldo
and a Filipino army, US captures Manila Aug
1898. But then…..
1) Aguinaldo’s forces not allowed in city
2) Aguinaldo’s rebel gov’t not recognized
by US
3) relations btwn Filipinos and US forces
grow hostile – They were expecting
independence, but are
now suspicious of US
intentions
American troops pose victoriously on the
ramparts of Manila, circa 1899. (photo:
Library of Congress)
4. American Forces Battle in Cuba
a. while Navy blockades, US Army prepares to
mobilize
b. Army in deplorable state
1) only 28,000 regulars compared to
Spain’s 80,000 in Cuba alone!
2) poor training and unsanitary conditions
in training camps, wool uniforms etc.
c. June 14, 1898:
17,000 troops invade
near Santiago
d. The Rough Riders!
1) a volunteer cavalry unit comprised of
cowboys, adventurous college students,
miners and ex-cons
2) led by Col. Leonard Wood with Teddy
Roosevelt 2nd in command
3) gained vantage pt with victories at Kettle
Hill and San Juan Hill
4) accompanied by 9th & 10th Tenth Negro
Theodore
Cavalry led by John Pershing - deserved
Roosevelt
much of the credit for Kettle Hill/San
Juan Hill victories
5) July 14, 1898: city of Santiago,
surrounded by US forces, surrenders
Theodore Roosevelt
Assistant Secretary of the
Navy in the McKinley
administration.
Imperialist and American
nationalist.
Criticized President
McKinley as having the
backbone of a chocolate
éclair!
Resigns his position to fight
in Cuba.
The
“Rough
Riders”
NCOs from 10th
Cavalry Unit
10th
Cavalry
in
Cuba
10th US Cavalry in
Tampa on their way to
Cuba
5. Spanish-American War Ends 1898
a. US troops occupy
nearby Spanish
colony of Puerto Rico
b. Aug 12, 1898: US &
Spain agree to
cease-fire
c. Impact of War
1) 5462 died, only 385 in battle
2) learned how inadequate military was
**3) US becomes a world power with an
overseas empire!!!
D. An American Empire is Born
1. Treaty of Paris
a. signed Dec 10, 1898: treaty formally ending
Spanish-American War
b. The terms of the Treaty of Paris
1) Cuba independent/free
2) Spain ceded/US annexed Puerto Rico,
& Guam
3) US pays Spain $20m for the Philippines
- but now what do we do with them?
President McKinley on the Philippines: “…I looked up their location on the
globe, I could not have told where those darned islands were within 2,000
miles.”
The Philippines
2. To annex or not to annex……
a. Arguments in favor of annexation of the
Philippines
1) provide US w/ naval base in Asia & a
stopover on the way to China
Hmm…The
2) large market for US goods
Philippines were
a Spanish
3) US had duty to “uplift and civilize and
Colony for 300+
years. What
Christianize them” – teach the “less
religion do the
civilized” how to live properly
Spanish
practice?
4) Who’s calling for annexation? Henry
Cabot Lodge: US Imperialist Senator called for the annexation of the
Philippines. He also argued that the
US needed to have a strong navy
and be more involved in foreign affairs.
b. Arguments against (Anti-Imperialist League
– led by Mark Twain, Jane Addams, Samuel
Gompers, Andrew Carnegie)
1) cost of maintaining an empire far
outweighed the economic benefits it
provided
- each colony would need defense
forces to protect if from rival nations
2) thought cheap labor from colonies
would drive down American wages
3) undemocratic! Violated American
principles
Pro
Con
c. The decision?
1) McKinley decided that public opinion
favored taking the Philippines
“ Put the Philippines on the map of
the United States”
2) Treaty of Paris ratified by Senate Feb
1899
3) Cuba free!
Puerto Rico & Guam ours!
and Philippines ours too!
America Grows Overseas
3. Rebellion in the Philippines
a. With Spain defeated, Filipinos expect
independence
b. Instead, the Philippines gets a new colonizer,
the USA
c. Emilio Aguinaldo
(who helped us
defeat the
Spanish in the
Philippines) leads
an insurrection
against US troops
using guerilla
tactics
d. US response?
1) Sent Gen Arthur MacArthur to fight
guerillas
- established policies similar to those
that the US had condemned Spain
for in Cuba (reconcentration camps
where thousands died from
disease/starvation)
2) US civilian governor, William H. Taft
(great administrator!) eases some
Filipino resentment
- builds roads, bridges, telegraph lines
- set up public school system
- creates new health care system
Taft: Governor of the Philippines
William Howard Taft riding a carabao during
his term as Governor General of the Philippines
e. Independence for the Philippines?
