Chapter 21 Flashcards
“big stick” diplomacy
Roosevelt believed in the value of using American power in the world (speak softly, but cary a big stick). Roosevelt also thought that “civilized” nations had a right.duty to intervene in the affairs of uncivilized nations
Russo-Japanese War
1904-Japanese attacked Russian fleet at Port Arthur. Roosevelt agreed to a Japanese request to mediate an end to the conflic. He negotiated the Russians tor ecognized Japan’s territorial gans and an agreement from the Japanese to stop expanding further. Also negotiated a secret agreement w/Japanese to ensure the US could freely trade. FDR won teh Nobel Peace PRize in 1906 for his work
Roosevelt Corollary
Another application of Roosevelt’s big-stick diplomacy involved Latin American nations that were in deep financial trouble and could not pay their debts to European creditors. In 1902, for example, the British dispatched war-
ships to Venezuela to force that country to pay its debts. In 1904, it appeared that European powers stood ready to intervene in Santo Domingo (the Dominican Republic) for the same reason. Rather than let Europeans intervene in Latin America—a blatant violation of the Monroe Doctrine—Roosevelt declared in December 1904 that the United States would intervene instead, whenever necessary. This policy became known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. It meant that the United States would send gunboats to a Latin American country that was delinquent in paying its debts. U.S. sailors and marines would then occupy the country’s major ports to manage the collection of customs taxes until European debts were satisfied.
Over the next 20 years, U.S. presidents used the Roosevelt Corollary to justify sending U.S. forces into Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua. The long-term result of such interventions was poor U.S. relations with the entire region of Latin America.
Platt Amendment
Previously, the Teller Amendment to the war resolution of 1898 had more or less guaranteed U.S. respect for Cuba’s sovereignty as an independent nation. Nevertheless, U.S. troops remained in Cuba from 1898 until 1901. In the latter year, Congress made the withdrawal of troops conditional upon Cuba’s acceptance of certain terms. These terms were included in an amendment to an army appropriations bill—the Platt Amendment of 1901. Bitterly resented by Cuban nationalists, the Platt Amendment required Cuba to agree
- never to sign a treaty with a foreign power that impaired its independence
- never to build up an excessive public debt
- to permit the United States to intervene in Cuba’s affairs to preserve its independence and maintain law and order
- to allow the U.S. to maintain naval bases in Cuba, including one at Guantanamo Bay
A Cuban convention reluctantly accepted these terms, adding them to its country’s new constitution. In effect, the Platt Amendment made Cuba a U.S. protectorate; in other words, its foreign policy would be, for many years, subject to U.S. oversight and control.
Panamanian revolt
Revolution in Panama. Roosevelt was eager to begin the construction of a canal through the narrow but rugged terrain of the isthmus of Panama. He was frustrated, however, by the fact that Colombia controlled this isthmus and refused to agree to U.S. terms for digging the canal through its territory. Losing patience with Colombia, Roosevelt supported a revolt in Panama in 1903. With U.S. backing, the rebellion succeeded immediately and almost without bloodshed. The first act of the new government of independent Panama was to sign a treaty (the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903) granting the United States long-term control of a canal zone.
“Dollar Diplomacy”
Like his predecessor, Taft worked to advance the nation’s economic interests over sea. Showed little interest in TR’s larger vision of world stability. Worked aggressively to extend American investments into less developed regions. Critics called his policies “Dollar Diplomacy”
Tampico & Veracruz
To aid a revolutionary faction that was fighting Huerta, Wilson asked for an arms embargo against the Mexican government and sent a fleet to blockade the port of Vera Cruz. In 1914, several American seamen went ashore at Tampico where they were arrested by Mexican authorities and soon released. Huerta refused to apologize, as demanded by a U.S. naval officer, and Wilson in retaliation ordered the U.S. Navy to occupy Vera Cruz. War between Mexico and the United States seemed imminent. It was averted, how-ever, when South America’s ABC powers—Argentina, Brazil, and Chile—offered to mediate the dispute. This was the first dispute in the Americas to be settled through joint mediation.
Pancho Villa mission
Huerta fell from power in late 1914 and was replaced by a more democratic regime led by Venustiano Carranza. Almost immediately, the new government was challenged by a band of revolutionaries loyal to Pancho Villa. Hoping to destabilize his opponent’s government, Villa led raids across the U.S.–Mexican border and murdered a number of people in Texas and New Mexico. In March 1916, President Wilson ordered General John J. Pershing to pursue Villa into Mexico. This expeditionary force, as it was called, was in northern Mexico for months without being able to capture Villa. President Carranza eventually protested the American presence in Mexico. In January 1917, the growing possibility of U.S. entry into World War I caused Wilson to withdraw Pershing’s troops.
