US Foreign Policy

• 1790s-Civil War:

  • American Policy focused on three key issues: expanding westward (Manifest Destiny---God had chosen us to go to the west coast to spread Christianity and our values), Protecting US interest abroad (Trade), Limiting foreign influences in the America’s (Monroe Doctrine---John Quincy Adams wrote it---key principles: non colonization and non intervention; European powers didn’t take it seriously---US couldn’t enforce it)

  • During period after Civil War: Industrialization (economic growth of US) will be the catalyst for America changing its relationship with the world; major shift for US relations with the rest of the world

  • We live in the America created during the Gilded Age: foreign and economic expansion; building of modern America; move from relatively isolationist nation to a potential power

William Henry Seward:

• Secretary of State under Lincoln and Andrew Johnson

• Played pivotal role in keeping both Great Britain and France out of the war; They would’ve both allied with the Southern states and the South would’ve won

• He was a strong expansionist: Secured Rights for US to build a canal through central America; midway island (close to Hawaii near the Pacific) and is midway between US and the far east

• During Civil War: Napoleon III took advantage of American Civil war and he sent French troops to occupy Mexico; Issue with French sending troops into Mexico because it violates the Monroe Doctrine

• After Civil War ends: Face military response from US OR get out from Mexico; when French are threatened (French surrender)

• Seward was responsible for purchasing Alaska

  • Alaska was a Russian colony

  • The Russians realized that the British were interested in Alaska (canada’s apart of Interest); The US didn’t think it was worth defending Alaska

  • Seward was aware of this and recommended that we buy Alaska from Russia

  • We didn’t want British to expand into Alaska and Seward made Congress agreed with him

• 1867: Purchase Alaska for $7.2 million;

• Seward’s Folly (mistake); Newspapers were critical of Seward buying Alaska;

  • The public was led to believe that we spent $7.2 million on a big chunk of ice and thought it was an enormous waste

  • Alaska actually had minerals, coal, gold, silver, timber, fur-bearing animals, fishing industry

New Imperialism

• Imperialism: either acquire territory or we have influence outside our own borders

• Industrial Revolution drives Imperialism; by late 1800s, US mostly perfected manufacturing however they were outproducing the Domestic market (1. Consumers don’t have enough money to buy it and we don’t have enough people to buy all the products) SO they look overseas

• We expand to find new markets for American businesses; you have to pay higher wages for people to buy more and then cut into profits; so they looked overseas to maximize profits

• Overseas territories had raw materials (Cheaper materials possibly)

  • US will always look for a cheaper source somewhere else (cheaper labor overseas)

International Darwinism

• Survival of the Fittest and apply it to competition between nations

  • European powers were already involved in imperialism and US was late

  • The weaker nations were absorbed by stronger countries or fade out

  • US needs to be “fit” in four areas: strong militarily (might have to fight other countries) , economically (fund all extortions), politically (stable government), religiously (Christian Protestantism); WE SHOW OTHER COUNTRIES That we’re strong by acquiring more territories

• US tries to keep up with the rest of the world

• People who advocate: Christian Missionaries, Popular Press, Politicians, Naval Powers

• Christian Missionaries (Josiah Strong, wrote: “Our Country: Possible future and Present Crisis”; Strong advocates spread of western culture (our culture) which includes Christian Protestantism and spreading our advanced civilization to the less fortunate----science, medicine, technology);  SUPERIORITY and Christian Protestantism (telling people that they need to convert in order to save their souls)

• Both Pro-American sentiment and Anti-AMerican sentiment

• Politicians: Republican power and ally of big businesses

• Republican politicians are going to use american foreign policy to help big business

• Naval Strategist: Influence of Sea Power upon history; Alfred T Mahan; if US wanted to be true power: needed to make navy stronger and acquire overseas market; if you’re going to make the Navy stronger, US needed to do four things: US needed to build modern steel navy (end to wooden ships), needed naval bases in Caribbean, acquire Hawaii and Pacific Islands, need a Canal through Central America, (Guantanamo Bay--Navy bases now)

Popular Press

• Editors found  that they could increase circulation and profit by printing adventure stories about distance and exotic places (Asia: The Orient)

• Increased public interest about world around us

• Slow process

  • America was becoming more global in their perspective instead of being more regionalized

