Foreign Policy (1865-1914)

Vania Ng

Seward, Alaska, and the French in Mexico

William H. Seward was a secretary of state from 1861 to 1869. He was unsuccessful in getting Congress to annex Hawaii but was able to annex Midway Island in the Pacific and gained rights to build a canal in Nicaragua.

Napoleon III sent French troops to Mexico but was threaten by Seward using the Monroe Doctrine. Napoleon III and his troops left.

Alaska created conflict between Russia and Great Britain. Yet Russia took control but later felt it was economic burden. So they sold it to the U.S. for $7.2 million.

The ”New Imperialism”

U.S. at this time wanted to get more involve in worldwide markets for industrial and agricultural reasons, as well as raw materials.

International Darwinism applied to competition among nations. The United States wanted to be strong militarily, politically, and religiously. Thus the United States went for expansion of lands.

“Our Country: Its Possible Future and Present Crisis” written by Josiah Strong, wrote that the Anglo-Saxon was “the fittest to survive”. It was the duty of the Protestant Americans to spread Christianity.

Congressional leaders had Henry Cabot Lodge and Theodore Roosevelt eager to make the U.S. stronger through expansion.

U.S. Navy Captain, Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote “The Influence of Sea Power Upon History” which stated a strong navy was the key to securing world power.

Latin America

Secretary of State, James G. Blaine wanted to bring U.S. and its southern neighbors closer. In 1889, the first Pan-American Conference was held in Washington. It was decided that there was to be an organization for international cooperation on trade and other issues.

The United States used the Monroe Doctrine when it came to the boundary dispute between Venezuela and Great Britain. If Great Britain refused to settle the dispute, the U.S. was ready to use military force. Great Britain gives in and it started the friendly relation between U.S.-Britain.

The Spanish-American War

American investments in Cuban sugar, Spanish misrule of Cuba, and the Monroe Doctrine led justification for U.S. intervention of Caribbean’s largest island.

American public was swept by jingoism which brought pressure on President Cleveland to go to war against Spain.

The Yellow Press promoted war fever in the U.S. by exaggerating the false accounts of Spanish malice actions in Cuba. Reading the newspapers, the public asked the Congress to put a stop to the sufferings.

The Spanish diplomat’s letter which criticize President McKinley and was leaked out to the public in the press. It was consider an insult to the U.S. national honor.

U.S. battleship, Maine, exploded and killed 260 Americans. It was an accident but the press lay the blame on the Spanish.

War was declared. Reasons why U.S. would intervene, was said to stop the menace to peace, stop mistreatment, and protect lives of U.S. citizens in Cuba.

Teller Amendment stated that the U.S. had no intention of controlling Cuba and that when peace is restore, Cuba should take control.

Fighting the War

The war ended in a few months with U.S. as the victor. Starting the war, Roosevelt sent fleets to the Philippines to show off the

country’s new steel navy. There was open fire on Spanish ships in Manila Bay. Soon capture the city of Manila.

Invasion of Cuba brought death to the American soldiers due to tropical diseases. Attacks led by American and Cuban troops defeated the Spanish army.

Theodore Roosevelt led the Rough riders, a cavalry, to take over San Juan Hill. U.S. Navy destroys Spanish fleet at Santiago Bay. This led to the Spanish

surrender. There was the overthrow of Hawaiian monarch, Queen Liliuokalani.

Controversy Over the Treaty of Peace

The terms in the treaty of peace signed in Paris, was to recognize Cuban independence, U.S. gaining Puerto Rico and Guam, and U.S. gaining the Philippines for $20 million. Didn’t mention liberating Cuba.

Decided to take over the Philippines which people there became angry. Filipino nationalist leader Emilio Aguinaldo led guerrilla fighters against the U.S.

Other Results of the War

Anti-Imperialist League led by William Jennings Bryan, rallied against expansion in the Pacific. The insular cases where Bryan had said a yes that any territories under the U.S. should have constitutional rights. But the court ruled that it was up to Congress.

Congress withdrew troops from Cuba by making them accept the terms of the Platt Amendment.

There was a recognition of the U.S. power.

Open Door Policy in China

China at this time was weaken by spheres of influence. To prevent loss U.S.’s access to China trade, John Hay ask the ones holding the spheres of influence to accept the Open Door policy.

Boxer Rebellion was led by the secret society of Chinese nationalist who would attack foreign settlements. It failed when the U.S. troops crushed the rebellion.

Big-Stick Policy

The Panama Canal was needed to be built in order to connect the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans within American empire.

Roosevelt supported a revolt in Panama and rebellion succeed. Independent Panama had to sign the Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty.

Hay-Pauncefote Treaty had the United States digging the canal without British involvement, canceling the earlier treaty for a British-U.S. control of canals in Central America.

Paid Colombia $25 million for loss of Panama.

Roosevelt Corollary

Roosevelt decided to add the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, intervening into Latin America’s affairs.

East Asia

Russo-Japanese War was when Japan was winning against Russia, but Roosevelt had persuaded the representatives from each side to agree to the Treaty of Portsmouth.

In California, there were laws that discriminated against the Japanese. Roosevelt repeal the laws, in return, Japan restricted emigration of Japanese into the U.S.

Great White Fleet was a demonstration of U.S. naval power to Japan and other nations.

U.S. and Japan agreed on mutual respect for the nation’s Pacific possessions and support the Open Door policy. This was the Root-Takahira Agreement.

William Howard Taft and Dollar Diplomacy

William Howard Traft as the new president, took on a foreign policy that depended more on investors’ dollars than the navy power. This is the dollar diplomacy

Traft believed in private American financial investment in China and nations of Central America.

Wanted railroads in China. There was intervention in Nicaragua.

Lodge Corollary

Henry Cabot Lodge added the Lodge Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. Non-Europeans such as Japan weren’t allow to own land in the Western Hemisphere. President Traft opposed it, which also offended Japan and Latin America.

Woodrow Wilson and Moral Diplomacy

Woodrow Wilson as president, wanted to oppose imperialism.

Pass the passage of the Jones Act of 1916 Repealed the act of exemption of Americans

from paying the Panama Canal toll.

Conflict in Mexico

Wilson’s moral approach to foreign affairs were tested by the civil war in Mexico. Had refused to recognize the military dictatorship of General Victoriano Huerta.

Sent arms of embargo against the Mexican's government and blockade the port of Vera Cruz. American seamen at Tampico were arrested.

War between Mexico and the United States didn’t happen because of the ABC powers.

Venustiano Carranza took power after Huerta fell from power. The new government was challenged by the loyal revolutionaries of Pancho Villa. Some people were murder in Texas and New Mexico by Villa. Sent General John J. Pershing to pursue Villa into Mexico.