Foreign Policy Case Study

1388 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Westward expansion in america

When our government makes decisions on Foreign policy they do not only affect those countries which are involved with the U.S. These decisions also affect the citizens of our nation. Many people in America today are concerned about domestic issues such as their health benefits, the price of their mortgage or rent, the price of gas, their family. The list could go on and on, most of these issues are not purely domestic, foreign policy could and does in some affect every one of these issues. Naturally as citizens we typically focus on those issues that are directly affecting the way they live here in the U.S. before thinking about how the U.S. decisions affect countries abroad. The government’s goal is to make decisions that are in the best interest of the nation both domestically as well as abroad. …show more content…

Although many American’s may not have agreed with all of the decisions the U.S. made, there were costs and benefits to all. Westward expansion gave the US 1000’s of acres of land as well as access to the pacific at the cost of being indebted and the lives of many of it’s soldiers in the Mexican-American war. Many Americans lost their father, spouse, brother and family members at the cost of “National Interest”. Yes, this new land was able to pay dividends to the U.S. They were able to gain land for farming and for citizens to live on, as well as natural resources and gold but there were trade-offs. In my opinion, there was not necessarily a need to go to war with Mexico. Although in the end the decision to go to war did help the US evolve into what it is today if it were not for this war the U.S. may not be the country that is is today and borders would have been larger and closer which could have led to war in the end

Show More
Related

  • How Was The Mexican War An Expansion Of American Imperialism

    1818 Words  | 4 Pages

    Rodolfo Acuña and Norman A. Graebner take opposing standpoints on this topic. Acuña takes the standpoint that the Americans took advantage of the Mexican government, which was young and unstable at the time. He argued that the United States waged an unjust war solely for the acquisition of new lands. His excerpt from Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, 3rd Edition provided the basis for his argument. On the other hand, Graebner took the standpoint that President James Polk pushed a policy, enforced by a stronger nation, to force Mexico to sell New Mexico and California and recognize the annexation of Texas to the United States without starting a war. His argument was taken from his article “The Mexican War: A Study in Causation”. Both sides of the American Imperialism argument contain their own strengths. However, after the examination of the articles, Graebner proposes a more convincing

    Read More

  • Was The Mexican War Justified Dbq Essay

    460 Words  | 1 Pages

    One reason the Mexican War was justified was the United States Manifest Destiny beliefs. Evidence supporting this reason is that, according to Document A, John O'Sullivan said it was God’s choice if the United States will grow by taking or buying territory. Also, the annexation of Texas helped grow the United States which gave the

    Read More

  • Was The Us Justified In Going To War With Mexico Essay

    552 Words  | 2 Pages

    The war between Mexico and the United States started in 1846, should the United States go to war with Mexico? The United States was indeed justified in going to war with Mexico, because 16 Americans lost their lives in a battle with Mexico. Second, Mexicans were mad about the revolution, and Mexico treated U.S. diplomats poorly. Many mini-huge and impactful battles took place to unite the country and to fulfill God’s will to take all the land. While trying to execute Manifest Destiny, 16 Americans killed for the right but made a sacrifice to take dominance over Mexico.

    Read More

  • Mexican War Dbq Essay

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    This caused conflict between the two countries. Is it right for the United States to declare war against Mexico? America was justified in going to war with Mexico because they could gain economic benefits, Mexico threatened America first, and citizens and James K. Polk wanted to fulfill their manifest destiny. Another reason that the Mexican War was justified was because Mexico had already threatened the United States by advancing past the boundary of the United States.

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny Dbq Essay

    660 Words  | 2 Pages

    Through Manifest Destiny, the U.S. conquered many new territories. Ever since the U.S. became its own country, they always wanted more land. They thought that the Manifest Destiny gave them the right to expand and conquer more land. The United States were offered a deal known as the Louisiana Purchase which doubled their size. Even after they received this land, they were thirsty for more. They wanted to have Texas as their own. After Texas got their independence from Mexico, President Polk annexed it. Polk had his eye set on California next. But before he could get California, he had to deal with border dispute in Texas, leading to the war with Mexico. So, did the United States have a good reason to go to war with Mexico? The answer is simple, the U.S. was not justified into going to war with Mexico. This is proven through the Manifest Destiny, border disputes, and an American viewpoint on the war.

    Read More

  • American Foreign Policy Dbq

    941 Words  | 2 Pages

    Between 1895 and 1920, the years in which William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, and Woodrow Wilson reigned in the presidents, the United States struggled for not only justice at home but abroad as well. During this period policies such as Roosevelt’s Big Stick diplomacy, William Taft’s Dollar diplomacy, and Woodrow Wilson’s Moral diplomacy were all used in foreign affairs in hopes of benefit for all involved. However, it would be appropriate to say that self-interest was the most important driving factor for American policy and can be exemplified through economic, social, and political relations.

