1. American Foreign Policy
Unit 4

2. Essential Questions:
What role did the U.S. play in world affairs in the early decades of the 20th century?
How did U.S. foreign policy change in the 100 years from George Washington (1790s) to William McKinley (1890s)?
Lesson Plan for Wednesday, January 16, 2008: Warm-Up Question, Foreign policy notes, Compare foreign policy cartoons

3. The U.S. Becomes a World Power
At the turn of the 20th century, the U.S. emerged as a world power:
The U.S. asserted its dominance in the Spanish-American War (1898)
America built the 3rd largest navy in the world
Annexed Hawaii, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and many Pacific islands
Asserted economic control over almost all of Latin America
At the turn of the 20th century, the United States emerged as a world power. The Spanish American War and the acquisition of the Philippines represented both an extension of earlier expansionist impulses and a sharp departure from assumptions that had guided American foreign policy in the past. For the first time, the United States made a major strategic commitment in the Far East, acquired territory never intended for statehood, and committed itself to police actions and intervention in the Caribbean and Central America.
Not since the Mexican War had the United States expanded so rapidly.  In 1898 and 1899, the United States annexed Hawaii and acquired the Philippines, Puerto Rico, parts of the Samoan islands, and other Pacific islands.  Expansion raised the fateful question of whether the newly annexed peoples would receive the rights of American citizens.

4. American Foreign Acquisitions, 1917

5. The U.S. Becomes a World Power
“Big Stick Diplomacy”
The U.S. developed a new, aggressive foreign policy under:
T. Roosevelt
Taft
Wilson
Their policies differed, but all revealed a desire to increase American wealth, military power, & stature in the world, especially Latin America
“Dollar Diplomacy”
“Moral Diplomacy”

6. Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick Diplomacy”

7. TR’s “Big Stick Diplomacy”
Roosevelt hoped to expand upon America’s new, world stature after the Spanish-American War:
To increase American economic & political stature in the world, the U.S. needed to be:
militarily strong
ready to fight if needed
This became the basis for his idea of “big stick” diplomacy
“Speak softly & carry a big stick, you will go far”
—TR’s favorite African proverb

8. TR’s “Big Stick Diplomacy”
TR’s top foreign policy objective was to build the Panama Canal :
A Panama Canal would facilitate world trade & allow the U.S. to quickly merge its Atlantic & Pacific naval fleets in an emergency
Supported by Alfred T. Mahan

9. Big Stick Diplomacy: Panama Canal
When the Colombians rejected an offer to lease land in Panama to build a canal
The US helped liberate Panama from Columbia
and once liberated the US Backed the building of the Panama Canal
In 1903, Panama became a nation & signed a lease agreement for a canal
The U.S. paid $10 million for the canal & leased it for $250,000 per year

11. The Roosevelt Corollary
One of the greatest concerns was the intervention of European nations in Latin America:
In 1903, Germany & England threatened to invade Venezuela to recoup unpaid debts
TR issued Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine in 1904 claiming special “police powers” in the Western Hemisphere
TR warned European nations to stay out AND warned Latin American nations to be more responsible or the U.S. would intervene
From , US intervened in Latin America to protect the canal, exclude foreign countries (bought Virgin Islands in 1917), & stabilizing nations: 4

12. The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, 1904
Additionally, the Lodge Corollary in 1912 refused to allow foreign companies to buy ports or establish military sites in Latin America

13. The Roosevelt Corollary was used to justify American armed intervention in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, & Mexico
Attempts to maintain order in Latin America led to pro-American regimes that relied on dictatorial rule over its citizens
To enforce order, forestall foreign intervention, and protect U.S. economic interests, the United States intervened in the Caribbean and Central America some 20 times over the next quarter century--namely, in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Each intervention followed a common pattern: after intervening to restore order, U.S. forces became embroiled in the countries' internal political disputes. Before exiting, the United States would train and fund a police force and military to maintain order and would sponsor an election intended to put into power a strong leader supportive of American interests. Unfortunately, the men who took power in many of these countries, such as Anastasio Somoza in Nicaragua, Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, and Francois Duvalier in Haiti, established despotic rule.

