America as a World Power
Big Question
How did Roosevelt and Wilson’s foreign policies promote U.S. power around the world?
How did the Russo-Japanese War, the Panama Canal, and the Mexican Revolution add to America’s military and economic power?
The Russo-Japanese War
Russia and Japan were both imperialist countries
The two nations were competing for control over Korea and other Russian territories
The Japanese launched a surprise attack on the Russian navy and won a victory
Japan also won a land battle and secured control of Korea and Manchuria
The Russo-Japanese War
Japan won early victories, defeating the Russian navy a second time
As the war went on, both countries wanted to find an end to it: Japan was running out of men and money Russia was losing battles
Japan approached Teddy Roosevelt, then President of the United States, to help negotiate peace
Roosevelt’s Impact on the War Peace negotiations were
held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Roosevelt was also able to get both sides to give up some demands to make peace
Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize for overseeing these negotiations
This was the first international treaty signed in the United States – U.S. would have more of a world impact after this
The Panama Canal Many people in the U.S. wanted a shorter
way around South America for shipping purposes
Roosevelt also wanted the U.S. to build a canal in order to move American naval power
By 1850 U.S. and Britain had agreed to share the rights to such a canal, but by 1901 Britain gave the U.S. exclusive rights to build and control a canal through Central America
Getting the Canal Site Two different routes were
proposed, but the one through Panama was chosen as the best
Panama at the time was controlled by Colombia and Colombia refused to allow the U.S. to build the canal through Panama Therefore the U.S. encouraged
a rebellion that was already brewing in Panama
Panama declared its independence and signed a treaty that let the U.S. lease the land
Constructing the Canal Work on the canal began
in 1904 Construction of the canal
was very dangerous Builders fought diseases
like yellow fever and malaria
Soft volcanic soil was difficult to remove
There were natural disasters such as mudslides and an earthquake
Canal opened on August 15th, 1914
The Roosevelt Corollary The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 said that European
powers could no longer influence Latin American countries
Since many Latin American countries borrowed huge sums of money from European banks, Roosevelt feared that European nations might attack Latin America nations if they were unable to pay back debts
The Roosevelt Corollary was added to the Monroe Doctrine It stated that the U.S. would use force to protect its
economic interests in Latin America
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson became president in 1912
Wilson believed that the U.S. had a moral responsibility to deny recognition to any Latin American government that was: Oppressive Undemocratic Hostile to U.S. interests
The Mexican Revolution
U.S. businessmen had invested in Mexico – oil wells, mines, railroads, ranches
In 1911 Mexican peasants and workers revolted against the dictatorship – Francisco Madero took over, but failed, and the government was taken over by the military
Wilson refused to recognize this government
American Intervention in Mexico When Mexican officials arrested
American sailors in Tampico, Wilson used this as a chance to intervene
U.S. Marines occupied Veracruz – U.S. and Mexico were on the brink of war
Mexican military government collapsed and a leader more sympathetic to the U.S. took over
Wilson formally recognized the new government
Rebellion in Mexico The new government didn’t
have the support of everyone Rebel leaders Pancho Villa and
Emiliano Zapata opposed this government and turned against the U.S. after it recognized the new government
The president of Mexico invited U.S. engineers to come down and operate Mexican mines, however Villa’s men took the Americans off a train and shot them before they reached the mines
Chasing Villa
Wilson ordered John J. Pershing and an expeditionary force of 15,000 soldiers into Mexico to hunt down Pancho Villa
Mexicans grew angry over U.S. invasion of Mexico
Eventually, both sides backed down