7.3 The Spanish-American War and U.S. Foreign Policy to 1917

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Explain the causes and effects of the Spanish-American War

INTRODUCTION

• First targets of American imperialism were near the Caribbeans

  • Expansionist from South coveted Cuba

    - Cuban sugar, misrule of Spanish, and Monroe Doctrine all provided reaons for US intervention

  • US also expressed interest in Phillipines

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

• Jingoism (ntense form of nationalism) called for agressive foreign policy

  • Expansionist wanted US to become imperialist nation/world power

  • Not everyone favored imperialism

    - President Cleveland and McKinley thought military action abraod was morally wrong and economically unsound

  • Speicifc events + background pressures—→demand for war w Spain

CAUSES OF THE WAR

• Jingoism, economic interest, and moral concern—→ willingness for war

CUBAN REVOLT

• Cuban nationalist failed to overthrow Spanish colonial rule

  • Sabotage and attacks on Cuban plantation renewed stuggles

    - Cubans hoped to push Spain or pull US as an ally

    - Spain sent autocratic General Valeriano Weyler and troops to supress revolt (forced civilians into camps)

    - General Valeriano Weyler became known as ¨the Butcher¨

YELLOW PRESS

• Sensationalistic “yellow journalism” supported war fever

  • featured bold and lurid headlines of crime, disaster, & scandal

    - include rivalry between Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World & William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal

    - papers reported exaggerated & false Spanish atrocities in Cuba

    - many Americans urged congress to intervene in “atrocities"

DE LOME LETTER (1898)

• Spanish diplomat letter printed in Hearts’ journal caused outage

  • Spanish minister wrote to the US

    - highly critical of President Mckinley

    - was considered official Spanish insult against US honor

SINKING OF MAINE

• US battleship USS Maine suddenly exploded (killed 260 Americans)

  • Yellow Press accused Spain of deliberately attacking ship

    - experts later concluded that it was an accident

MCKINLEY’S WAR MESSAGE

• President McKinley issued ultimatum to Spain

  • Demanded ceasefire in Cuba

    - Spain agreed to demand, but newspapers and congress wanted war

    - Mckinely yielded to public pressure—→ war message for congress

• Mckinely offered four reasons for supporting Cuban rebels:

  • Put an end to barbarities, bloodshed, starvation & miseries in Cuba

  • Protect lives and property of US citizens in Cuba

  • End injury to commerce, trade, & business of Americans

  • End constant menance to peace from disorder in Cuba

TELLER AMENDEMENT

• Congres passed joint resolution authorizing war (Teller Amendment)

  • Declared US had no intention of taking political control of Cuba

    - would allow Cuban people to control their own gov when war ends

FIGHTING THE WAR

• US victory was quick

  • John Hay called it “a splendid little war”

THE PHILLIPINES

• Theodore Roosevelt was eager to show off country’s all-steel navy

  • Roosevelt antipicated war & recognized value of Spain’s territory

    - ordered fleet commanded by George Dewy to go to Phillipines (islands that had been under Spanish control since 1500s)

    - Spanish ships were forced to submission at Manila Bay

    - Filipino rebels allied w US & captured city of Manila

INVASION OF CUBA

• Cuba was more difficult to take over

  • US forces were ill-prepared & mainly volunteers

  • tropical dieases proved to be more lethal than bullets

    - malaria, typhoid, dysentery

  • American & Cuban forces succeeded against Spanish army

    - Calvary charge up San Juan Hill (carried out by Cuban Rough Riders led by Theodore Roosevelt)

    - Destroyed Spanish fleet at Santiago Bay (carried out by US Navy)

    - Spainish realized they could not continue fighting (agreed to peace)

ANNEXATION OF HAWAII

• War in Phillipines—→ completed annexation of Hawaii

  • Hawaii Island became US territory & 50th state

CONTROVERSY OVER THE TREATY OF PEACE

• Peace treaty signed in Paris was controversial

  • Treaty Provided:

