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20th Century U.S. History
FOREIGN POLICY: 1900 – 1917
Notes
I THEODORE ROOSEVELT
1. TR was the first President to play a significant role in world affairs.
2. “Speak softly but carry a big stick [and] you will go far.”
II PANAMA CANAL, 1903.
1. Spanish-American War showed need for a canal to connect Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans.
2. Overcoming legal challenges
a. Between 1878 & 1889 the builder of Suez Canal, Ferdinand de
Lesseps, could not make a canal in Panama work. U.S. was eager
to take over project.
b. Hay-Pauncefote Treaty (1901) Britain agreed to give U.S. right
to build canal and right to fortify it as well.
c. Panama was part of Colombia.
3. Colombian Senate rejected a treaty with the U.S. for a canal in
Panama; declared U.S. offer was inadequate for such a valuable
region.
4. Creation of Panama -- “gunboat diplomacy” on part of U.S.
a. U.S. used Phillipe Bunau-Varilla, a Frenchman, to lead
Panamanian revolutionaries in a revolt, 3 Nov. 1903, and win
independence from Colombia.
1) U.S. naval forces prevented Colombian troops from crushing
the revolt.
2) Nov. 6, TR extended recognition of Panama.
b. Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (November, 1903)
1) U.S. would pay Bunau-Varillas’s New Panama Canal Co. $40
million.
2) Zone of canal widened from 6 miles to 10 miles.
5. Roosevelt’s role in Panama issue became controversial
a. Although US public initially saw Roosevelt’s role in Panama as
legitimate, TR in 1911 claimed “I took the canal,” thus sparking
a wave of controversy.
b. Latin American countries resented the “Colossus of the North”
after its taking Puerto Rico, Cuba, and now Panama.
6. Canal completed in 1914 at initial cost of $400 million
III ROOSEVELT COROLLARY TO THE MONROE DOCTRINE
1. Motivation:
a. TR felt German & British bill collection violated Monroe
Doctrine, e.g. Venezuelan Crisis, 1902.
b. TR devised policy of “preventive intervention” (Roosevelt
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Corollary)
2. Policy:
a. In future financial crises concerning Latin American debt,
U.S. would intervene, take over customs houses, pay off the
debts, and keep European powers out of the Western
Hemisphere.
b. U.S. had moral obligation because it would not allow European
nations to intervene in bankrupt Latin American Republics
c. Thus, U.S. became "Policeman of the Western Hemisphere."
This contrasted with Monroe Doctrine that had merely told
Europeans to stay out.
d. TR’s policy radical departure but its association with Monroe
Doctrine helped it to gain public acceptance.
3. U.S. seen by Latin America as the “Colossus from the North”
Resulted in bitter relations between U.S. and Latin America
4. The Corollary was used to justify major U.S. interventions and
repeated landings of U.S. marines in Latin America; e.g. Dominican
Republic 1905; Cuba 1906-1909 & 1917-1922
IV RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR, 1904-1905.
1. Russia and Japan went to war over control Manchuria & Korea.
2. Japan was victorious over the Russians. First time a non-white race
defeated a, white, major European power.
3. TR eager to prevent either side from gaining monopoly in Asia. He
was concerned about safety of newly acquired Philippines and Open
Door Policy to China.
4. Treaty of Portsmouth (1905) ended the war. TR negotiated the
terms and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906.
V SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL BOARD INCIDENT, 1906.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Example of U.S. nativism regarding Asians.
1906, 70,000 Japanese immigrants came to California.
Californians feared another “yellow peril.”
San Francisco school officials banned Asian children from public
schools.
5. Japanese furious over discrimination, highly sensitive to race issues.
6. TR invited entire San Francisco School Board to the White House
and coerced them to repeal the order and accept the “Gentleman’s
Agreement”
a. Japanese agreed to stop flow of laborers to U.S.
b. Californians agreed not to ban Japanese from public schools.
VI
US-JAPANESE RELATIONS TO 1917
1. TR sent the “Great White Fleet” on a highly visible tour around the
world in 1907. Its main purpose was to demonstrate America’s new
world power status. It was also sent to intimidate colonial rivals
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Japan and Germany. TR regarded the voyage of his fleet as his most
important contribution to peace.
2. Root-Takahira Agreement (1908): U.S. and Japan pledged to
respect each other’s territorial possessions in the Pacific and to
uphold the Open Door Policy in China.
3. Lansing-Ishii Agreement (1917): U.S. acknowledged Japan’s
“special interests” in China through reiteration of its Open Door
policy.
V TAFT’S "DOLLAR DIPLOMACY" 1909-1913
1. “Dollar Diplomacy” replaced the “Big Stick.”
a. Taft encouraged the investment of private business into Latin
America in an effort to stabilize the area
b. Wall Street dollars would encourage healthy reform in corrupt
governments.
c. American investment would stabilize underdeveloped areas and
bring power and profit to the US without the use troops.
d. Instead this policy fostered harsh and dishonest regimes, and
created further animosity toward the US in Latin America.