Blaine and the Pan-American Conference

• Conference was held to establish closer ties between Latin America and US

• Economic: Latin America was a potential market for US

• As we’re expanding, Latin America could be military allies

• Grover Cleveland and RIchard Olney (his secretary) and Monroe Doctrine

• Venezuela and British Colony of Guiana dispute over Gold; We demand that British go to arbitration to settle dispute and British tell us that it’s none of our business (it’s between Venezuela and Colony); Cleveland and Olney invoke Monroe Doctrine and they threatened the Brits---they’re willing to use military force to back the Monroe Doctrine; Brits start to think long-term---rather than incidental boundary dispute they want American Friendship and agree to arbitration---which changes international relations

• Britain wins dispute and they win more territory

• People of Latin America were thrilled that the US had stood up for their rights against a colonial power; we have good standing in Latin America because of it; international power of Monroe Doctrine was enhanced; everybody wins but Venezuela

• The GREAT RAPPROCHEMENT--- THE FRIENDSHIP

  • The Rapprochement was a turning point in US-Britain relations

  • This was when US and Great Britain began cultivating friendship rather than hostility)

Hawaii

Bayonet Constitution

• King David Kalakaua (last monarch of Hawaii to wield independent political power) signed a new constitution for the kingdom of Hawai’i. Kalakaua signed the law at gunpoint, which led to the document being nicknamed the “Bayonet Constitution” stripped Hawaiian monarchy of its authority

• There were Americans were in Hawaii for the sugar industry and for a period of time, Hawaiian sugar (hawaii was an independent kingdom; able to sell their sugar with no tariff n it, which did not go well with the American sugar producers, so they lobbied to change that, 1890 (McKinley Tariff put a tariff on the Hawaiian sugar

• The consumer pays for it in the form of higher prices (48%), which makes them more inclined to buy cheaper domestic sugar, which hurts the Hawaiians’ market share and their profits so they come up with a scheme

• The Plan was to annex Hawaii to the US, and if it becomes a part of the US then they don’t have to pay the tariff

• Kalokaui was forced to change the constitution (stripped Hawaiians of their right to vote; you had to own land to Vote; Hawaiians didn’t believing in owning land, you shared it; the rich white landowner Americans forced the King);

• Only wealthy landowners who could vote

• Liliuokalani becomes the monarch of Hawaii; she starts the movement: Hawaii for the Hawaiians

• She wanted to restore the native Hawaiians’ right to vote; American militia surrounds Queens’ palace and they’re ready to go to war (NOTHING TO DO WITH THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT; rich americans in hawaii who are hiring their own militia)

• ALL During grover Cleveland Presidency

• He sends an investigator and he reports back; Cleveland was outraged at the Americans and he wants Liluokalani restored to her throne

• If Liliuokalani is restored to her throne, she is going to implement Hawaiian justice against the Americans who rose up against the monarchy; he makes the next president take the burden

• Election of 1896: William McKinley vs. WIlliam Jennings Brian

  • Problems: gold vs. silver

• First imperial debate in American history: question whether US was going to annex Hawaii or not: most people supported annexation; ultimately annex hawaii and establish a naval base there and eventually become a state

• She doesn’t get restored to the throne because Dole family was the wealthiest family in Hawaii (Dole Pineapples)

Spanish American War

• (1895 (end of Cleveland’s second term - McKinley’s first term)

• Neither country wanted it to happen

How did they contribute to the outbreak of the Spanish-AMerican War

• The US had interest in Cuba because they also have sugar plantations

• Jose Marti:

• He was a poet and journalist who led the second war for Cuban independence against Spain. He pushed Cubans to revolt when he fled to the US after being a leader among those that wanted freedom for Spain

• Cuba is near Florida and Puerto Rico

• The Cuban insurrectos cannot defeat the Spanish colonial power, so they need allies (the US); Jose Marti burns the American sugar plantations (calculated risk because he knows what will happen: news coverage; he believes that AMericans will see Cubans story reflected in AMerica’s independence)

• Rich Americans were at risk of losing property in Cubans, so he’s counting on the fact that most americans will sympathize with the Cubans

• McKinley doesn’t want war;

• Republican wanted big business and business never wants war (it’s a disruptor to the economy)

• America public opinion was anti-spanish

  • cultural differences

  • US was a Christian Protestant Nation and Spanish are Roman Catholics

  • Spanish were guilty of Inquisition and Americans thought they were oppressive leaders who followed the Pope (who Americans don’t like)

• Valeriano “the Butcher” Weyler:

