Foreign Policy is Like A…?

China 1800s: U.S. businessmen & missionaries took interest in China. late 1800s: imperialist European powers carved out “spheres of influence”—regions forced to grant them exclusive trade agreements & leases on land for military bases—in China To obtain more influence in China, in 1899 the U.S. promoted the Open Door policy, urging European nations to respect Chinese rights & fair trade competition in China Chinese angered by foreigners’ lack of respect for Chinese culture & society; hoped to establish a strong & independent government. 1900: the Boxers, a Chinese nationalist movement, rebelled against foreign interference, killing foreigners, & destroying buildings. Imperialist powers quashed the Boxer Rebellion China continued to provide new markets & raw materials for U.S. & other foreign industry.

Cuba 1868+, Cubans struggled for independence from Spain. Ams identified with Cuban resistance to Spanish colonial rule U.S. businesses sought control of Cuban sugar & other natural resources. 1890s: Jose Marti, a Cuban expatriate, gained support for the Cuban Revolution by gathering arms, $, & men in NYC. 1898: sparked by revolution in Cuba, the U.S. fought & won a short war against Spain (Spanish-American War), which led to the Spanish granting independence to Cuba. Following the Spanish-American War, Pres. Wm. McKinley set up a U.S. military gov’t in Cuba--promoted public works & legal reform. U.S. insisted that the Platt Amendment—which restricted Cuban independence & gave the U.S. military rights—be part of the new Cuban constitution. 1906: Cubans seeking full independence rebelled against the U.S. govt. U.S. troops took control of the island, but gave up control in 1909. Some resented U.S. intervention; some thankful for the stability it provided.

Dominican Republic late 1800s: Ulises Heureaux took power in Dominican Republic improved education & transportation & encouraged foreign investments, but also used $ for his own pleasures & ran up large debts to overseas companies Heureaux assassinated in 1899, leaving a large foreign debt Based on the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, Pres. T. Roosevelt agreed to assume the country’s foreign debt in return for the right to collect Dominican import duties Pres. Wm. Howard Taft, promoting “Dollar Diplomacy,” established U.S. businesses in Dominican Republic & ordered troops there to teach law & order Dominicans resented U.S. presence in the republic.

Mexico 1876-1911: Mexico ruled by Porfirio Diaz (encouraged U.S. investment) early 1900s: U.S. businesses invested over a $1 billion in Mexico. small class of wealthy Mexicans benefited from foreign investments Desperate, poor Mexicans staged a revolution in 1910. U.S. investors helped Victoriano Huerta, a brutal dictator, seize power Pres. Woodrow Wilson refused to recognize Huerta; he supported rival Venustiano Carranza, (believed he’d bring democracy) 1914: tensions b/n Wilson & Huerta govt. nearly led to war when a U.S. sailors taken into custody in a Mexican port Carranza seized power in Mexico, but refused to adhere to U.S. demands for a new govt. Wilson briefly supported Pancho Villa, but soon w/drew his support angering Villa & his men who then killed Ams in TX and NM Wilson sent 6,000 U.S. troops into Mexican territory on an unsuccessful mission to capture Villa. U.S. withdraws when it enters World War I.

Panama After the 1898 Spanish-American War, the U.S. wanted to build a canal across Central America to allow warships to pass between the oceans and defend the newly acquired U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The U.S. attempted to lease from Columbia and build a canal through Panama, then a possession of Columbia. The Colombian Senate rejected the offer. In 1903 U.S. naval forces assisted an armed rebellion of Panamanians overthrow Columbian rule. The new Panamanian government immediately agreed to allow the U.S. to build the Panama Canal, which was completed in 1914. In 1921 the U.S. apologized and paid Columbia for the acquisition of the canal zone.

Philippines In 1898 U.S. forces & Filipino forces led by Emilio Aguinaldo defeated Spanish troops in the Philippines and eliminated Spanish rule there. After the Spanish-American War, Aguinaldo claimed he had been assured of Filipino independence, but his claims were denied by the U.S. Pres. Wm. McKinley decided to maintain U.S. control of the Philippines because he considered the Filipinos unfit for self-government and wanted to “uplift and civilize and Christianize them.” Filipinos rebelled against U.S. forces, but the revolt was crushed after a 3 year war.

Puerto Rico After the 1898 Spanish-American War, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. The U.S. govt. selected a U.S. governor, an executive council, and judges to rule the island. The new govt. launched programs to control disease and build infrastructure in Puerto Rico. At first, Puerto Ricans did not become U.S. citizens and could not travel freely to the U.S. In 1917 the Jones Act granted Puerto Ricans U.S. citizenship. U.S. businesses took advantage of cheap labor and natural resources in Puerto Rico. By 1930 U.S. investors owned 60% of public utilities and banking, 80% of the tobacco plants, 60% of the sugar industry and all overseas shipping. Puerto Rican small farmers, who could not compete with large U.S. companies, were forced to sell their land or work in low-paying jobs for U.S. businesses. Many Puerto Ricans resented U.S. rule, which after 30 years led to an unemployment rate of 30%, poor sanitation, widespread disease, and low life expectancy.