US and Russian Imperialism

Manifest Destiny

State-run Industrialization in Russia While Western countries used private (non-government) investment and capitalism to industrialize, the Russians took a state-sponsored approach In 1861, Tsar Alexander II officially ended serfdom (peasants), to free up workers for the industrial labor force Russia used state money to built railroads, factories, and industrial centers which quickly put Russia in the top-5 industrialized countries by 1900 The problem was, however, that Russia lacked the financial capital and taxes to fund this state-sponsored industrialization To fund it, they overtaxed the remaining agricultural workers, and drew resentment from the lower classes as people DID NOT support the fast Russian pace

Russia compared to Japan Like Russia, Japan tended to utilize more state-sponsored industrialization, rather than private investors Unlike Russia, Japan had more financial capital with which to invest Additionally, the Japanese people--the government and population-- were determined to remain inferior to the Western powers Japanese workers and officials were more willing to make the sacrifices necessary to catch the West, and expand the Japanese Empire in Asia Russia, on the other hand, had a more hostile population that was upset by and opposed to the heavy taxation and work required for state-sponsored industry

US & Russia Much like the rapid expansion of Western European maritime empires, Russia and the US used their industrial advantage to expand territory While Russia peasants had settled eastward since the 1600s, the emergence of railroads and industrialized weapons allowed Russia to conquer larger areas In the 19th century, Russia completed conquest of Central Asian Muslims (Muslims that fiercely opposed Russian rule) as well as exploring and claiming Alaska The US, during the 19th century, began to fulfill a policy called Manifest Destiny – spreading American borders and culture from coast to coast To do this, they had to buy or conquer territory from Britain, France ($), Spain (war and $), Mexico (war and $), Russia ($) and all remaining Native Americans

Mexican-American War and Indian Wars Wanting to expand further west, the U.S. engaged in several military campaigns in the 19th century Mexican-American War – 1846-48 When Mexico won its independence from Spain in the 1820s, there were some unclear boundaries set with the United States When claims became heated, the U.S. & Mexico declared war, both hoping to expand their borders The U.S., being more industrialized, won easily, and took the modern-day states of: CA, AZ, NV, NM, CO, and Utah Indian Wars – 19th century As settlers moved from the east to the California coast for riches, they encountered some hostile Native Americans, such as the Crow and Sioux tribes Known as the Indian Wars, the US Army and American settlers battled several tribes of Native Americans in the Midwest and northern United States, and are often known for their brutality towards Native

Spanish-American War - 1898 The best example of American imperialism was the United States’ war with the declining Spanish Empire—particularly in Cuba When Cuba moved to break from Spain in the 1890s, Spain resisted their calls for independence, and the US saw an opportunity Claiming the Spanish had sunk a US naval destroyer (ship) in Cuba (USS Maine), and enhanced by media coverage (yellow journalism) the US quickly declared war The war lasted less than a year, with the Spanish and their navy being quickly defeated, and most of the remaining Spanish colonies going to the U.S. The US took from Spain Guam, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and installed the Platt Amendment in the new Cuban government’s constitution The Platt Amendment allowed the US to hold military bases in Cuba, and intervene economically or militaristically whenever they pleased

American Gains From Spain

US Economic Imperialism The United Fruit Company would pressure land owners and gov. officials to give them favorable business conditions Cheap land, labor, taxes, and other privileges: Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Haiti They would fund these people or governments And they would function as United Fruit puppet leaders The US government also backed these actions, providing aid and power to those who cooperated Those who did not or resisted United Fruit or their puppets were then oppose directly by the US military and often invaded (33 US invasions in Latin America in the early 20th century)

US Invasions of Latin America Puerto Rico and Cuba, 1898. ... Mexico, 1914-1918. ... Haiti, 1915-1934. ... Guatemala, 1954. ... Cuba, 1961. ... Dominican Republic, 1965. ... Nicaragua, 1981-1990. ... Grenada, 1983.