    Read More

  • Mexican-American War Dbq

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    As Americans, we’ve taken far greater than just tacos, burritos, and nachos from the culture of Mexico. Through America’s past relations with Mexico, America has taken large amounts of land, and a sense of power from country south of the United States, Mexico. In 1846, James Polk, a former president of the United States, declared war on Mexico. There was confusion between Mexico and America. Land was being traded, new borders were being formed, but disorientation was aroused causing conflict. Differences in culture, beliefs, and even national law led to dispute among these two countries, making it even more difficult to reach a treaty of peace, or a deal. The Mexican-American War was not justified because it was an excuse for gaining land,

    Read More

  • Mexican War Dbq

    680 Words  | 2 Pages

    Was the United States Justified in Going to War with Mexico? The Mexican War, or the "U.S. Invasion" (according to the Mexicans) started on April 24, 1826. Many Americans and Mexicans died fighting in the Mexican War. This war was nothing compared to the Civil War just 15 years later but it was heart breaking for everyone at that time. At the end of the war half of the country of Mexico was taken by the United States as a war prize. So, was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico? I think the U.S. was unjustified to go to war with Mexico because, the United states provokes the war and starts the war, the only reason they had the Mexican war was to gain land and lastly Texas was stolen from Mexico by southern slave owners.

    Read More

  • Iran-Contra Affair

    1419 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...es when it comes to implementing controversial foreign policy decisions that directly affect Americans and those in different countries. The main aspect of the affair that greatly influences the United States’ government is ensuring that its past imperialistic motives do not become an integral part of American affairs once again.

    Read More

  • Was The Mexican American War Justified Essay

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    The United States was not justified in going to war with Mexico because America came in and broke the laws, there were no borders for Texas, and America stole Mexico's land. Tejanos(Mexicans) invited Americans in to settle in Texas. Americans also known as Anglos Broke most of the few laws Mexico made. There was a war for the independence of Texas. A couple years later, President Polk went to go ask Mexico for some of their land because of their belief called Manifest destiny.

    Read More

  • Was American Imperialism Justified

    712 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the Spanish American war, many people were divided over the topic of imperialism. Ultimately, many benefits came with the US territory expanding. Not only did the US get bigger, but many aspects of our nation improved significantly. American expansion abroad was justified because it helped the military and economy advance greatly.

    Read More

  • The Hardest-Working Man During The Mid-1800s

    604 Words  | 2 Pages

    In addition, during Polk’s term he expanded the United States’ border to the west coast. His desire to enlarge the country stemmed from his belief in “manifest destiny” which was the idea that the United States was destined to stretch to the Pacific Ocean. His presidency; his decisions for the country were influenced by manifest destiny. In the article titled “Mexican-American War,” James K. Polk wanted to acquire California and the southwestern land of the United States. Polk’s movement of troops into the conflicted zone between the Rio Grande and Nueces River initiated a conflict with Mexico. The conflict developed into a war, with hefty Mexican losses, but finally ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with the U.S. as the victor. In the treaty, Mexico decided to sell all the land north of the Rio G...

    Read More

  • Was The Mexican War Justified Essay

    654 Words  | 2 Pages

    War is inevitable, but the Mexican-American War could have been avoided when determining borders. The controversial Mexican-American war is often talked and argued about. The big question about the war that everyone argues about is, Was America justified in going to war with Mexico? Well, were they? The United States was not justified in going to war with Mexico because Americans invaded Mexican land, The United States already has lots of land, and the Americans ignored Mexican laws and regulations. In 1821, Mexico declares independence from Spain. Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836 to join America. This War (1846-1848) marked the first U.S. armed conflict chiefly fought on foreign soil.

    Read More

  • American Diplomacy

    872 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his 1959 study, The Tragedy of American Diplomacy, the well-known historian William Appleton Williams wrote, that in spite of its best intentions, American foreign policy was based on a one-dimensional American belief that Americans and the American government had all the answers to their problems. I strongly agree, for the most part, with that statement. The only aspect of American foreign policy that I disagreement is the firmness in which our government stands true to their decisions and re often inflexible enough to change them. The administrators in charge of our government dating back to the 19th century have always been too inflexible to tweak their application on foreign policy in the least bit. It has made way to a century of failure in foreign relations. America began building up its outdated navy ships in the early 1880's in preparation for what would be an American attempt at expansion. They wanted to become the premiere naval world power. They were already being acknowledged as whole of the great world strengths by other powerful countries. It didn't take long, by 1900; the U.S. began flexing its muscles. The Caribbean and Pacific Islands became a national interest. A classic example of which started the poor American foreign policy was in 1891 in Chile. Secretary of State James G. Blaine became involved in a border dispute between Mexico and Guatemala, tried settling a war between Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Chile held a riot against American troops. Blaine threatened Chile with war, and they were forced to apologize to America and pay an indemnity of $75,000. This established America as a world power, but also tarnished their role in foreign policy before it even got off the ground. Many more incidents like this occurred after the event with Chile, the biggest being the pursuit of the Panama Canal. America continued moving into to foreign land, and when problems arose, America began implementing an American model of government in these areas, believing that was the only way to solve the problems.

    Read More

  • The Mexican-American War

    1453 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Mexican-American war determined the destiny of the United States of America, it determined whether or not it would become a world power and it established the size of the United States of America. Perhaps the war was inevitable due to the idea of Manifest Destiny - Americans thought they had the divine right to extend their territory. The Mexican-American War started mainly because of the annexation of the Republic of Texas (established in 1836 after breaking away from Mexico). The United States and Mexico still had conflicts on what the borders of Texas was, the United States claimed that the Texas border with Mexico was the Rio Grande, but the Mexicans said that it was the Nueces River, so the land in between were disputed and claimed by both the United States and Mexico.

    Read More

More about Foreign Policy Case Study

Open Document