  • Wanted to crush the rebellion by herding men civilians into barbed-wire concentration camps; without proper sanitation so most of them died (Rounds up rural population of western Cuba---1 million---and 200,000 died---American public is aware of this)

  • Beacon of freedom and justice cannot allow this to happen; so people are calling for action against the Spanish (Anti-Spanish sentiment)

• Yellow Journalism:

  • Definition: Sensationalism over facts in the newspaper (false information which further increased between America and Spain)

  • Yellow Journalism:

    • valued Circulation and profit (sex, sin, and scandal means viewership goes up)

    • fabrication of stories (Spanish were putting poison in the water wells throughout Cuba, which was genocide; For sport, Spanish soldiers would raid villages and take Cuban babies and feed them to sharks. Neither were true; people believed them anyway)

• Willian Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer

De Lome Letter:

• Contents: Spanish Minister mocking President McKinley (no backbone)

• This contributes to war because it causes aggression against the Spanish (US can criticize president but if foreigner does it, it means you gotta hurt them back)

• USS Maine

• Washington sent the battleship USS Maine to Cuba, supposedly for a friendly“visit” but actually to protect and evacuate Americans if a dangerous flare-up should occur and to demonstrate Washington’s concern for the island’s stability. Tragedy stuck on February 15, 1898, when the Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana harbor, with a loss of 260 sailors

• Spanish concluded that it was an accident; but Americans agreed that it was a mine (McKinley agreed with Spanish)

• The People want war

• Later, they find out that it was an internal design problem

• American Public Opinion

• The American people were furious from the yellow press, so they  inaccurately concluded that the Spanish government was guilty of treachery. National war fever burned higher, even though American diplomats had gained Madrid’s agreement to Washington’s demands: an end to reconcentration camps and an armistice with Cuban rebels

• William McKinley elected in 1896: First term president; McKinley doesn’t want the war but if he doesn’t give him a war then the Democrats may use it against him and he may not get reelected so he gives the people a war

• REmember the Maine becomes a cry

*Pan-American-ism: Cooperation with Latin America for the economy (boost trade) AND potential military alliances

Leading up to Spanish-American War

• BEFORE The Maine

• Neither nation did not want conflict

• Tensions built over several years

• US gov. Made demands (not an ultimatum) and the Spanish had agreed to them; our gov. Asked the Spanish gov to reach out to the Cuban rebels and offer an armistice (cease fire) and Spanish gov. Agreed; Cuban rebels declined the armstic

• Spanish were not gonna grant them independence

• US thought Cuba could be a dominion; offer them limited self-rule and the Spanish agreed and the Cuban said no deal because they want full independence

• Our government and our public when the stories of the concentration camps reached our shores and our government said that concentration camps needed to end (Spanish agreed and called Butcher Weyler back to Spain)

• Spain wanted no war but after USS Maine’s explosion, for the American Public, there was no going back

• If a republican president takes that approach, the democrats are gonna ask for War; so McKinley Needed to go to sustain the Republican party

• Congress declares war (it’s a constitutional power); President can ASK for war but Congress can declare war

• More directly linked to the people

• War declaration

  • Schools in Congress (Yes = support Measure, No = never going to change their mind, Maybes = on the fences, you must win them over → many Maybes in the Senate especially → concerned with reason of why America was going to war because we’re really just going to be imperialists for economic advantage which did not represent American ideals)

• Passed the Teller Amendment to quell freedoms and suspicions (SPECIFICALLY Cuba)

• After Spain was defeated, Cuba would be granted its independence

• Cuba libre (freedom and liberty for Cuba) and (it’s alcohol- Rum is made from Sugar)

• US would not take over any Cuban territory after the War

• Puerto Rico was Spanish territory at this point in time

• Teller AMendment convinces enough Congressmen that we are going in for the right reason; Congress declares war in April 1898

• Secretary of State John Hay Calls Spanish American war a “Splendid Little War”

• Decisive American victory in Spanish American War; confident that our navy is going to overwhelm Spanish

• Two Fronts: Fought in the Caribbeans (Puerto and Cuba) (Teddy Roosevelt---Battle of San Juan Hill---and Rough Riders glorified) and the Philippines

• During fight of overwhelming victory: our Army was ill prepared to fight in this war (antiquated weapons---not modern and updated, not trained to fight in tropical environment, and poorly equipped

• They wore Wool uniforms in Cuba and Puerto Rico

• The Rough Riders and Cuban Rebels were the reason that they won; Roosevelt becomes hero