American neutrality
Wilson called on his fdllow citizensns to remain “impartial in thought aws well as deed” But this proved impossible. Some Americans sympathized with Germany (German Americans, Irish Americans) Many more sympathized with Great Britain because of culture, politics, and overall “moral quality” Ther ewere also economic ties to Britain that did not exist to the same extent in Germany and a blockade against Germany that they didn’t want to cross. Gradually transitioned from “neutrality” toward the allies.
Lusitania (1915)
On May 7th 1915, a German submarine sank the British passanger liner Lusitania without warning, causing the death of 1198 people, including 128 Americans. Ship was actually carrying weapons, but most Americans considered the attack an “act of piracy that helped encourage American involvement in the war.
Germany’s Sussex pledge (1916)
Early in 1916, in response to tan announcement that the allies were now arming merchant ships to sink submarines, Germany proclaimed that it would fire on such vessels without varning. A few weeks later, Germany attacked the unarmed French steamer Sussex, injurying several American passangers. Again Wilson demanded that Germany abandon its “unlawful” tacticts, again the German government relented, hoping to keep Amerca out of the war.
“preparedness”
Eastern Republicans like Roosevelt were the first to recognize that the U.S.Army and Navy were hopelessly unprepared for a major war. They clamored for “preparedness” (greater defense expenditures) soon after the European war broke out. Leading the campaign was the National Security League, organized by a group of business leaders to promote preparedness and to extend direct U.S. aid to the Allies, if needed.
At first, President Wilson opposed the call for preparedness, but in late1915, he changed his policy and urged Congress to approve an ambitious expansion of the armed forces. The president’s proposal provoked a storm of controversy, especially among Democrats who until then were largely opposed to military increases. After a nationwide speaking tour on behalf of preparedness, Wilson finally convinced Congress to pass the National Defense Act in June 1916, which increased the regular army to a force of nearly 175,000. A month later, Congress approved the construction of more than 50 warships (battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines) in just one year.
1916 election
President Wilson was well aware that, as a Democrat, he had won election to the presidency in 1912 only because of the split in Republican ranks between Taft conservatives and Roosevelt Progressives. Despite his own Progressive record, Wilson’s chances for reelection did not seem strong after Theodore Roosevelt declined the Progressive party’s nomination for president in 1916 and rejoined the Republicans. (Roosevelt’s decision virtually destroyed any
chance of the Progressive party surviving.) Charles Evans Hughes, a Supreme Court justice and former governor of New York, became the presidential candidate of a reunited Republican party.
“He kept us out of war.” The Democrats adopted as their campaign slogan: “He kept us out of war.” The peace sentiment in the country, Wilson’s record of Progressive leadership, and Hughes’ weakness as a candidate combined to give the president the victory in an extremely close election. Democratic strength in the South and West had overcome Republican dominance in the East.
unrestricted submarine warfare (1917)
Most important in the U.S. decision for war was a sudden change in German military strategy. The German high command had decided in early January 1917 to resume unrestricted submarine warfare. They recognized the risk of the United States entering the war but believed that, by cutting off supplies to the Allies, Germany could win the war before Americans could react. Germany communicated its decision to the U.S. government on January 31. A few days later, Wilson broke off U.S. diplomatic relations with Germany.
Zimmerman telegram (1917)
On March 1, U.S. newspapers carried the shocking news of a secret offer made by Germany to Mexico. Intercepted by British intelligence, a telegram to Mexico from the German foreign minister, Arthur Zimmermann, proposed that Mexico ally itself with Germany in return for Germany’s pledge to help Mexico recover lost territories: Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The Zimmermann Telegram aroused the nationalist anger of the American people and convinced Wilson that Germany fully expected a war with the United States.
Russian/Bolshevik Revolution (1917)
Applying the principle of moral diplomacy, Wilson wanted the war to be fought for a worthy purpose: the triumph of democracy. It bothered him that one of the Allies was Russia, a nation governed by an autocratic czar. This barrier to U.S. participation was suddenly removed on March 15, when Russian revolutionaries overthrew the czar’s government and proclaimed a republic. (Only later in November would the revolutionary government be taken over by Communists.)
Selective Service Act
President and his secretary of war decided that only a national draft could produce the needed men ; despite protests, he won passage of the selective service act. The draft brought nearly 3 million men into the army; another 2 million joined various branches of the armed services voluntarily. Together, they formed what was known as the American Expeditionary Force (AEF).
diversity in the AEF
The AEF in some respects was the most diverse fighting force ever in the US. Women were permitted to enlist (not in combat). Blacks could also enlist but were usually given menial work and segregated.-
