US Imperialism Notes

US Imperialism (1867-1920)

  • In 1898, Hawaii was annexed, meaning the US acquired the territory.
  • In 1899, the US acquired Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War.
  • The US sought to expand its territory to increase its wealth.
  • The US asserted that the North won the Civil War.
  • England held territories on every continent during the age of imperialism, and Japan and the US emulated England's methods.
  • The US Civil War was fought to resolve the question of who could generate wealth within the country.
  • Reconstruction efforts involved acquiring resources from other countries.
  • Social Darwinism played a role in maintaining spheres of influence in Africa and Asia.
  • Theodore Roosevelt was an imperialist.

Reasons for American Expansion

  1. Economic gain (Money).
  2. Military strength.
  3. Religious influence.
  4. Closing of the American Frontier.

  • The Spanish-American War was brief and termed "That little splendid war."

  • The Treaty of Paris stipulated:

    • Cuba's independence.
    • Spain ceding Guam and Puerto Rico to the US.
    • The US paying Spain $20 million for the Philippines.

  • The Teller Amendment initially restricted US control over Cuba but was later superseded by the Platt Amendment.

  • The US leases Guantanamo Bay for a monthly payment of 340.

Puerto Rico

  • 1898: Acquisition of Puerto Rico.
  • 1900: Foraker Act established Puerto Rico as an "unincorporated territory."
    • Puerto Ricans were considered citizens of Puerto Rico, not the US.
    • Import duties were imposed on Puerto Rican goods.
  • 1901-1903: The Insular Cases determined that constitutional rights were not automatically extended to territorial possessions.
    • Congress had the authority to decide these rights.
    • Import duties under the Foraker Act were deemed legal.

World War I

  • Napoleon's ambition to dominate the world.
  • The Congress of Vienna aimed to prevent conflicts in Europe through:
    • Reinstating monarchies.
    • Containing France.
  • Germany was given influence over France.
  • France's power was curtailed by Germany.
  • World War I is described as one of the most senseless wars in history.
  • The global involvement in World War I stemmed from European colonial possessions worldwide.

Royal Marriages and Lineage

  • Royal marriages were primarily transactional, serving strategic interests.
  • Queen Victoria's descendants held positions of power across Europe:
    • Edward VII was her #1 grandchild.
    • Kaiser Wilhelm II, married to Alexandra Feodorovna (who was married to Tsar Nicholas II), was her #2 grandchild.
    • Maud married Haakon VII.
    • Victoria of Sweden married King Gustav V.
    • Sophia of Prussia married King Constantine.
  • Other royal connections included Romania and Spain.

Causes of World War I

  • The role of the alliance system in starting World War I.
  • Key ideologies present during World War I included nationalism.
  • Major powers involved: Britain, Austria, France, Germany, Russia, Hungary, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands.
  • The Industrial Revolution influenced militarism through technological advancements.
  • The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife on June 28, 1914, by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the terrorist group "The Black Hand," triggered World War I.

Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points

  1. No secret treaties.
  2. Freedom of the seas.
  3. Free international trade.
  4. Reduction of military forces.
  5. Freeing the colonies.
  6. Restoration of Russia.
  7. Restoration of Belgium.
  8. Restoration of France.
  9. Restoration of Italy.
  10. Division of Austria-Hungary.
  11. Restoration of Rumania, Serbia, and Montenegro.
  12. Division of the Ottoman Empire.
  13. Creation of Poland.
  14. Creation of the League of Nations.
  • Incest within royal families was noted.

Woodrow Wilson and the Lusitania/Sussex Incidents

  • Woodrow Wilson, President during World War I, proposed the Fourteen Points to ensure future peace.
  • Wilson was described as a good president but a terrible person.
  • Alliances were formed in secret.
  • The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 resulted in the death of 100 Americans.
  • The Sussex incident led to the Sussex Pledge.

Sussex Pledge

  • Rules for submarine warfare:
    1. Submarines must surface before attacking.
    2. Attacks must be announced.
    3. The ship must be searched for weapons.
    4. If weapons are present, passengers must be evacuated before destruction.
    5. If no weapons are found, the submarine must disengage.
  • Wilson feared free trade would lead to excessive focus on commerce.
  • Congress complicated matters.

Effects of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles

  • Establishment to end WW1 happened on June 28, 1919.
  • Leaders involved: Clemenceau (France), David Lloyd George (Britain), Orlando (Italy).
  • The Treaty of Versailles set the stage for World War II.

