US in World Affairs in the 20 th century US History

Use of Monroe Doctrine 1823 Monroe Doctrine: stay out of the Western Hemisphere. –Enforced? Yes, with Britain’s navy! –By end of 19 th century, Monroe Doctrine is expanded.

Great Britain and Venezuela 1895 GB and Venezuela argued over the border between V. and British Guiana. –US offered mediation. –But GB refused US help. –Result: US told GB that it violated the Monroe Doctrine. –Now, US becomes “practical sovereign” over the Americas.

Roosevelt Corollary TR also reinterpreted Monroe Doctrine because of... –Economic problems in Latin America Between Venezuela and Germany. Debts owed by Dominican Republic

Roosevelt Corollary Dominican Republic Debt Troubles –TR thought Dom Rep should pay back debt. –He feared European intervention. –One solution: Annex DomRep as a colony! Nixed –Instead, 1905 he convinced Dom Rep officials to let the US control its finances goodbye, sovereignty! –US controlled Dom Rep finances from !

Roosevelt Corollary Roosevelt Corollary: The reinterpretation of Monroe Doctrine: –If a country in the Americas is guilty of misbehaving, the US must intervene as an “international police power.”

US – Latin Am Relations under TR US justified intervention in Latin America to protect its own economic interests. TR’s famous phrase: “Walk softly and carry a big stick.” –That is, US uses peaceful methods to protect its interests, but uses force if necessary.

Big Stick… Other places the Monroe Doctrine was used: –Nicaragua: US troops were here from Presidents Taft through FDR ( ) –Haiti: Military occupation from –DomRep:

“A man, a plan, a canal: Panama” US and GB had plans in 1850s but nothing came of them. French started building it, but the company ran out of money. US got interested in completing it during the Spanish-American War. –Battleship Oregon in San Francisco had to go around Tierra del Fuego to fight in Cuba!

Panama Canal: The Intrigue TR convinced Great Britain to let US build and operate it by itself. Problem was: Colombia wanted more money than TR wanted to spend. –TR started campaign to make Colombia look greedy. –TR got Secretary of State Hay to work out support for Panamanian rebels headed by a Frenchman, Bunau- Varilla.

Panama Canal: The Intrigue 1903 TR sent a warship to Panama. –Panamanian rebels revolted the next day. –2 days later US recognized the Panamanian rebels as the lawful govt. –2 weeks later TR got the okay from the new Panamanian govt to build the canal. 99 year lease on a 10-mile strip of land across Panama.

Panama Canal: Leadership? TR was proud of the fact that acted decisively without waiting for Congress. –Years later he bragged: “I took the Canal Zone and let Congress debate.”

Taft’s “Dollar Diplomacy” President Taft had a different approach:Dollar Diplomacy. –US can keep the peace best through American economic investments. Stable economies = stable governments. –In reality US got MORE involved in foreign affairs in order to protect these investments.

Woodrow Wilson Wilson continued “Dollar Diplomacy”, but he called it “moral diplomacy.” –Moral diplomacy: run foreign affairs according to right and wrong. Example: Mexico.

Mexican Revolution During the Mexican Revolution in 1913, Victoriano Huerta overthrew Francisco Madero the President. –Wilson refused to recognize Huerta. –Next year, US seized the port of Veracruz to prevent the Germans from giving arms to Huerta. –Huerta ended up leaving.

Wilson and Mexico: Pancho Villa Wilson also intervened in Mexico again. –Pancho Villa, a revolutionary “Robin Hood,” raided towns in New Mexico and killed several Americans. –Wilson sent in General Pershing to chase Villa in northern Mexico. It ended up alienating the Mexican people.

Good Neighbor Policy Policy changed under Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin Delano Roosevelt –Hoover ( ) –FDR ( ) The new policy: “Good Neighbor”

Good Neighbor Policy GN policy: US should be gentler in its relationship with the rest of the Americas. Characteristics: –Less intervention –More cooperation. Still the US dominated the region…