• In Pacific it was Admiral George Dewey: 9 Spanish Naval vessels in Manila Bay and Dewey steamed across the Pacific and crushed them

• What was “Little” about war

• Lasted 16 weeks (4 months)

• Little Casualties

• Approximately 5000 American soldiers died during Spanish-AMerican War; 400 died on battlefield (Very low #)

• Other soldiers died because of tropical disease (yellow fever, malaria, we killed our own soldiers (bad meat sent to soldiers so they died of food poisoning)

End of a War: A treaty of Paris

• Cuba received its independence (Cuba Libre)

• Spain Ceded Guam and Puerto Rico to the US

• Controversial Provision: US acquired Philippines from Spain for $20 Million

Key outcomes of war

• US Adds territory

  • The US Fulfills Admiral Mahan’s vision (establish Naval bases in Caribbean, annexed Hawaii, have other Pacific Islands, and if Senate approves treaty we get Philippines)

• Military reputation of US was enhanced (US Navy’s reputation was enhanced)

• Unified the country

• Teddy Roosevelt becomes national hero and he uses his fame to run successfully for governor of NY

• Unfortunately, it led to bitter conflict with Filipinos (Not given their independence like Cubans were)

• Imperialist factors that convinced McKinley to keep Philippine Islands

• Wanted to “civilize” the Filipinos (Filipinos might fall into anarchy if left to govern themselves)---Anglo-Saxon Superiority; Without colonial presence the island would fall into anarchy (as if they’re not capable of self-government)

• America could not give the Philippines back to Spain

• Pay $20 million for Philippines

  • They Can’t give it back because it appears cowardly if we give it back

• One of the major powers (Germany or Japan) might try to seize the Filipinos, which the US could possibly sucked into war with

• Eager for new converts from Spanish Catholicism to Protestantism (Religious expansion)

  • America had Lack of cultural understanding of land we’re going into

• Trade Profits

• Extension of Manifest Destiny abroad (White Man’s Burden)

• (Traditional European countries were world powers)

• McKinley had God’s voice in his head who told him to conquer Filipinos (Religious Affiliation)

Three arguments against annexation used by Anti-Imperialist League

• Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, Professor William James (professor)

• The filipinos wanted freedom, and annexing is a form of despotism (Tyranny)

• Despotism overseas meant Despotism at home

• Imperialism was costly and unlikely to turn a profit

• Annexation would propel the US into the politics and military of East Asia (we don’t understand their culture)

• Destroy America’s commitments to self-determination and anti-colonialism (Violate principles of LIberty)

Outsourcing: if you need jobs done, you pay out of country dudes less compared to American workers

Puerto Rico

• Foraker Act: US law that applied to Puerto RIco

• The US would appoint the governor and upper house of Puerto RIco

• The lower house (they have bicameral legislature) would be appointed by Puerto Ricans

• Foraker ACt granted the Puerto Ricans limited self-government

• We plant the flag overseas: overseas territory rights: Do they get the same constitutional rights as Americans get?

• Insular Cases: Does the constitution follow the flag?

• Court says: Not, not automatically, they are guaranteed 3 basic rights (life, liberty, property) and everything else would be guaranteed by congress

• Platt Amendment:

• US agrees to withdraw from Cuba

• Concerned about another power moving into Cuba

• So US forced the Cubans to include provisions of the Platt AMendment in the new Cuban constitution

• Cuba can’t go into Debt

• Cuba can’t make treaties to limit its independence

• Any type of conflict meant conflict for US

• The US could intervene in the Cuban affairs whenever deemed necessary

• The US could buy or lease land for refueling their naval stations (Take over land to establish naval bases)

Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska

Filipino War

• War is over, the Filipinos believed that like Cuba, the Filipinos were going to receive independence at the end of the Spanish-American War

• The Teller Amendment would result in the Cuban independence

• US army and navy assumed that all Spanish Colonies were liberated from Spanish rule---they asserted that Filipinos would get their independence (But they had no authority)

• Filipinos were not pleased when they realized that Spanish colonial rule ended and instead of independence, it was going to be US replacing Spain as a ruling colonial rule

• Insurrection led by Emilio Aguinaldo (Key American ally in Spanish-american war, led the Filipino War against the Spanish)

• Taken up arms against the US

• The conflict between US and Philippines (Filipino War)