Immediate Effects of the Treaty of Versailles

  1. Territorial losses for Germany, including Alsace-Lorraine to France and eastern territories to Poland and Czechoslovakia, led to Hitler's expansion in 1939.
  2. Military restrictions limited Germany to 5 unarmed ships and 100,000 soldiers.
  3. Colonial losses: Germany lost all overseas colonies.
  4. Financial reparations: Germany had to pay 80,000,000,000 in gold marks, leading to economic collapse and Hitler's rise.
  5. War Guilt Clause: Germany had to accept responsibility for starting World War I, causing national shame.
  6. Rhineland Demilitarization: Germany was prohibited from stationing troops in the Rhineland to protect France.
  7. League of Nations Established: The only one of Wilson's points that works. A colossal failure because the US didn’t join, nations were focused on rebuilding, and the League of Nations lacked authority, money, or military to enforce anything.

Post-War Treaties

  • Treaties accompanying the Treaty of Versailles:
    • Treaty of Saint-Germain (1919).
    • Treaty of Neuilly (1919).
    • Treaty of Trianon (1920).
    • Treaty of Sevres (1920).
  • The League of Nations creation was intertwined with the Treaty of Versailles to maintain peace even if the order was problematic.
  • Treaty of Versailles (1919):
    • Amount: 132 billion gold marks (about 33 billion USD) was signed on June 28th, 1919 and activated January 10th, 1920.
  • The Treaty of Saint Germain targeted Austria, going into effect in 1920.
    • The Austria-Hungary empire was broken up, creating Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Yugoslavia.
    • Similarities: territory loss, money to be paid, military losses.
    • Differences: new countries were made.
    • The reparations council could not determine how much they should charge Austria because the empire was split.
  • Treaty of Sevres:
    • The treaty was never ratified due to Turkish resistance.
  • Mussolini was the leader, and Hitler was a fan.
  • It is time for a change when bellies and pockets are empty.

Post-War International Relations

  • The Washington Conference was hosted in Washington D.C.
    • Countries that signed the treaty were France, Japan, Great Britain, and Italy.
  • In 1922, the Genoa conference took place.
  • Reparations caused economic instability in Europe.
  • The goal of the Rapallo Act was for the Germans and the soviet union to embrace this movement.
  • Kellogg-Briand Pact
    • Secret treaty made by the German and soviet union
    • Ratified in 1928 by the league of nations and america
    • Purpose was to essentially outlaw war
    • The Manchuria was the subject of the pact
    • There was a clause in the pact stating war is allowed in case of retaliation
    • Japan used this to invade manchuria by stating the China attacked Japan first, which gave japan the right to invade
  • The Stimson Agreement
    • This cut off agreements with Japan
    • Left Japan with little to no resources and less allies
    • America pulled all ties with japan
    • China becomes mutarized especially in manchuria as they try to push japan out
    • Further conflict between chinese nationalists and communists
    • Germany was not invited to the table because when the 2 ships got blown up by German submarines.
    • The central powers were not invited to the table.
    • Germany and Russia are friends now

Mukden Bridge Incident

  • Mukden was a city in manchuria that contained a japanese railroad
  • September 8th 1931 a segment of the bridge was blown up
  • Suspected to be caused by chinese nationalists likely staged by japan
  • Established manchukuo

Mukden Bridge Incident Effects

  • Short-Term Effects
    • long term
  • Established a conflict between the japanese and america
  • Made china a hotspot for conflict in WW2
  • With no good allies left Japan turned to Germany
  • Demonstrated japans materialistic and imperialistic powers and showed that they were just as capable as other western nations
  • Begins with Germany not paying their debts following the end of ww1
  • League cant cover the difference causing america to pay
  • Crashes americas economy begins great depression
  • Tariffs on european nations ruins their economy
  • Nobody has means to enforce LoN rules
  • The league lacked resources to enforce kellogg
  • Japans invasion of china also known as the second sino-japanese war began july 7th 1937
  • Led to the japanese invading ,mainland china
  • Known for heinous war crimes against the chinese
  • Began with the marco polo bridge incident
  • Marco polo bridge incedent
  • In 1937 the nationalist in chna and the communist in china are now working together
  • The japanese army occupied a railroad on the marco polo bridge
  • The war continued till the end of ww2
  • The “rape” of nanjing
  • Began a bloody campaign that went on till 1937
  • Nanjing left completely defenseless
  • LoN The lytton report
  • Commission overseen by the chinese government investigated japans actions in manchuria called lytton report
  • Japan was no longer apart of the LoN because they didn’t want to give up Manchuria
  • The nanjing massacre
    *300,000 killed
    *80,000 raped
  • Short term effects
    *Completely destabilized china government
    *Brought more resources to japan
    *Further damaged relations with other nations
    *Showcase of japan's military prowess
  • Began a several year long conflict that continued through ww2
    *Further Japan's imperial interests.
    *Seen as a right bestowed upon them
    *Allowed for the communists in china to gain more support
  • Created the modern tension between china and japan

