Imperialism-- Foreign Policy

American History

William H. Seward

Leading Republican of the 1850s and 1860s New Yorker Secretary of State for Lincoln and Johnson Great Success: Prevented Great Britain and

France from entering Civil War of the side of the South

Expansionism: Failed at Hawaii annexation/Purchasing West Indies

Seward’s Achievements

Annexed Midway Island and Nicaragua Canal Threatened to invoke the Monroe Doctrine to

force the hand of French who occupied Mexico during the Civil War

Alaska-claimed by both Russia and Great Britain

Russia-seal hunting colony but Great Britain threatened to takeover so Russia sold it to the United States 1867 $7.2 million “Seward’s Folly” and “Seward’s Icebox”

New Imperialism

New Imperialism was based on the need for worldwide markets for growing industrial and agricultural surpluses and raw materials

Overseas Territory: Considered an outlet or safety valve for unhappiness/labor discontent & farmer unrest; economic and diplomatic dynamics

 

International Darwinism

International Darwinism - competition among nations; the U.S. had to be strong religiously, militarily, and politically; it was Manifest Destiny applied to all parts of the world

Imperialism

Imperialism- acquiring territory or gaining control over the political or economic life of other countries; gaining possessions and influence in weaker countries (Africa and Pacific Ocean). Some believed the U.S. had to compete with Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan to survive

Missionaries

Missionaries- the idea that Protestant Americans had a Christian duty to colonize other lands to spread Christianity and Western Civilization

Politicians

Politicians – Republican Party closely aligned with business leaders (many of whom were concerned with new markets) Henry Cabot Lodge MA, Gov. Theodore Roosevelt NY- focused on Global expansion

Naval Power

Naval Power - Alfred Thayer Mahan The Influence of Sea Power upon History 1890 argued that a strong navy was crucial to a country’s ambitions of securing foreign markets and becoming a world power. Supporters of this idea called for modern steel ship construction and acquisition of overseas islands (refueling and supply stations); 3rd largest Navy by 1900 ten years after Captain Mahan’s book

Popular Press

Newspapers and Magazines printed adventure stories about distant and exotic locations throughout the world to increase circulation

Latin America

U.S. became a protector of Latin America from European ambitions

Pan-American Conference

Pres. Benjamin Harrison’s Secretary of State James G. Blaine was critical in the U.S. role as a protector of Latin America. Western Hemisphere leaders met in Wash. D.C. to form a permanent organization for international cooperation on trade and other issues (economic and political issues) 1889/Organization of American States 1948 continues Pan-American efforts today

Monroe Doctrine

Pres. Cleveland and Secretary of State Olney faced boundary dispute involving Venezuela and british colony of Guiana. They invoked the Monroe Doctrine making the issue the business of the U.S. From this point forward, U.S. relations were more friendly rather than hostile.

The Spanish-American War

Causes Expansionist coveted Cuba since the 1850s American investments in Cuban Sugar Spanish misrule of Cuba Monroe Doctrine =Provided justification for U.S. intervention in

the Caribbean’s largest island

Immediate Causes

jingoism -an intense form of nationalism calling for an aggressive foreign policy

Expansionists called for the U.S. to rise to the ranks of imperialist nations of Europe

Cuban Revolt- Cuban nationalists attempted to overthrow Spanish colonial rule; hoped to force Spanish withdrawal or U.S. intervention

Yellow Journalism

Yellow Press - sensational yellow journalism- bold and lurid headlines of crime, disaster, and scandal. Extreme sensational journalism of two New York newspapers: Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World and William Randolph Hearst New York Journal –exaggerated and wrote false accounts of Spanish atrocities in Cuba. Many Americans urged Congress to intervene to stop the suffering

De Lome letter 1898

Spanish diplomat’s letter was leaked to the press and printed on the front page of Hearst’s New York Journal . It was highly critical of Pres. McKinley (weak and ineffective leader); an insult against national honor

Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine

February 15, 1898 anchored at Havana’s harbor suddenly exploded killing 260 Americans;

Yellow press accused Spain/later experts concluded it was likely an accident

McKinley’s War Message

McKinley yielded to public pressure and sent a war message to Congress (to end suffering and atrocities, protect lives and property of U.S. citizens, economic interests, and to restore order

Teller Amendment

Joint Resolution authorized war but the Amendment declared that the U.S. had no intention of taking political control of Cuba

The War

Fought in both the Philippines and Cuba Referred to as “ a splendid little war” Commodore George Dewey commanded the

Pacific fleet –swiftly defeated the Spanish forces (land and sea)

-Invasion of Cuba - Ill-prepared American troops died mostly from tropical diseases (malaria, typhoid, dysentery) over 5000 but only 500 died in battle

Rough Riders - Theodore Roosevelt (resigned as Secretary of Navy) San Juan Hill

Effects

War gave American expansionists and the President the pretext to complete annexation of Hawaii –1900 (statehood 1959)

Peace Treaty signed in 1898 (Treaty of Paris) US acquired Puerto Rico and Guam; Philippines

for $20 million- Emilio Aguinaldo, Filipino nationalist, unsuccessfully fought against U.S. control for 3 years until 1902

-Insular cases- 1901-1903

Island Cases Issue Did the provisions of the U.S. Constitution

apply to the territories?

The Supreme Court ruled that constitutional rights were NOT automatically extended to the territorial possessions and the power to decide whether or not to grant such rights belonged to Congress

Platt Amendment 1901

Terms for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Cuba:

1. Never sign a treaty with a foreign power that impaired/hindered its independence

2. No excessive public debt 3. Allow U.S. intervention to preserve

independence and maintain law and order

4. Allow U.S. to maintain naval bases (Guantanamo Bay

Platt Amendment

Cuba reluctantly signed/and added to its new constitution. Cuba become a U.S. protectorate—foreign policy was subject to U.S. oversight and control

Hawaii The U.S. supported the treaty with Hawaii that

allowed Hawaiians to sell sugar in the United States duty-free (tax-free) as long as they did not sell to others.

Pearl Harbor was leased to the U.S. as a fueling repair station

Nationalist Queen Liliuokalani opposed U.S. control but was removed from power by Sanford B. Dole (pineapple planter)

Dole proclaimed Hawaii a republic and requested the U.S. annex it. U.S. annexed Hawaii 1898

Samoa

Polynesian Island Great Britain, Germany, and U.S. competed

for control and arranged a three-way protectorate.

Spheres of Influence

Areas of economic and political control

Election of 1900

Anti-imperialists William Jennings Bryan attacked imperialism and McKinley.

McKinley was reelected and TR American hero named as his VP

Open Door Policy

Secretary of State John Hay was concerned that the problems in China would lead to the control by Russia, Great Britain, France, and Germany which all had spheres of influence in China (dominate trade and investment and shut out competitors)

Hay requested an Open Door Policy -Aall nations would have equal trading privileges in China

Boxer Rebellion

Xenophobia (hatred and fear of foreigners) and nationalism in China led to the emergence of the secret society Society of Harmonious Fists who attacked foreign settlements and murdered dozens of Christian missionaries.

U.S. and international force quickly put down the rebellion crushing the Boxers and China was forced to pay indemnities (compensation/reimbursement)

-Hay was committed to strong trade with integrity and goodwill

Big Stick Policy

McKinley was assassinated, Roosevelt became president.

Roosevelt described his foreign policy “speak softly and carry a big stick”

Aggressive foreign policy/bold and decisive leadership;

Made the U.S. as a world power; critics were concerned about shift away from noninvolvement in global politics

The Panama Canal

The U.S. wanted to control the Canal Zone.

TR supported a revolt in Panama. Rebellion without bloodshed lead to the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty granting the U.S. long-term control of a canal zone.