15. Big Stick Diplomacy
Foreign policy under TR extended to Asia as well as Latin America:
TR negotiated an end to the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 from Portsmouth, NH
Gentlemen’s Agreement in 1907 limited Japanese immigration
The Root-Takahira Agreement in 1908 protected America’s Open Door Policy in China

16. “Constable of the World”

17. William Howard Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy”

18. Taft and Dollar Diplomacy
President Taft took over after TR & continued an aggressive foreign policy, called “Dollar Diplomacy”
Use U.S. wealth rather than military strength in foreign policy
In Latin America, U.S. banks assumed debts to Europe 6

19. Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy
Dollar Diplomacy will improve investment opportunities for American Business because they were encouraged to invest in Latin American countries.
Investors would use private capitol to further US interests overseas
Therefore the US should create stability in those areas to help their investments grow

22. Woodrow Wilson’s “Moral Diplomacy”

23. Moral Diplomacy
He believed that Moral Diplomacy could bring peace & democracy to the world without militarism & war
Wilson promised that the U.S would “never again seek one additional foot of territory by conquest” but would instead work to promote “human rights, national integrity, and opportunity.”
Wilson talked of “human rights” in Latin America, but defended the Monroe Doctrine & intervened more than Roosevelt or Taft
To enforce order, forestall foreign intervention, and protect U.S. economic interests, the United States intervened in the Caribbean and Central America some 20 times over the next quarter century--namely, in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Each intervention followed a common pattern: after intervening to restore order, U.S. forces became embroiled in the countries' internal political disputes. Before exiting, the United States would train and fund a police force and military to maintain order and would sponsor an election intended to put into power a strong leader supportive of American interests. Unfortunately, the men who took power in many of these countries, such as Anastasio Somoza in Nicaragua, Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, and Francois Duvalier in Haiti, established despotic rule. 7

25. Moral Diplomacy: Example
In 1915 Wilson sent marines to Haiti to protect U.S investments and guard against potential German or French intervention
Prodded the Haitian government to sign an agreement that ‘essentially’ gave the U.S the right to control Haiti’s financial and foreign affairs
The marines will not leave until 1934

26. Moral Diplomacy in Mexico
When Huerta refused, Wilson used minor incidents (arrest of some U.S. sailors in Tampico) to send the military to occupy Veracruz & force Huerta to flee to Europe
In 1913, Mexican president Madero was overthrown (and killed) by dictator Victoriano Huerta
Wilson refused to recognize Huerta & demanded that he step down so legitimate elections could be held for a new president
Moral diplomacy seemed to fail in Mexico as war seemed eminent but WW I forced Americans to change their focus to Europe
Moral Diplomacy in Mexico
Only a week after taking office in 1913, Wilson called upon Mexico's president, Victoriano Huerta, who had seized power after the constitutional president was murdered, to step aside when elections were held. When Huerta refused, Wilson used minor incidents--including the arrest of some American sailors in Tampico and the arrival of a German merchant ship carrying supplies for Huerta--as a pretext for occupying the Mexico port of Veracruz. Within weeks, Huerta was forced to leave his country.
During the conflict, the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa had made a number of raids into U.S. territory near the Mexican border. Wilson responded by ordering Gen. John J. (Black Jack) Pershing to cross into Mexico.
Wilson responded by sending the military (General John J Pershing) to find Villa (who were unable to do so)
Mexican rebel Pancho Villa tried to provoke war with the U.S. by raiding across the border for supporting his rival Carranza

27. Conclusions
After the Spanish-American War, the USA assumed an aggressive foreign policy:
In order to maintain order, forestall foreign intervention, & protect U.S. economic interests
By the outbreak of WW I, the USA had seen its foreign policy evolve from strict neutrality, to imperialist, to police officer
Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality (1793) & Farewell Address (1796)
Annexation of Alaska, Hawaii, & Philippines; Open Door Policy in China
“Big Stick,” “Dollar,” & “Moral” diplomacies