• Brutal

• Utilized concentration camps in Philippines,

• Philippines tortured American POWs

• Americans tortured Philippine POWs

• Adds fuel to ANti-Imperialists

• Philippines only asking for Freedom (why are we fighting 10,000 miles away)

• 3.5 years

• US pays $400 million to keep control of Philippines

• National Darwinism: perceived US to be weak

• Ended insurrection with the Capture of Aguinaldo

• Aguinaldo agreed to give up insurrection and got government pension from US

• The US wins

• Send Wiliam Howard Taft

  • He became the First governor of Philippines

• Governor of Philippines

• Wins presidency (1915-1919)

• Chief Justice of US supreme court

• Got stuck in a bathtub

• WEll respected by Filipinos; in charge of benevolent assimilation

• Benefits:

• WE pour millions of dollars into Philippine

• Infrastructure (Roads, telegraph and telephone systems, improving sanitation system, Public health system)

• Economic ties between US and Philippines

• Did not plan in staying in Philippines forever (Eventually granted the Philippines after WW2: July 4, 1946, Philippines became an Independent state)

Open Door

• China does not have best relationship with Japan

• Japan had defeated China in war

• Imperialists started carving China up because the European powers were not fearful of Japanese, so they go into plant their flags

• Spheres of Influence: est. by Japanese and europeans

• Region where colonial power could control economic and political activity in the region

• The US is interested in China (Foreign markets)

• Leadership was concerned that carving up China would result in the exclusion of the US from potential markets

• John Hay (Secretary of State) wrote out the Open Door Notes: urged the imperial powers to open their spheres of influence for equal trade opportunities for all nations while respecting Chinese rights

• Make sure we get in there and trade

• Send out open door notes: Italy responds right away (nobody cared, Italy has no sphere of influence in China)

• Nobody responds

• US believes they have an opportunity in China

• The chinese aren’t happy

• The Righteous Fists of Harmony (The Boxers) Start a revolution

  • They expelled barbarians from China but they killed missionaries (200 missionaries) so now the US and the imperial powers are going to put together a coalition force (japan, russia, germany, france, Britain, US are going to put down the Boxer Rebellion)

• Fighting with martial arts

• Put down by coalition force and then they handed the chinese government a bill for $330 million

• The US ends up getting $24.5 million at the end of the Boxer Rebellion

• Excess payment of $18 million was sent it back to Chinese gov (Show of good faith)

• The Chinese gov. Takes $18 million and put it in a fund and send young Chinese students to the US to be educated (engineering, science, medicine, business)

  • Then the students would come home and help modernize China in bringing into the 20th century

• Secretary of State: open door notes part 2

• the commercial and territorial integrity of China would be protected

Election of 1896:

• End of the Gilded age

• Grover Cleveland; democrats and farmers and working class wanted silver, because they believed they help get us out of depression
  Cleveland was stuck to the gold standard; party is not happy with him

• REpublicans nominated Ohio William McKinley and the HOR (sponsored McKinley tariff); won the Seat of Senate junior senate of Ohio; picked and sounded presidential to run in 1896

• Democrats have no nominee: Nebraska William Jennings Byran delivers the Cross of Gold Speech: Gold standard is crippling most Americans; well received speech and nominated William Jennings Bryan

• His issue is silver: take america off of gold standard

• McKinley: Front porch campaign (Deliver same speech in front of his speech)

• Jennings travels the US and delivers hundreds of speeches

• William Jennings Bryan Loses

• Economy started recovering in fall of 1896
  Republicans say that coming off of gold standard would result in a depression

• McKinley Wins

1900

• Rematch dude!

• McKinley vs. William Jennings Bryan

• Vice president died of heart attack and needed to be replaced (Garret Hobart)

• Running With McKinley was Theodore Roosevelt

• William Jennings Bryan tries to make Republican imperialism a key issue, and the republicans have none of it (this is Bryanism)

• Bryan Really wants America off of gold standard and free silver

• By 1900: economy is prospering and Americans feared that if they came off the gold standard, prosperity would end

• Bryan had a second defeat (worse than first one)

• Lost because of prosperity of the era

• The Democrats are going to nominate him again (doesn’t win)

• Roosevelt ran for governor (2 years)

Theodore Roosevelt

• Accidental president

• roosevelt used his fame and notoriety from spanish american war to win governorship of NY; Republicans were allied with business

• Roosevelt was reform minded

  • This did not always sit well with big business interest so they schemed to end his political career

