EOC Test Preparation: International Expansion and Conflict

Reasons for Expansion Economics – Imperialism Set up colonies abroad – Capitalism More markets and resources abroad would make the US wealthy Defense – National defense Alfred T. Mahan and The Influence of Sea Power Upon History – The US military developed a navy that was one of the most powerful in the world

Reasons for Expansion Nationalism – National pride – Manifest Destiny – Social Darwinism Racism and The White Man’s Burden – Rudyard Kipling

Reasons for Expansion Isolationism – Not in the best interest of the US to gain control on foreign territories – Still see this debate today

Expansion Seward’s Folly – Sec. of State William Seward bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 – People thought it was foolish – Seward recognized this as a move to push Russia farther away from the US coast – Seward was concerned about British control of Canada – Seward was also sure that Alaska had valuable natural resources

Expansion Hawaii (1898) – Pearl Harbor Important naval base – Sugar plantations – Other natural resources

Foreign Policy All eyes on China – Open Door Policy Left China open for US trade and commerce – Boxer Rebellion Chinese nationalists against foreign interference Killed 300 foreigners and Christians

Foreign Policy Japan – Theodore Roosevelt concerned with Japanese attacks in the Pacific – Sends American navy out to flaunt power in an attempt to keep Japan from attacking American territories – Later Roosevelt will win a Nobel Peace Prize for ending the Russo-Japanese War

The Panama Canal Roosevelt believes a canal across Panama would be crucial to US military and economic interests – Philippians, Hawaii, Guam Colombia controlled Panama and would not sell/lease the land 1903-Panamanians revolted and Roosevelt sent navy to help

Roosevelt Corollary Big Stick Diplomacy – Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far. Corollary built on the Monroe Doctrine – Europe wouldn’t colonize in the Western hemisphere – Roosevelt furthered this by saying the US would intervene if a nation was struggling to pay off debt

Other Diplomacy Strategies William Taft – Dollar Diplomacy – Focused on US investment, not military strength Woodrow Wilson – Moral/Missionary Diplomacy – Foreign policy based on the role of the US to promote democracy and progress

Long Term Causes of WWI “MAIN” – Militarism – Alliances – Imperialism – Nationalism

Short Term Cause of WWI Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand – Archduke of Austria-Hungary – Visiting Bosnia – Radicals (“Black Hand”) of Bosnia believed the land belonged to Serbia, not Austria-Hungary

US Neutrality in WWI Wilson declared that the US would remain neutral Isolationism

US Enters WWI Central Powers – Germany and its allies Triple Entente – Great Britain and its allies US was supplying both sides, but mostly the Triple Entente The Lusitania – U-boats sunk the ship in 1915 – Americans support war, very anti-German

US Enters WWI The Zimmerman Telegram – Intercepted by England – Stated that Germany and Mexico should form an alliance – Criticized Wilson; weak leader – America officially enters war in April 1917

US Involvement in the War Trench Warfare – Diseases – Morale Selective Service Act New weapons made war horrific

Turning Points in WWI Russia leaves the war – Low morale – 2 million dead – Famine at home – March 1917: Russian Revolution New republic created but… Bolsheviks and Vladimir Lenin took over country and established communist rule

Turning Points in WWI US Troops and Paris – B/c Russia was no longer a threat to Germany, they focused on France Made it within 50 miles of Paris – Marines were able to fight off the Germans and saved Paris – Allies used a new weapon, the tank, to push through German lines. Germans signed an armistice in late 1918

Events Following the War Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” – Reduction in weapons – Right to govern oneself for ethnic groups – League of Nations US did not join – “Peace w/o victory” This was ignored…did it lead to WWII?

Events Following the War Treaty of Versailles – June 1919 – Germany took full responsibility for war Reparations

Actions within the US War Industries Board – Wilson established this – Kept peace within the nation’s economy and businesses during the war Committee on Public Information – Encouraged public support for US war effort Espionage and Sedition Acts – Fines and jail time for those that were seen as hurting the US war effort Constitutional??

1920 Election Warren G. Harding and a “return to normalcy”