1) 1901: Aguinaldo captured – accepted
US control of Philippines & called on
guerillas to surrender
2) 1902: US declares war over
- 7000 US casualties, 20,000 Filipino
guerillas + lots of civilians
- cost us $600 m
3) 1916: Jones Act – elections for all gov’t
except for governor
4) 1934: Tydings-McDuffie Act – pledged
eventual independence
5) 1946: after Japanese occupation in
WWII, Philippines = independent
4. Governing Puerto Rico
a. Foraker Act 1900
1) PR = unincorporated territory
2) Puerto Ricans ≠ US citizens
- have no constitutional rights
3) import duties on PR goods
4) Congress can pass whatever laws it
wanted on PR
b. Jones Act 1917
1) Puerto Ricans = US citizens
2) right to elect their leaders
c. 1952: PR became self-governing commonwealth
under US protection
d. Statehood???
5. Cuba & the Platt Amendment
a. Independence with conditions
b. The Platt Amendment
1) Cuba not to enter into agreements with
foreign powers that would endanger its
independence
2) Cuba to allow US to buy lease naval
stations in Cuba (Guantanamo Bay ring
a bell?)
Sen. Platt
3) Cuba not to build up excessive debt (so
no one sends troops to demand
payment)
4) US could intervene in Cuban affairs to
ensure an efficient, independent gov’t
there
c. The Result? The Platt Amendment effectively
made Cuba an American protectorate!
d. Platt Amendment repealed in 1934, but US
retained naval base at Guantanamo Bay
- Since 2002, home of controversial “Gitmo”
prison camp for enemy combatants who
have been, or may someday be charged
with terrorism
- In 2009, Pres. Obama ordered camp
closed in Jan 2010 – it’s still open
III. New American Diplomacy
Big Stick Diplomacy
A. Theodore Roosevelt’s Rise to Power
1. Election of 1900
a. The Candidates
D = William Jennings Bryan
- anti-imperialist, critical of
Republican support of imperialism
in Asia
R = William McKinley
- focus on rise of prosperity in his 1st
term
- VP candidate = Teddy Roosevelt
(famous Spanish-American War
hero
Democrat
Republican
b. The Winner? Easy win for McKinley!
c. McKinley assassinated! Sept 6, 1901
- by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist
d. Teddy Roosevelt is President at age 42
(youngest President ever)
Leon Czolgosz
2. Roosevelt Becomes President
a. energy, personality, enthusiasm, war fame!
b. Believed US should be a world power
c. Accepted ideas of
Anglo-Saxonism
– US has a duty to
shape the “less
civilized” corners
of the earth
B. American Diplomacy in Asia
Diplomacy: the art and practice of conducting
negotiations between nations
* in the US, this is the function of the State
Dept.
1. Nation’s primary interest in Asia?
a. US = 3rd lrgst navy in the world – capable
of exerting US power anywhere in East
Asia
b. US main interest
was NOT conquest,
but Commerce and
Trade
2. The Open Door Policy
a. 1894: War btwn Japan & China over Korea
1) Western powers expected China to win
easily b/c of its massive armed forces
Manchuria
region of China 2) But Japan wins
- China grants Korea independence
- China cedes territory in Manchuria
(large, resource rich in NE China) to
Japan
b. Impact of this War?
1) showed that Japan had successfully
adopted Western technology & industry
2) demonstrated that China was weaker
than anyone thought
c. Tensions btwn Japan and Russia rise over
Manchuria (bordered Russia)
- Russia forced Japan to give back the part
of Manchuria to China & later made China
lease the territory to Russia
d. Other European nations also began
demanding leaseholds in China
1) leaseholds became European “sphere’s
of influence” – section of a country
where one foreign nation enjoys special
rights and powers
2) each foreign nation controlled economic
development in their “sphere”
Spheres of Influence in China
e. US worried about loss of trade opportunities
in China
f. Sec of State John Hay introduced the “Open
Door Policy” – a policy that allowed each
foreign nation in China to trade freely in the
other nations’ spheres of influence
3. The Boxer Rebellion (1900)
a. an attempt by group known as “Boxers” to
rebel against foreign influence in China
1) hope to expel foreign “devils” and
their Christian converts whom they
believed were corrupting Chinese
society
2) killed 200+ foreigners and held others
prisoner
b. Aug 1900: Int’l force (including US) quashed
rebellion
c. China’s punishment? Must pay reparations
1) China not broken up into colonies
2) US maintains trade access
The Boxer Rebellion
Called Boxers b/c they
belonged to a secret
society whose
members practiced
martial arts
US helps put down the rebellion
4. Balancing Power in East Asia
a. TRs goal to prevent any single nation from
monopolizing trade in China
b. Russo-Japanese War (1905)
1) Japan attacked Russia in an attempt to
drive Russia out of Manchuria
2) TR offers to help settle the conflict – why?
