US Foreign Policy:Imperialism

US Foreign Policy: Imperialism

United States foreign policy reflects the American goals of expanding trade and protecting national security.

The US did not set out to establish an empire as many European nations.

US Foreign Policy: Imperialism

Five philosophies which guided US relations with foreign nations during Imperialism:

1. Open Door Policy in China2. Monroe Doctrine3. Roosevelt Corollary4. Dollar Diplomacy5. Moral Diplomacy

1. 1899 Open Door Policy

1899 written declaration from John Hay that the US would ensure equal trade for all nations in China.

This led to an American commitment to protect China and keep European nations and Japan from taking over and carving up China.

2. 1823 Monroe Doctrine

• 1823 Declaration by President Monroe that the United States would oppose any efforts by any outside power to control a nation in the Western Hemisphere.

1823 Monroe Doctrine

• Protection of Latin America seemed common sense in an effort to secure American trade and investments in these countries.

3. 1904 Roosevelt Corollary• As President of the United

States, Theodore Roosevelt issued an extension to the Monroe Doctrine that essentially stated that only the U.S. would be allowed to intervene in South America. With European nations trying to collect on bad debts in South American nations, the U.S. actually took over trade in areas in order to provide prompt payment to their creditors.

• “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”

3. 1904 Roosevelt Corollary

• Many Latin and South American countries felt that this new aggressive role in the Western Hemisphere denied countries sovereignty. Led to aggression against the US military in Nicaragua in 1920.

4. 1912 Dollar Diplomacy

President Taft’s idea to substitute dollars for bullets.

Taft encouraged new businesses and banks to expand trade. Americans invested in plantations, mines, oil wells, and railroads all over the Caribbean and Latin American.

5. 1913 Moral Diplomacy

President Wilson’s promise to not take more territory through conquest and instead use American power to promote human rights, national integrity, and opportunity.

Unfortunately to achieve this goal the US military often had to intervene.

1913 Moral Diplomacy Example:

Haiti was put under US military control from 1915 until 1934 to protect American investments from French and German aggression

Haiti

1913 Moral Diplomacy

Example of military use under Moral Diplomacy:

Rebel leader Francisco Villa crossed US boarder and raided the city of Columbus and killed 18 Americans. Wilson sent General John J Pershing across the boarder to capture him