The USA and the world

Why did US foreign policy become more expansionist after 1890?

• Before 1890
  • Defensive and inward looking
• After 1890
  • Growth of big business, mass immigration and industrialisation changed foreign policy
  • US wanted to protect trade
  • By protecting trade US could increase economic growth
  • Trade seen in foreign policy in:
    • Building of the Panama Canal
    • Spanish-American War
  • Now imperialist foreign policy which would give them longer influence and power and a greater empire
  • 1900 - US Navy third largest in the world
  • Security seen in foreign policy in:
    • Annexation of land such as Hawaii and Philippines

• Ideas of cultural and racial superiority - Civilising mission
  • 'Manifest of Destiny' - Idea that it was the destiny and God-given right of the US to expand westwards
• Imperialist ideologies:
  • Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
  • Alfred Thayer Mahan
  • TR

Evidence of expansionism

• Spanish-American War (1898) in Cuba
• Annexation of Hawaii and the Philippines
• Open Door Policy in China
• Platt Amendment
• Alaska Boundary Dispute
• Panama Canal's construction
• Roosevelt's Corollary
• Taft's Dollar Diplomacy

Why did the US intervene in Cuba and the Philippines, what was the outcome?

• Cuba was a Spanish colony
• Cuba exported cigars and sugar to the US
• Spain wanted full control of Cuba
• Cubans revolted against Spain; Spain crushed resistance with violence
• Cubans wanted US intervention
• US had no reason to intervene until USS Maine - which was docked in Havana - was blown up (1898)
• 'Yellow Press' supported by big business interests, found out
• US Navy, led by TR, took control of Cuba after a swift victory
• Roosvelt a national hero - 'Rough Riders'
• Treaty of Paris saw Cuba remain under US military rule until 1902
• US annexed other Spanish colonies
  • Puerto Rico
  • Guam
  • Philippines

Why did the US intervene in Cuba and the Philippines, what was the outcome? (cont.)

• Like the Cubans, the Filipinos wanted independence from Spain
• Leader of the Filipino Campaign, Emilio Aguinaldo, coperated with Admiral Dewey
• Aguinaldo had a rebel force
• Dewey's fleet sailed into Manila Bay and destroyed the Spanish fleet
• US then establish military control
• Clear that the US wouldn't allow Filipino independence
• Filipinos revolted
• Revolt wasn't brought under control until 1902, when Philippines gave independence
• At home the US annexation of Philippines was controversial
• US citizens believed annexing Philippines betrayed freedom and equality principles
• Anti-Imperialist League attacked government for deserting anti-colonial ideas of Founding Fathers
• Criticised use of violence and racial prejudice shown by US in treatment of their 'little brown brothers'
• President McKinley and other politicians called it a 'civilising mission' to aid development of less advanced cultures

Why did the US intervene in Cuba and the Philippines, what was the outcome? (cont.)

• Said different things in private
• Events in China and Philippines manipulated for US gain and to support interventionist policies
• Issues in Pacific and Far East more important to US after Spanish-American War
• Concerns about Japanese Empite and European Intervention in China
• Open Door Policy - To keep China from colonial rule
  • US keen to see free trade in China
  • Stop European powers taking over China
  • US sent troops to break up revolt in China
  • US feared Europeans would divide China up and US would have no power

Theodore Roosevelt and foreign policy

• 1901 - Platt Amendment
  • Gave US power to intervene in Cuban affairs

Theodore Roosevelt and foreign policy (cont.)

• 1903 - US and Canada settled Alaska Boundary dispute in favour of US
  • Underlined TR's assertive approach
• 1903 - Panama Canal
  • TR supported Panamanian uprising so a new republic of Panama could be created from Colombia
• 1904 - Roosevelt Corollary
  • Sent to Monroe Doctrine
  • Gave US power to intervene in Latin America in cases of wrongdoing
• 1905 - Morocco Crisis
  • TR took a leading role in international response to crisis
• October 1905 - Treaty of Portsmotuh
  • Negotiated peace in Russian-Japanese War
  • Gained international prestige and ensured Japan wouldn't make excessive gains from victory over Russia
  • Rise of Japanese power seen as a threat

Theodore Roosevelt and foreign policy (cont.)

• Even after Taft won Republican nomiantion in 1908, TR still had massive influence over US foreign policy

Definitions

• Open Door Policy - Created to stop European powers dividing China and it allowed free trade
• Dollar Diplomacy - Used US financial power to secure domination of Latin American and Chinese economies. Woodrow Wilson reduced Dollar Diplomacy for a more ethical approach

Woodrow Wilson and foreign policy

• One hand he was an isolationist
  • He turned away from Taft's Dollar Diplomacy and showed support for Open Door Policy
• Recognised new government in China, angering Japan

Woodrow Wilson and foreign policy (cont.)