3. Caribbean.
a. U.S. govt. urged Wall Street bankers to pump money into
Honduras and Haiti to keep out foreign funds.
b. Ultimately, U.S. sent forces to Cuba, Honduras, the Dominican
Republic, and Nicaragua to restore order.
VI IMPERIALISM UNDER WILSON
1. Wilson hated imperialism; recoiled initially from an aggressive
foreign policy.
a. Repelled by "Big Stick" policy and "dollar diplomacy."
b. Wilson would eventually intervene in Latin America more
than any other president in U.S. history; Pressured by U.S.
corporations who had invested money abroad.
2. Anti-imperialist policies:
a. Repealed the Panama Canal Tolls Act which had exempted
U.S. shipping from tolls, provoking protest from Great Britain.
b. Jones Act in 1916: Granted Philippines territorial status and
promised independence when a "stable govt." was established; 30
years later on July 4, 1946.
c. Jones Act, 1917: Gave Puerto Ricans status of citizens.
d. Crisis with Japan:
1) California legislature prohibited Japanese-Americans from
owning land.
2) Japan protested; U.S. feared Japan might attack Philippines.
3) Sec. of State went to CA and pleaded with state govt. to
soften its stand; tensions eased somewhat.
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Notes
3. Imperialism under Wilson: aimed to reinforce Western Hemisphere
during WWI.
a. Wilson sent marines into Nicaragua, 1912, and took over control
of customs.
b. U.S. forces sent to Haiti in 1914-15 to protect US lives &
property (urged NY bank)
c. 1916, US marines sent to Dominican Republic when civil war
broke out
d. 1917, U.S. purchased Virgin Islands from Denmark; Caribbean
now dominated by U.S
4. "Moral Diplomacy" in Mexico.
a. Mexican Revolution began in 1910.
b. Porfirio Diaz, dictator since 1876, replaced by Francisco Madero
in 1911.
1) Americans, owned 43% of property in Mexico, feared Madero
would confiscate property owned by foreigners
2) U.S. diplomats and businessmen plotted with the Mexican
army to replace Madero with General Huerta.
c. Poor Mexicans revolted in 1913, overthrew Madero, and installed
Huerta.
d. US interests in Mexico cried for U.S. intervention for protection.
1) Wilson massed U.S. troops on border; sent warships to
Mexico warning Huerta that unless he abdicated, the U.S.
would overthrow him.
2) Wilson saw Huerta as a "brute"; "I am going to teach the
South American republics to elect good men." "Moral
Diplomacy"
3) In 1914 Wilson allowed U.S. arms to flow to Huerta’s rivals,
Carranza and "Pancho" Villa.
e. Tampico Incident: April 1914
1) U.S. sailors arrested at Atlantic seaport of Tampico.
2) Mexico released sailors and apologized but refused the U.S.
admiral's demand for 21-gun salute unless the U.S. likewise
saluted the Mexican flag.
3) Wilson intent on eliminating Huerta, ordered the navy
(before Congress could act) to seize Vera Cruz. This cut
off supplies of German arms to Huerta.
a) Congress and much of the American public outraged.
b) Both Huerta and Carranza condemned the U.S. act.
4) Huerta collapsed in July 1914 and succeeded by Carranza.
5) "Pancho" Villa emerged as Carranza’s chief rival
a) Villa retaliated by killing 18 Americans at Santa Ysabel,
Mexico in Jan. 1916.
b) 1916, Villa’s army shot up Columbus, New Mexico,
killing 17 Americans.
f. General John J. Pershing ordered to subdue Villa.
1) U.S. Army moved 300 miles into Mexico with 5,800 troops.
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There were clashed with Carranza’s forces and Villa’s forces
were destroyed. (Future WWII leaders G.C. Marshall & G.
Patton were present. Patton gained notoriety for a shootout
with several of Villa’s troops.)
2) Villa never captured by US but ultimately assassinated in
1923.
3) U.S. withdraws
a) Wilson’s intervention in Mexico was seen as so egregious
that both sides in Mexico's civil war wanted U.S. out.
b) U.S. public and foreign pressure influenced Wilson to
remove troops.
c) With threat of war with Germany becoming real, U.S.
withdrew its invading army in February, 1917.
Notes
5. Wilson’s foreign policy was so unpopular that it was flatly
repudiated in the 1920s.
Foreign Policy
Date
Hay-Pauncefote
Treaty
1901
Roosevelt
Corollary to
the Monroe
Doctrine
1904
What is It?
United States and Britain would jointly build an isthmian canal.
United States was free to construct, maintain, and fortify a canal that
could be open to all ships.
United States reserved rights to intervene in Latin America to keep
European Powers from collecting debts using force.
American involvement in affairs of Venezuela, Haiti, Dominican
Republic, Nicaragua, and Cuba. Brandished "big stick" like a
policeman to beat Europeans out of Latin America.
Economic penetration would bring stability to lower areas and profit
1914
and power to the United States without having to use the troops or
Dollar Diplomacy
special funds.
US relations with other countries must be based upon terms of
Moral Diplomacy 1915-1917
"equality and honor".
Big Stick
Diplomacy
1905
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