During the late 19th and 20th century, the United States pursues an aggressive policy of expansionism, extending its political, military, and economic influence across the globe. The events during this ‘age of imperialism’ laid the foundation for America’s international power while simultaneously defining the use of the these powers. The policy that the United States implemented at this time is known as Big Stick Diplomacy which was to speak softly but carry a big stick. This meant that the United States would ask for something or take a stance on an issue and if another nation refused or went against the United States, then the military would be summoned to ‘resolve’ the issues. This domineering foreign policy defined the politics of American Imperialism that was especially prevalent from 1890-1913.
The United States’ influential powers came from a strong military and naval force. The naval force had been bolstered under Teddy Roosevelt when he was Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The American naval force saw rapid growth to become the 5th most powerful navy by 1898 and according to Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan’s The Influence of Sea Power upon History this strengthened navy was necessary as control of the seas was the key to world dominance and empire. The United States would get to showcase its naval prowess in defense of economic interests in Cuban sugar that was threatened by Spain’s Reconcentration from 1896-1898. The exaggerated Yellow Journalism on the Reconcentration, the De Lome Letter, and the blowing up of the USS Maine which was believed to have been done by the Spanish all combined to pull America into the Spanish-American War. The US saw its influential international power become stronger in the wake of tremendous...
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...Destiny and extended its international influence 10,000 miles from the Puerto Rico to the Philippines. This aggressive expansion policy with its extensive addition of territory was stimulated by both political and economic interests in these foreign islands. The United States could definitively be defined as an empire as it coerced people to live under American government as it sought to extradite wealth from these island nations that became territories and protectorates by military and political force. American Imperialism would continue into the presidency of Woodrow Wilson who was initially an anti-imperialist in rhetoric but invaded more countries than any other president. The prevalence of American Imperialism from 1890-1913 saw the United States expand its borders as well as political, economic, and military influence in international affairs across the globe.
In the book, America’s Great War: World War I and the American Experience, Robert H. Zieger discusses the events between 1914 through 1920 forever defined the United States in the Twentieth Century. When conflict broke out in Europe in 1914, the President, Woodrow Wilson, along with the American people wished to remain neutral. In the beginning of the Twentieth Century United States politics was still based on the “isolationism” ideals of the previous century. The United States did not wish to be involved in European politics or world matters. The U.S. goal was to expand trade and commerce throughout the world and protect the borders of North America.
Imperialism is a policy by which a country gains power over the world or other countries. It begun in 1865 and it caused US to expand. America had “Thirst for New Market”. The business in The United States was developing rapidly so it needed more supplies (trade) from other countries. The United States used different methods such as Jingoism/Racism, Economic Expansion and American superiority over Europe, but however, economic expansion contributed most for the US Imperialism. This meant more money and power compare to other countries.
In the late 1800’s the American people and their government became more willing to risk war in defense of American interests overseas, support for building a large modern navy began to grow. Supporters argued that if the United States did not build up its navy and acquire bases overseas, it would be shut out of foreign markets by Europeans. Captain Alfred T. Mahan observed that building a modern navy meant that the U.S. had to acquire territory for naval bases overseas. This would enable them to operate a navy far from home. A country needed bases and coaling stations in distant regions, which was exactly what they did by having Havana, Cuba be one of its ports. Another factor that was part of the Navy’s modernization was the USS Maine, which was probably the most famous ship of its era. The USS Maine was one of the Navy’s first armored battle ships. It was one of the first U.S. naval vessels with electrical lighting. It had a top speed of 17 knots and a crew of 392 officers and enlisted men. On the evening of February 15, 1898 the USS Maine exploded. Of the 345 officers and sailors aboard the Maine, 266 died. There were many ideas of how this explosion occurred, namely: the ship’s ammunition supplies blew up, a fire accidentally ignited the ammunition, and that a mine detonated near the ship set off the ammunition. At the time Cuba was a Spanish colony, but it was in the midst of a revolution. The Cuban people were fighting for independence from Spain. During this Cuban revolt against Spain and the American battleship Maine dropped anchor in the Havana harbor to protect American interests in Cuba. Many Americans regarded the Spanish as tyrants and supported the Cubans in their struggle. This immediately made Americans jump to the Conclusion that Spain blew up the Maine. American’s felt that since they were allies with Cuba that Spain was trying to harm America, as to not interfere with Cuba’s revolt against them. Within a matter of weeks, Spain and the U.
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.
Throughout the course of history, nations have invested time and manpower into the colonizing and modernizing of more rural governments. Imperialism has spread across the globe, from the British East India Company to France’s occupation of Northern Africa. After their founding in 1776, the United States of America largely stayed out of this trend until The Spanish-American War of 1898. Following the war, the annexation and colonization of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines ultimately set a precedent for a foreign policy of U.S. imperialism.
It is the intention of this essay to explain the United States foreign policy behind specific doctrines. In order to realize current objectives, this paper will proceed as follows: Part 1 will define the Monroe Doctrine, Sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 will concurrently explicate the Roosevelt Corollary, Good Neighbor Policy, and the Nixon Doctrine, discuss how each policy resulted in U.S. involvement in Latin American countries, describe how it was justified by the U.S. government, respectively, and finally, will bring this paper to a summation and conclusion.
In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Imperialism was a popular trend among the large, powerful countries. Imperialism is defined as “The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations”. Imperialism cannot be said as either good or bad, but as a general rule: If you live in an annexed country, imperialism is not good, if your country annexes smaller ones to gain profit, land, and respect, then imperialism is good. The United States was not much of an imperialistic country until we won the Spanish-American war. As a result of this war, we annexed Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
Throughout most of the nineteenth century, the United States expanded its territory westward through purchase and annexation. At the end of the century, however, expansion became imperialism, as America acquired several territories overseas. This policy shift from expansionism to imperialism came about as a result of American's experience in the Spanish American War and the Congressional debates that followed the American victory.
