Acquiring and Managing Global Power

Roosevelt

• Make US a power that could exert influence around the world

• “Speak softly and carry a big stick”

– Work quietly and patiently to achieve goals overseas

– Using force if necessary

– “Big Stick Policy”

Roosevelt Corollary

• Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine

– MD designed to prevent Europe meddling in W. Hemisphere

– Yet many countries still too weak to defend themselves

– US= “international police”

• Preserve peace

• Protect US interests

Taft

• Shifted foreign policy to focus on economic goals

• Dollar Diplomacy– Encourage and protect US trade and

investment in Latin America and Asia– Strong presence overseas would advance US

interests

Wilson

• Moral Diplomacy– Based on democratic ideals, rather than on

economic investment or the use of force– Should use power to aid liberty in the world– Ex: human rights, etc.; NOT national

interests– Introduced a concept called “self-

determination” into foreign policy• The right of other peoples to determine their own

government, free of outside influence

Panama / Colombia

• Roosevelt tried to lease land for canal; Colombia turns down offer

• 1903- US encourages revolt in Panama; US sends warships

• Panama becomes independent

• US builds Panama Canal

• 1999- Canal returned to Panamanians

• Helped improve international trade

Mexico

– Huerta overthrows dictator Diaz– US refuses to recognize new gov’t; instead

backs Huerta’s opponent, Carranza• Hoped he would support democratic reform

– Tensions between Huerta and Wilson almost led to war

– Wilson sent troops to Veracruz to keep weapons from reaching Huerta’s army

– Battle- 90 Americans killed

– Most Mexicans, including Carranza, opposed US action

– Wilson pulled forces out of Mexico– Huerta resigns and Carranza takes over– Zapata and Villa then rose up against

Carranza– Villa orders attacks on American citizens in

Mexico and US• 17 killed in New Mexico

– Wilson sent troops to capture Villa– Carranza insisted the troops leave

Puerto Rico

• Island remained an American possession

• Grew frustrated with American rule

• Neither citizens nor an independent nation

• 1917- becomes a US territory– Gained citizenship but not all the rights of it– Could not elect their own governor or vote in

US elections

• 1952- became a US commonwealth

Philippines

– Gives greater access to Chinese trade and more influence in Chinese affairs

– After the SPAM War, Aguinaldo calls for independence

– Elected president, but USA would not recognize the new gov’t

– Fighting breaks out between US and Phil.– Phil. used guerilla tactics– After 3 years, US captured Aguinaldo– US sets up gov’t for islands– Philippines finally gain independence in 1946

Alaska

• William Seward- Sec. of State under Pres. Lincoln and Johnson– Bought Alaska for $7.2 million– Seen as “Seward’s Folly”– Became a state in 1959

Hawaii

• Important stop for ships crossing the Pacific Ocean

• Hawaii’s wealth came from American-owned sugar plantations

• Most of the crops shipped and sold in USA

• Growers called for the USA to annex the islands so they wouldn’t have to pay tariffs

• Queen Liliuokalani – Resented the dominance of wealthy white

minority on the islands– New constitution gave native Hawaiians more

power– White planters upset and call on US to help– US forces land and help overthrow the queen

• Became a US territory from 1890s until 1959 when Hawaii became a state

Foreign Influence in China

• France, Germany, Britain, Japan, etc. have spheres of influence in China

– Areas where each nation claimed special rights and economic privileges

• China seen as a vast potential market for American goods

• Open Door–USA feared that China would be split

into colonies and American traders would be shut out

–John Hay issued Open Door Policy–Proposed the sharing of trading with

the USA; creating an open door–No single nation would have a

monopoly on trade with China

Boxer Rebellion

• Boxers eventually took up arms in an effort to restore national control

• Led an insurrection, rising to expel the foreigners from China

• Boxers started killing foreigners

• Stopped the Boxer Rebellion using a combined army from nations

Open Door Policy

• Reflected 3 American beliefs about the US economy:–The growth of the economy

depended on exports–The US had the right to intervene

abroad to keep foreign markets open–Feared that the closing of and area to

American products, citizens, or ideas threatened US survival