    - recogintion of Cuban independence

    - US acquisition of Puerto Rico & Guam

    - US control of Phillipines in return for $20 million to Spain

  • Many Americans opposed taking over Phillipines as a colony

THE PHILLIPINE QUESTION

• Controvery over Phillpine took months longer to resolve than war w Spain

  • Congress became divided between imperialist & anti-imperialist

    - 2/3 vote was required to ratify Treaty of Paris

  • Anti-imperialist were against treaty (would aquire the Phillipines)

    - argued that the US would take over nation of different race & culture

    - thought aquiring the Phillipines would violate principles of Declaration of Indenpendence (derived Filipinos of unalienable rights)

    - annexation would entangle US in political conflict of Asia

  • Treaty of Paris came to a vote on February 6th, 1899

    - treaty was approved (57-27)

    - anti-imperialist fell two votes short of defeating treaty

  • Filipinos were outraged by the denial of independence from US

    - Nationalist leader Emilio Aguinaldo led guerrilla fighters against US

    - took US tropps 3 years to defeat insurrection

    - Conflict resulted in 5000 deaths (some died from diseases)

OTHER RESULTS OF THE WAR

• Imperialism remained major issues in US

  • Anti-imperialist league

    - led by WIlliam Jennings Bryan

    - railled opposition to further expansion in Pacific

INSULAR CASES

• Did the provsions of the US constitution apply to territories under control?

  • Anti-imperalist argued yes, imperialist argued no

    - issues was resolved in facor of imperialist in series of court cases

  • Isular (island) Cases

    - court ruled constitutional rights were not automatically extended to territoral possession & power to decide that belonged to congress

CUBA AND THE PLATT AMENDMENT

• Teller Amendement guarenteed US respect for Cubas sovereignty

  • US troops remained in Cuba until 1901

    - Congress made a withdrawl of troops after Cuba accepted terms

  • Platt Amendement (army appropriations bill)

    - required Cuba to not treaty w foreign power that stop independece

    - let US to interevente n Cuban affair to preserve independence & law

    - let US keep naval bases in Cuba & permanent base in Guantanamo

    - amdendment was bitterly resented by Cuban nationalist

  • Cuban convention reluctancy accepted these terms

    - added changes to country new constitution

    - made Cuba US protectorate (Cuba was subject to US control)

ELECTION OF 1900

• Democrars nominaed William Jennings Bryan

  • Argued for free silver & vigorously attacked imperialism

• Republicans re-nominated President McKinely & vice Theodore Roosevelt

  • Most voters accepted gold standard & new territory

    - McKinely won larger margin of victory

RECOGNITION OF U.S. POWER

• Spanish-American War changed views on US power

  • US victory filled Americans with national pride

    - southerners shared in pride & became attached to Union

  • France, Great Britian, & other European nations recognized US power

    - strong navy & new willingness to act in international affairs

OPEN DOOR POLICY IN CHINA

• McKinleys secretary of state impressed europeans w policies towards China

  • John Hay was alarmed by failing Chinese empire

    - weaked by corruption, failure to modernize, & other countries

    - spheres of influence in China (allowed countries to dominate trade & investment within a portion of China to eliminate competition)

  • Open Door policy

    - diplomatic note sent out to prevent US from losing access to trade

    - asked spheres of influence to accept concept of open door

    - allowed all nations to have equal trading privledges with China

    - evasive to China, but was hailed as a diplomatic triumph

BOXER REBELLION

• Nationalism and xenophobia (fear of foreigners) rose in China

  • The Society of Harmoinious Fist/Boxers

    - secret society of Chinese nationalist who attacked foreigners

  • US sent troops to Beijing to protect American life & property

    - quickly crushed rebellion & futher weaked China (paid for losses)

HAY’S SECOND ROUND OF NOTES

• Hay feared invasions from other countries would destroy China’s independece

  • Wrote 2nd note to imperialistic powers decalring US commitment to:

    - preservation of China’s territoral integerity

    - safeguard “equal and impartial trade w all of Chinese empire”

  • Hay’s notes influenced other administrations & nations

    - Open Door Policy strongly influenced US relations w Japan

    - did not prevent exploitation from other nations

THEODORE ROOSEVELT’S “BIG STICK” POLICY

• Mckinley was fatally shot by anarchist—→ Theodore Roosevelt in office

  • Foreign policy

    - “speak softly and carry a big stick” (big stick was threat of military)

    - by acting boldy & decisively, US would become a world power

  • Imperialist appluaded Roosevelt

    - cirisitic disliked going against tradition of avoiding foreign affairs

THE PANAMA CANAL

• Spanish-American war—→ growth of American empire (Puerto Rico, Carribbeans, Phillipines, and other islands in the Pacfific)

  • US wanted a canal through Central America

    - would allow US to hold onto it’s new empire & connect oceans

  • Building canal was difficult

    - French originally failed due to tropic jungles

    - Clayton-Bulwer Treaty needed to be negotiated w Britian (put canals in Central America under US-Britian control)

  • Hay-Pauncefote Treaty

    - allowed US to build a canal alone

    - Roosevelt took charge of this project

REVOLUTION OF PANAMA

• Columbia refused to US terms for canal in Panama (wanted $ & sovereignty)

  • Roosevelt orchestrated a revolt for Panama’s independence

    - US navy and rebellion succeeded immediately

  • New Panama government had to sign the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty

    - granted US all rights over a canal zone for US protection

BUILDING THE CANAL

• Panama Canal was completed (1904-1914)

  • Hundred of laborers lost their lives due to mosquitos & yellow fever

    - canal was completed due to George Goethals & Dr. William Gorgas (put in measure to eliminate the spread)

  • Americans approved of Canal, some unhappy with how US secured it

    - Latin Americans were especially resentfuful

  • Congress voted to pay Columbia $25 million for loss of Panama

    - US returned Canal Zone to Republic of Panama

THE ROOSEVELT COROLLARY TO THE MONROE DOCTRINE

• Big stick diplomacy involved financially unstable Latin American countries

  • Eurpean countries enforced military in Latin America to collect debt

    - British sent warships to Venezuela

    - European powers stood ready to intervene w Santo Domingo

    - violated the Monroe Doctrine

  • Roosevelt Corollary (to the Monroe Doctrine)

    - US would enforce military power & extract debts and taxes in Latin America until Europeans debts were satisified

    - Corollary was used to justify sending troops into smaller countries (resulted in poor US relations w Latin America)

ROOSEVELT AND ASIA

• Japan and US were both new imperialist powers in east Asia

  • Friendship grew increasingly competitve

RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR

• Rivalry between Japan and Russia—→ Russo-Japanese War

  • Roosevelt arranged dimplotmatic conference at Portsmouth, NH

    - Japan & Russia agreed to Treaty of Portsmouth

    - Japanese nationalist blamed US for not getting what they wanted from Russia

“GENTLEMEN’S AGREEMENT”

• Friction between US & Japan came from discriminatory laws in California

  • Segregated schools were considered national insult in Japan

  • Roosevelt arranged compromise of “gentlemen’s agreement”

    - called for Japanese government to restrict emigration in return for repeal of discriminatory laws

GREAT WHITE FLEET

• Roosevelt sent fleet of battleships to demonstrate naval power around nations

ROOT-TAKAHIRA AGREEMENT (1908)

• US & Japan concluded executive agreement in 1908

  • Both pledged mutal respect for each nation’s pacfic possessions

    - supported the Open Door Policy in China

PEACE EFFORTS

• Roosevelt saw big stick policy as peaceful solution to international disputes

  • Roosevelt was awared the Nobel Peace Prize

    - won bc of his work in settling Russo-Japanese War

    - was seen as vigor for youthful nation taking on world stage

  • Algeciras Conference

    - Roosevelt succeed in settling conflict between France & Germany in claims over Morocco