Inter-War Disputes and the League of Nations

Corfu Incident (1923)

  • Between Greece and Italy
  • Started when Enrico Tellini and others were killed of Greek soil
  • Italy took Corfu to get back at Greece
  • Started on August 27, 1933, when the League of Nations gave Enrico Tellini and some men a mission to help resolve a border conflict between Albania and Greece
  • Tellini and his team were later ambushed and killed in a Greek town, Loannia
  • Since Italy believed that the Greek did the killings, Italy’s leader Benito Mussolini demanded harsh repercussions where Greece had to give a public apology and insurance for damage and losses.
  • He was a fascist leader and conservative
  • The prime minister of Greece at the time was Stylianos Gonatas
  • He had more conservative and nationalist views
  • He wanted to solve the incident and occupation of Corfu by seeking a diplomatic resolution
  • On 8/30/1923, Italy replied and accepted Greece's modifications
  • The other requests were turned down, and it was stated by the Greek government that they would be willing to pay the victims' families.
  • This led to Mussolini and his cabinet rejecting the Greek government's response because they were not happy about it
  • Mussolini’s demands were supported by the Italian press, including the opposition newspapers, which stressed that Greece must comply
  • The choice to invade Corfu was enthusiastically embraced by Italy
  • On August 31, 1923, Italy sent 5000 to 10000 troops to occupy corfu
  • Italian troops easily won since Greek soldiers were unprepared and outnumbered
  • The occupation killed 16, injured 30, and amputated 2 civilians
  • On September 1, 1923, Greece asked the League of Nations to help, but Italy refused to cooperate
  • The Corfu Incident in 1923 Mussolini said that the conference was the problem
  • The League of Nations did not afford peace and order
  • Temporary military standoff (Seven-day-war) caused by mobilization by troops
  • The long lasting effects
  • Bad relations between poland and czechoslovakia for 29 yrs
  • Ethenic and regional tension in Teschen caused discord leading up to ww2
  • The lack of cooperation between the 2 left them both easy to attack
  • Political division
  • The League of Nations ended up giving the northern part of the region to Poland and the southernmost position to czechoslovakia
  • The league intervention was considered a success because it prevented the dispute from getting worse
  • The ambassador gave 9 points that Italy and Greece agreed with.
  • On September 11, Greece paid 50 million lire to Italy, and on September 15, the ambassadors told Mussolini he must evacuate Corfu by September 27
  • The short term effects
  • Led tensions between Italy and Greece
  • Tensions were heightened between Albania and greece
  • Boosted Italian nationalism
  • Led to Turkey thinking about invading Greece
  • Straightened relations in Europe

Teschen 1920

  • The Tencen incident was a dispute between Poland and Czechoslovakia over a piece of land it cost the Czechoslovak-polish war (Jan-23 1919-Jan 30 1919)
  • Jozef Klemens Pitsudski led Poland and Tomas Garrigue Masaryk led Czechoslovakia.
  • Poland's leader was a nationalist with social leanings. Nor conservative or liberal.
  • Czechoslovakia's leader was liberal and primarily a democratic politician.
  • He was the first president of Czechoslovakia.
  • Heightened tensions between poland and Czechoslovakia
  • League of Nations stepping in to relive tension
  • Teschen being divided between the nations
  • They signed an agreement to end the dispute on jan 29 1920 to split teschen
  • Czechoslovakia gained more benefits because they had the coal mines on their part

Memel 1923

*Jonas Polovindskas-Budrys was a Lithuanian military officer and was a key figure in the Memel uprising in 1923.
*Long-lasting effects
    *The annexation of Memel solidified Lithuania's borders and boosted its economy due to the strategic port