• Mark Hanna (Ohio) was the unofficial leader of the Republicans

• The Republicans nominated Roosevelt to Vice Presidency and was assured that McKinley would be healthy and Roosevelt would retire

• In 1900, they made Roosevelt McKinley’s running mate; 1901 Leon czolgosz shoots and kills McKinley

• Roosevelt did not initially want to be vice president (didn’t want to step down from controlling NY)

• Request made by his country so he couldn’t say no to being vice president

• Vowed to follow McKinley’s goals

• In 1901 at age 42, teddy roosevelt was the youngest president

• Popular with people of state of NY

• From Blue Blood family in NY (wealthy)

• Teddy Roosevelt struggled with asthma as a child

• he was active and he didn’t want his asthma to place limitations on his life

• exercise can minimize asthma (and he did that)

• for Roosevelt, with the strength of will and determination, any obstacle can be overcome

• He was well educated, went to Harvard, alleged to have read 20,000 books in his lifetime, author

• Married after college

• Entered into politics at state level for NY

• His wife and mother died on the same exact day (February 14)

• Became depressed and moved west to Dakota and then became a rancher

• America had a vast landscape

• When out in the Dakotas he fell in love with outdoors, which shaped his political philosophy --> preserving natural resources

• Returns back east and gets back into politics and becomes the police commissioner of NYC

• He became under secretary of the navy under McKinley, and he was a proponent of Navyism and was important in the modernizing of navy ships

• Before Spanish American war

• Teddy Roosevelt wanted the war

  • He resigned under McKinley because McKinley was weak (according to him)

• When he resigns, he forms the Rough Riders (ranching buddies, harvard buddies) and becomes a hero of spanish american war

• Returns as governor (1899; came back from spanish American War), vice president, and then presidency

Timeline

Harvard → NY Assembly → Rancher → Police Commissioner → under secretary of Navy → Rough Riders (Spanish-American War) → Governor of NY → VP → President

Political Beliefs

• Champion of military preparedness (strong national defense and more assertive role for the US in world affairs), which was done for imperialism

• “Speak softly and carry a big stick” means calmly explain your position and if they don’t understand the wisdom of your position, you’re carrying a big stick to see your position

• Also going to change the power dynamic in Washington DC

• Use White House as a bully pulpit (when a priest or a pastor and deliver their sermon, they do it from a pulpit (they’re preaching)

• Using prestige of White house to push through his national agenda; the founding fathers had intended Congress to shape the national agenda (because they were most closely aligned with the people)

• Roosevelt says it’s not really what the people want

• Roosevelt is going to change the dynamic and the role of the presidency; under Teddy Roosevelt the Executive branch became the most influential branch of gov.; father of modern presidency---what we expect by our presidents today is what roosevelt established

• Though he is a republican, he is slightly left of center

• He was a liberal republican

  • He was a middle of the road politician

  • The left and right were extremes

  • Roosevelt wanted to find common ground in the middle

• Democrats were left (more liberal); conservatives is right (more conservative)

• Man of action and believed that president would lead

Latin AMerica: Panama Canal

• What Roosevelt will consider to be his greatest foreign policy achievement

• The US had designs on the canal for decades and the primary reasons we wanted a canal through central america is for trade purposes

• The Spanish American war made us realize that we needed it for defense as well; Canal would augment the strength of the US navy by making it more mobile

• Economic and trade and enhances US navy

• First obstacles were legal:

• In 1850 The US and Great Britain agreed to Clayton-Bulwer treaty

• Agreed to joint control of a canal through Central America (1850)

• Hay-Pauncefote (US and Great Britain) (1901): secured exclusive rights to build and fortify a canal through central america

• Britain gave up rights

  • The Great Rapprochement: The British said to give it to the Americans (let them pay for it, and we’ll use it)

• The legal obstacles are done

• Geographical: Nicaragua and Panama (only two choices)

• Panama was a part of Colombia

• From Geographical and topographical point:

  • Nicaragua had more lake and less mountainous and it was less costly to build in Nicaragua
    Senate establishes a committee and begin the process

• France had been building a canal in Panama, but it had become costlier and deadlier (tropical diseases killed workers) and they were using dynamite to get through Mountains (landslide); French abandoned the project

• Man in charge: Philippe Bunau Varilla

• He loses investment if French abandoned the project

• He sends a postcard to every US senator from Nicaragua: one of Nicaragua’s one of natural wonders (active volcano) most senators were unaware and they’re concerned about it