• On the other hand he was an interventionist
  • Intervened in Mexico twice*
    • (1) 1914 - Went after dictator, Huerta
    • (2) 1916 - Went after Pancho Villa
  • Took US into WWI
• Post-WWI: Key role in peace deals
  • Treaty of Versailles
  • Called for League of Nations
• *Mexican intervention
  • (1) 1914 - Stabilise violence that had broken out after Mexican Revolution (1910-11)
    • Revolution threatened US business interests
    • Wilson sent in US marines
    • Hoped they would overthrow dictator, Huerta, but it strengthened his position

• (2) 1916 - Sent large numbers of men to catch guerilla leader, Pancho Villa, who had attacked US residents in Columbus, NM
  • Soldiers spent months chasing PV without success
  • 1917 - Wilson withdrew troops
  • Instability in Mexico still a problem
  • US feared Germany would intervene

Success of Wilson's foreign policy

• Emphasised peace and ethics
• Diffrerent ideas to TR and Taft
• However, Wilson intervened in Mexico
• Unsuccessful in stabilising Mexio - Caused fear of German intervention in Mexico
• Entering WWI was against Wilson's morals but he had to do it for trade and security
• Wanted League of Nations after WWI - No one else did
• Conclusion - Fairly successful

Why didn't the US enter WWI?

• US should only enter foreign affairs if trade or security of US threatened
• US had no standing army - Made up of volunteers
• Opposition to large army
• Anti-colonial ideas reflecting US revolution
• Many Americans dislike the British because of events like the British Navy blocking US trade roots causing financial trouble
• Immigrants also dislike British

Why did the US enter WWI?

• 1915 - WJB resigns as Secretary of State, weakening anti-war elements
• TR and Cabot Lodge influential and pro-war
• Big business were pro-war as it would create jobs and money

Why did the US enter WWI? (cont.)

• Main reasons:
  • Reports of German war crimes in Belgium - Increased anti-German feelings
  • 1915 - German U-boats sink Lusitania, a liner going from New York to Liveprool. Angered the public and caused outage amongst politicians
  • December 1916 - British government sent a secret report to the US saying they were bankrupt and couldn't win the war unless US joined
  • Zimmerman Telegram - German/Mexican invasion of US
  • February 1917 - Russian Revolution started. Joining Allies was a fight for democracy
• Decisive event - Zimmerman Telegram:
  • 1916 - German economy so bad they decided to launch unrestricted submarine warfare in Atlantic, hoping to provoke US and get them to join WWI
  • Wanted to distract US from domestic problems
  • Germans proposed alliance with Mexico promising German support if Mexico attacked US
  • Telegram intercepted by British who passed it onto Washington

Impact of US entry in WWI

• November 1918 - Allies win
• US wins first overseas war as part of an alliance with others
• US had to conscript a large army initially
• Took time for US troops to make an impact in Europe
• Took time to train and equip troops
• 1917 - Supply of US troops was small
• January 1918 - US troops arriving at a rate of 250,000 a month
• After US intervened in WWI, it was clear the Germans would lose
• November 1918 - Armistice
• US power and prestige grew
• Played big part in post-war peace
• 1918 - Wilson set out 14 points based on principles of self-determination and collective security

Why didn't Wilson achieve what he wanted?

• Seen as Jesus by Europeans
• USA, unlike other countries, had not suffered exhaustion, economic burdens or huge military losses
• No way US could be blamed for starting war
• US's anti-colonial history made them appear trustworthy and morally superior
• Wilson's 14 points laid foundations for peace
• Peace settlement allowed smaller countries to decide own destinies with collective security and peace protected by international agreements
• One of the 14 points was to create a League of Nations
• However, it wasn't simple
• Wilson caught up in complex negotiations with 'Big Four'
• They were more concerned with extending their empires and punishing Germany
• Dealing with Germany was hard enough without the 'Big Four' interfering
• Small countries were emerging as new empires from their old ones
• Frustrated US diplomats as Wilson was spending most of his time sorting out land disputes

Why didn't Wilson achieve what he wanted? (cont.)

• Wilson wanted to start with disarmament and setting up League of Nations
• However, most of the 1919-20 peacemakers too busy finalising treaties with 5 defeated powers
• Peace settlement not a complete failure - Diplomats did the best they could
• Expectations too high
• Congress didn't pass peace treaty until 1921
• Reflected Wilson's domestic problems
• Glow of victory quickly darkened
• Demobilisation of army caused racial tension and violence
• Economic problems at home
• Many believe rewards of war effort worthless
  • 50,000 dead - Twice as many died because of Spanish Flu

Why did the US retreat into isolationism?

• US public against League of Nations

Why did the US retreat into isolationism? (cont.)

• Opposition mainly due to Wilson's war-weariness and the public's lack of enthusiasm due to long negotiations
• Opposition to League of Nations:
  • William Borah - Seantor of Idaho
  • Led Republican 'Irreconcilables'
  • Speech to Senate in 1919 against League of Nations was detrimental to Wilson's hopes
• Other opposition:
  • Henry Cabot Lodge
  • Urged US to act a world power independently
• Wilson still insisted League of Nations was way forward
• Wilson's personality became exhaustted
• Alienated associates and missed opportunity to compromise with HCL
• Wilson was very ill
• September 1919 - Had a stroke and collapsed
• Paralysed his left side

Why did the US retreat into isolationism? (cont.)

• Blind in left eye
• Died 1924 when public realised extent of his illness
• Despite Wilson's campaigning, his policies were rejected in 1920
• League of Nations' voted against by Congress
• Democrats suffered defeat in 1920 election
• Republicans dominant in Senate and House