For 113 days during the summer of 1898, the United States was at war with Spain. Neither the president of the United States, nor his cabinet, nor the the queen of Spain, nor her ministers wanted the war wanted the war. It happened eventhough they made their best efforts to prevent it. It happened because of ambition, miscalculation, and stupidity; and it happened because of kindness, wit, and resourcefulness. It also happened because some were indifferent to the suffering of the world’s wretched and others were not (O’Toole 17). By winning the war the United States proved the the rest of the world and to itself that it could and would fight against foreign nations. For many years, world power had been concentrated in the countries in Europe. Nations such as Great Britain, France, Germany, and Spain had the most influence in global affairs. But a shift in power was gradually taking place as the United States matured. The young nation gained wealth and strength. Its population grew immensely, and many people believed it would become a major world power (Bachrach, 11) Spain was one of the many European countries that had territory in the United States. Spain controlled mostly some islands off the coast of Central America. The most important of these were Cuba and Puerto Rico. The United States was led to believe that the Spanish mosgoverned and abused the people of these islands. In fact, Spain did overtax and mistreat the Cubans, who rebelled in 1868 and again in 1895. Thus, the American people felt sympathetic toward the Cuban independence movement. In addition, Spain had frequently interfered with trade between its colonies and the United States. Even though the United States had been a trading partner with Cuba since the seventeenth century, Spain sometimes tried to completely stop their trade with Cuba. In Spain doing so, this sometimes caused damage to U.S. commercial interests. The United States highly disagreed with Spain’s right to interfere with this trade relationship. (Bachrach, 12) The United States was also concerned that other trading and commercial interests were threatened by the number of ships and soldiers Spain kept in the area. If the United States had to fight a war with Canada or Mexico, these Spanish forces could quickly mobilize against the United States.
With the sinking of the USS Maine of the coast of Cuba, the United States people got infuriated with the fact that 260 Americans died and the only culprit at the time was a Spanish ship. The press with its yellow journalism spread the news throughout the states, enraging many Americans with their yellow journalism. The New York Journal at the time went as far as saying that “ ” () President McKinley and the members in Congress at the time were forced to declare war on Spain, fearing the negative effects it would have if they let the matter go. With the declaration of war the United States recruited so many men for the army and navy they didn’t know what to do with them, but inevitably our numbers made us prepared for anything Spain had to through at us. Although most of the battles were fought by the navy like Alfred Thayer said “In order to be a great power like Great Britain the U.S. need to control the seas and dominate international commerce.” (Mahan, A. T.) With a greater naval force then Spain the U.S. was able over whelm them and win almost all the battles they fought in. Alfred also said with in his book “The influence of sea power upon history” that the islands that the United States acquired through the means of imperialism also serve as refueling station for our ships during war or transport. Hawaii especially because of its central location in the
Throughout the Nineteenth Century, America’s territory had continued to expand toward the Pacific Ocean. Nevertheless, many American leaders had become intrigue with Europe’s imperialist power and expansionism. Historian Paul Kennedy has called the emergence of the U.S. as player on world stage the most decisive change in late Nineteenth Century. America saw herself with a “special moral endowment” and felt justified in projecting influence beyond her borders. (“Imperialism and War,” n.d.). With Europe’s influence, American citizens adopted...
After the civil war, United States took a turn that led them to solidify as the world power. From the late 1800s, as the US began to collect power through Cuba, Hawaii, and the Philippines, debate arose among historians about American imperialism and its behavior. Historians such as William A. Williams, Arthur Schlesinger, and Stephen Kinzer provides their own vision and how America ought to be through ideas centered around economics, power, and racial superiority.
Some in America continued to decry the policy as being wrong, and bad for America. The supporters of imperialism were quick to point to the drastic increase in America’s economic standing and all but silenced these dissenters. Of course, the anti-imperialists were never truly silenced. Even today we see a Democratic party more concerned with domestic issues and internal stability, while the Republicans seem to continue to embrace their heritage of global influence. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the expansionism was known as new imperialism. The term was a carry-over from European imperialist endeavors, which had surged before dying out years before. These European countries had again turned to imperialism during this time, earning the age the title of new imperialism (Magdoff 117). While America’s imperialist ambitions never really disappeared, they have ebbed and surged. Some would cite the end of the nineteenth century as a unique time for America’s expansions, but it does not appear that imperialism has changed very much throughout human history. Even today, America cannot resist the base urge to expand its influence around the globe. In recent years wars have been fought in Iraq and Afghanistan for the proclaimed purpose of fighting a terrorist threat against America. Following the dismantling of the terror networks, the United States set forth to construct new governments in these countries. The ultimate goal would be the stabilization of the region by nations now sympathetic to American interests. This is much like the case of Cuba and its liberation from Spain. Of course, like Cuba eventually turned on America, it appears that America may be losing control of its interests in the Middle East. History does indeed repeat
Nye, Jr., Joseph S. “Hard and Soft Power in American Foreign Policy.” In Paradox of American Power. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. 4-17. Print.
Few cultural or economic monopolies even come close to rivaling Hollywood’s stranglehold upon the world film industry. As a result, virtually every major Hollywood production that finds its way to audiences – be they in New York, London, Sydney, Shanghai, or Irvine, California – has a certain indelible Americanness to it. It will inevitably be labeled American, but truly, what makes a movie American, as opposed to American-British, American-Australian, American-Chinese, or some other combination? That is the very question at hand here, and its answer reveals some rather profound truths and phenomena about America and the English language’s complex roles in this increasingly globalized, postnational world.