Hay–Pauncefote Treaty 1901

Canceled an earlier treaty with Great Britain of 1850 (any canal was to be under joint British-U.S. control).

Panama Canal Constructed from 1904 to 1914 Hundreds of laborers lost their lives,

Army Colonials George Goethals Chief engineer of the canal Dr. William Gorgas - efforts eliminated the

mosquitoes that spread deadly yellow fever $25 million U.S. paid to Colombia for

compensation for the loss of Panama/resentment/high-handed

tactics used to secure the canal zone

Roosevelt Corollary

Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine To prevent European intervention in Latin American nations

Roosevelt declared that the U.S. would intervene instead when it came to financial troubles or other problems; U.S. Navy would manage the collection of customs until European debts were satisfied.

Roosevelt Corollary

U.S. used the Roosevelt Corollary to justify sending U.S. forces into Haiti, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua with the long term result of strained relations with the entire region of Latin America

Russo-Japanese War

TR arranged for a diplomatic conference between Russia and Japan 1905 in New Hampshire- Nobel Peace Prize 1906

“Gentlemen’s Agreement”

California’s law discriminated against Japanese Americans (segregated schools) the informal understanding - the Japanese government secretly agreed to restrict the emigration of Japanese workers to the US in return for repeal of the discriminatory laws

Other Foreign Actions of TR

Great white Fleet a fleet of battleships cruised the world 1907-1909 to demostrate U.S. naval power

Root-Takahira Agreement 1908 U.S. and Japan pledging mutual respect and support for the Open Door Policy

Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy

Taft’s Foreign policy was mildly expansionist but depended more on investors’ dollars than battleships/ promoted U.S. trade by supporting American enterprises abroad-dollar diplomacy

(China and Latin America) Growing anti-imperialism at home and

abroad was a major obstacle

Taft’s Foreign Action

Railroad investment in China

Civil War in Nicaragua sent Marines remained until 1933

Lodge Corollary

Stated non-European powers such as Japan would be excluded from owning territory in the Western Hemisphere –when Japanese investors attempted to buy land in Mexico .

The Corollary offended Japan and angered Latin American countries

Woodrow Wilson and Moral Diplomacy

New Freedom

Democratic President promised a moral approach to foreign affairs; he claimed he opposed imperialism, big stick, and dollar diplomacy of his Republican predecessors

Wilson’s Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan

-Attempted to respect the rights of other nations

Support the spread of democracy Right past wrongs Philippines-Jones Act - full territorial

status, bill of rights, universal male suffrage, a promise of independence when a stable gov’t was established

Bryan’s Plan Puerto Rico U.S. Citizens to all inhabitants

1917 act of Congress and provided for a limited self-government

Panana Canal 1914 repealed an act that had granted U.S. ships an exemption from paying standard canal tolls.

Conciliation Treaties 1. submit disputes to international commissions 2. observe a one year cooling off period before taking military action * over 30 Conciliation treaties were arranged/Bryan pet project

Big Stick Diplomacy

Increased U.S. influence in Latin America

Dollar Diplomacy--Taft

Intended to maintain Open Door to China and maintain Latin American stability

Moral Diplomacy - Wilson

Involved in the U.S. in the Mexican Revolution for moral reasons

Philippines Annexed by U.S. after the Spanish-American War. U.S. soldiers remain there. Fighting between U.S. and Philippines occurs (Emilio Aguinaldo)

U.S. acquired the Philippines for $20 million.

Emilio Aguinaldo Filipino nationalist unsuccessfully fought against U.S. control for 3 years until 1902

4000 American killed, 16000 Filipinos killed

Cuba

Puerto Rico

Foraker Act 1900 –U.S. removed military government and established a civil government under U.S. control

U.S. granted Puerto Ricans citizenship with the Jones Act 1917

It also provided for a limited self-government (U.S. retained power to appoint key officials)

Hawaii

China