• They abandon Nicaragua and use Panama instead

• Now Panama was part of Colombia, US draws up with treaty and negotiate with Colombia but the Colombians reject it

• Teddy Roosevelt was Seething

• The Colombians rejected it because they wanted more money

• The people of panama want the canal because they want prosperity in the region and wanted their independence

• Bunau Varilla lets roosevelt know that if the US supports Panamanian independence, the Panamanians will reward them with a canal

• Panamanians announce independence from Colombia; Marines go to put down the revolution, several US gunships that happen to be there “practicing maneuvers”and the US navy lets them know that they will defend the Panamanians; Colombians withdraw because they were outnumbered (bloodless)

• Hay Bunau Varilla treaty (Panama was thankful so they made him an ambassador): US pays Panama $10 million upfront for the canal and we received a 10 mile wide canal zone in perpetuity (forever); US pays $250,000/year for Use of Canal, recognize Panama’s independence, Implemented the Platt Amendment into their constitution

• Jimmy Carter Improved latin american relations

  • Panamanians own Panama Canal now

• The goodwill have built up with Latin America was Done`

Roosevelt Corollary (To the Monroe Doctrine)

• Wanted to attach Roosevelt Doctrine to Monroe Doctrine (wanted to give more esteemed)

• The US would use military force IF NECESSARY to intervene in the affairs of any nation in the western hemisphere

• Roosevelt Corollary was promoted what became known as the Bad Neighbor POlicy between latin America and US

• Asserted the US has a police power in the western hemisphere while at the same time Damaging US relationship with the region

• Good panama but bad with rest of latin america

Russo-Japanese War

• Japan had won a war against China, so they thought the spoils of war were deserved so that they can take over any part of China that they please; European powers did not consider an equal

• The region of Manchuria (Mineral rich and investment opportunity to put railroads in); Japan is laying claim to Manchuria and the Russians are trying to encroach and take over the region and the Japanese give a warning; Russian bear is not going to listen to the Japanese and the Japanese give them a second warning: Don’t encroach; the Russians ignore it

• The Japanese launched a surprise naval attack on the Russian fleet (Japan wins)

• There’s a second naval battle and Japan wins again

• The Japanese understand that if this is a prolonged conflict, they’re going to lose so they negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War: They’re concerned that the RUssian will take it as a sign of weakness or suspicion; they need somebody to negotiate on their behalf (Roosevelt does it)

• But roosevelt has to do it under the appearance that it was his idea too intercede and that he’s not doing it on behalf of the Japanese

• Portsmouth New Hampshire was the treaty place

• At the Presidential Yacht, the treaty of Portsmouth was negotiated

• This Ended Russo Japanese War

• Outcomes:

• Neither Russia nor Japan were happy with the terms of the treaty of Portsmouth and they blamed the US/Roosevelt

  • IF Japan continues to negotiate then war is prolonged, if it is prolonged then they’re gonna lose (Russia eventually wins)

• Russia is losing at this point, they’re fearful that they might lose more so both feel that their hands are tied so the treaty of Portsmouth damaged the relationship between Russia and US and US and Japan

• Teddy Roosevelt wins Nobel Peace Prize

• Japanese in California

• Influx of Japanese immigrants into California and people of California are not happy with it (Racists and Japanese laborers were moving in and they felt that they were taking away jobs from Native Born Americans) so they take it out on Children

  • They segregated japanese from american schools (already fractured relationship)

• Japanese Editorials were calling for War against US

• Roosevelt negotiated the Gentleman’s Agreement with Japanese Gov.

• Agreed to limit Japanese immigrants by withholding passports (especially laborers)

• Roosevelt convinced Schoolboard to rescind the school policy and integration happened again

• Roosevelt wanted display of Force of Power

• Great White Fleet was an international goodwill tour (lasts months) told to be prepared as friend or foe;

  • Concerned when we had plans to go to Japan (how are Japanese going to receive great white fleet), so everyone was ordered to battle stations

• Thousands of Japanese waiting (including schoolchildren):

• Military leaders see this Great White Fleet and Japan realizes that they’re not the power that we thought we are; they see our great fleet and they want one just like it so the Japanese start to build up their naval forces

• Root Takahira Agreement (1908)

  • Between US and Japan

  • They agreed to respect each others territorial possessions in the pacific and agreed to uphold the open door in china (Open Door II)