- wanted both Japan & Russia to
uphold Open Door Policy
- feared Japan would become too
strong if it won
3) Treaty of Portsmouth (1905) – war over
4) TR receives Nobel Peace Prize
A funny for you
T. Roosevelt
W. Wilson
J. Carter
B. Obama
c. The Great White Fleet (1907)
1) TR sent 16 white battleships on a sail
around the world to show off US military
might
2) especially hoped to impress Japan with
whom relations were growing
progressively worse
Great White
Fleet Route
Around the
World
The Great White Fleet: 1907
C. A Growing Presence in the Caribbean
1. T Roosevelt & Latin America
a. Believed in a strong global military
presence
- displaying US power to the world
would make them think twice about
fighting. Thus military power = peace
b. Employed “Big Stick” or “Gunboat”
diplomacy
c. His goals in the region?
1) build inter-oceanic canal
2) Keep Europe out of W.
Hemisphere
Speak Softly,
But Carry a Big Stick!
2. Panama Canal
a. vital to American power in the world
- would save time and money for both
commercial & military shipping
b. Hay-Pauncefote Treaty (1901)
1) btwn US & Great Britain
2) gave US exclusive right to build &
control any proposed canal through
Central America
c. French attempt to build canal through
Panama: begun in 1881, but abandoned by
1889 due to bankruptcy & rampant disease
among the laborers (1/2 died!)
d. French company offers to sell its rights &
property in Panama to US (1903)
1) problem: Panama owned by Colombia
2) offered to buy rights and pay rent, but
Colombia refused offer. On to plan B….
3. Revolt in Panama
a. Panamanians unhappy w/ Colombian rule
1) French company’s agent, Philippe
Bunau-Varilla & Panamanian officials
decide that the only way to get canal
built was for Panama to declare
independence & make their own deal w/
US
2) Bunau-Varilla arranged for small army to
stage uprising in Panama
3) Nov 3, 1903 – the revolt. TR sent warships
to Panama to prevent Colombian response
4) Revolution succeeds
b. New Treaty: Hay-Banau-Varilla Treaty
1) $10 m to Panama + $250,000 yearly
2) right to a 10 mi wide, 40 mi long “zone”
c. Protests in US over TRs role – condemned as
unjustifiable aggression
TRs response? Said he advanced “the needs
of a collective civilization by building canal that
shortened distance btwn Atlantic & Pacific by
8000 nautical miles
Panama Canal
d. Building the Canal
1) Geographic Challenges!
- swamps filled w/ disease carrying
mosquitos
- heavy jungle and rock
- high heat and humidity
2) William C. Gorgas (army physician)
- drained swamps, & ponds.
Eradicated mosquitoes in18 mos.
Malaria & Yellow Fever declined
Click the Speaker button
to listen to the audio again.
3) Construction
- 43,000 laborers
- 61 m lbs of dynamite used to blast
through rock & remove huge trees
- 5 m cubic yds of concrete
4) completed 1914
- most expensive project to date at
$365 m
- 5600+ killed in construction
5) Considered the greatest engineering
feat of all time upon its completion
Construction of the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
Cruising on the Panama Canal
4. The Roosevelt Corollary
a. TR expands “big stick” diplomacy with the
Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
1) US reserves right to intervene in LA
affairs when necessary to maintain
stability in the Western Hemisphere
2) aimed at keeping
European nations
from sending troops
to Central America
or Caribbean
Intervene: to interfere usually
by force or threat of force in
another nation's internal affairs
b. Roosevelt Corollary in Action
1) Dominican Republic
2) DR fell behind on its debt payments to
European nations
3) TR sent US Marines to DR to collect
customs tariffs & make debt payments
c. Latin Americans begin to resent the growing
US influence in the region
US actions in Latin America
5. Dollar Diplomacy
a. President after TR = William H. Taft
1) continued much of TRs foreign policy,
but with an emphasis on helping Latin
American Industry
2) Believed that if US biz leaders
supported LA development, everyone
would benefit
- US increases trade
- US biz increase profits
- LA countries rise out of poverty &
social disorder
- Europeans need not interfere in LA!
b. Dollars & Guns in Nicaragua
1) 1911: US banks loan $ to Nicaragua to
support its gov’t
2) 1912: Nicaragua asks for more aid
3) US Marines to Nicaragua
- replace customs collector w/
American agent
- formed a committee of 2 Americans
+ 1 Nicaraguan to control customs
commissions
4) US troops in Nicaragua until 1925