  • International Peace Conference

    - Roosevelt directed US participation at 2nd peace conference

    - discussed rules for limiting warfare

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT AND THE DOLLAR DIPLOMACY

• William Howard Taft adopted different foreign policy (“Dollar Diplomacy”)

  • Depended more on investors’ dollars than navy battleships

    - premoted US trade by supporting American enterprises

AMERICAN INVESTORS

• Taft believed in private American financial investment to other nations

  • Thought it would help stabalize nations and premote US business

    - idea was thwarted by anti-imperialism

RAILROADS IN CHINA

• Taft first tested policy in China

  • Wanted US bankers to be included in international plan to invest in Chinese railraods

    - Taft secured American participation but was excluded Manchuria

    - Russia & Japan defied Open Door Policy (jointly held sphere of influence in Manchuria)

INTERVENTION IN NICARAGUA

• US intervented in Nicaragua to protect American investments

  • Sent in marines when civil war broke out

    - marines remianed from 1912-1933

WOODROW WILSON AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS

• New candiate Woodrow Wilson promised New Freedom

  • Premoted more moral approach to foreign affaire

    - opposed imperialism and big stick and dollar diplomacy policies

WILSON’S MORAL DIPLOMACY

• Wilson had limited success in applying moral standard to foreign relations

  • Bryan & him wanted show they had respect 4 other and democracy

    - wilson wanted to show his opposition to imperialsim (corrected what je viewed as wrongful policies in the past)

THE PHILLIPINES

• Wilson passed the Jones Act

  - granted full territoral status to the Phillipines

  - guarenteed vill of rights & universal male sufferage to Filipino citizens

  - promised independce as soon as stable gov was established (Phillipines independence was delayed due to WW2)

PUERTO RICO

• Congress granted US citizenhsip & limitied self-gov to all Puerto Ricans

THE PANAMA CANAL

• Wilson persuaded congress to repeal act granting US ships exemption from paying standard canal tolls charged on other nations

  • Wilsons policy on the canal angred American nationalist

    - pleased foreign nations such as Britian

CONCILLATION TREATIES

• Wiilliam Jennings Bryan shared same ideals of democracy & peace

  • Bryans pet project was concillation treaties to nations that:

    - pledged to submit disputes to international commissions

    - observe one-year cooling-off period before military action

MILITARY INTERVENTION UNDER WILSON

• Wilsons commitment to democracy & anti-colonialism did not apply to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean

  • Went far beyond both Roosevelt & Taft in use of maries for troubles

    - kept marines in Nacaragua, Haiti, & Dominican Republic

    - argued intervention was needed to maintain stability & protect canal

  • Wilson moral apprach was tested during civil war in Mexico

    - refused to recognize dictatorship fo General Victoriano Huerta (seized power after democratically elected presiddent was killed)

TAMPICO INCIDENT

• Wilson called for arms embargo and blockade fleet against Mexican gov

  • Several US sailors went ashore & were arrested by Mexican authority

    - soon released, but Huerta refused to apoligized

    - Wilson retaliated by ordering US navy to occupy Vera Cruz

    - war was adverted when South American countries offered to meditate joint dispute

PANCHO VILLA AND THE US EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

• Huerta fell from power

  • More democratic Venustiano Carranza replaced Huerta

    - new government was challenged by rebels loyal to Pancho Villa

    - Villia led raids across US-Mexican border (murdered ppl in TX & NM)

  • President Wilson ordered John J. Pershing & ¨expeditionary force¨

    - failed to capture Villa

    - President Carranza protested US presence in Mexico

    - possibiity of US entry into WW1 caused withdraw of troops

UNCERTAIN RISE TO POWER

• Spanish-American War debuted US as rising international power

  • Most Americans were concerned w domestic matters

    - progressive era

  • American relucatnce to get involved w WW1 reflected concern

    - many were against dangers of entanglement & oversea conflict