Doughton - History 4. Change and continuity in US foreign policy 1890-1941 Flashcards
American imperialism in the late nineteenth century
America before 1890
Up until 1880, the US had been mainly isolationist, with people unwilling to interfere with foreign affairs.
What were the US’s main motives for imperialism?
The duty of American to spread it’s civilisation (social Darwinism) i.e - expansionism, in which Roosovelt advocated for.
Arguments for imperialism
-To oversee possessions would provide American manufacturers with cheap raw materials.
-To compete with other countries that were expanding their empire.
-America was once a colony which fought for freedom.
-Duty of America to spread it’s civilization.
-Preclusive imperialism (take colonies to prevent other countries from doing so.
-Manifest destiny.
Arguments against imperialism
-Could lead to further entanglements like war.
-America did not treat its minorities well so it was unlikely that they were considering other minorities.
The Spanish American war
In 1898, the USA went to war with Spain, which most historians agree marked a change to a more active foreign and imperial policy. Cuba was on America’s doorstep and according to the Monroe Doctrine, was in the USA’s sphere of interest. However, Cuba was controlled by Spain but Cuban revolutionaries were demanding independence. Spain did offer the Cuban rebels concessions by not enough.
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The USA was unsure about how to react to either Spain or the rebels until two incidents resulted in war with Spain. A private letter from the Spanish minister in Washington DC was stolen and printed. It accused President McKinley of being a ‘weak bidder for the admiration of the crowd’ in his Cuban policy. McKinley and the American public found this very insulting. This was followed by the ‘Maine’ incident. In February 1898 with the (probably accidental) sinking of the ‘USS Maine’, killing 260 American sailors, they entered the war.
The Monroe doctrine
In 1823, President Monroe stated that he disliked European countries interfering in American affairs. They wanted to maintain a non-problematic relation with countries and avoid conflict. However, they wanted to be the dominant force in their region, and, in turn, they intervened in internal affairs of central and South America.
Why did USA go to war with Spain?
There has been much debate about the reasons for the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. Overall, there were several reasons for US intervention:
Moral reasons (interest of Cuba)
-Putting the Monroe doctrine into action and showing support fir a fellow nation.
-Americans were genuinely outraged at the way prisoners were being treated in Cuba.
-‘Teller Ammendment’ - said that they had no desire to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or control.
-Public interest.
Imperialist reasons (interest of USA)
-The historian Carl Degler, writing in the 1950s, suggested that it was due to economic reasons, with American seeking new markets in response to the 1893 Depression.
-It was partly inspired by an aggressive and patriotic press campaign that inflamed public opinion, known as the ‘Yellow Press’.
-The desire of the USA to join the ranks of the Great Powers in international influence.
-More recently historians such as Walter LaFeber have argued that McKinley favoured war as it was in the interests of the USA. Spain would be defeated quite easily and the USA would benefit from greater investment in Cuba as weel as increased trade.
Defeating Spain
In April 1898, US forces launched a double attack on Spanish territories. The navy attacked Spain in the Philippines and defeated its fleet outside Manila. The navy also played an important role in Cuba with one fleet under Rear Admiral Sampson blockading Santiago and the northern approaches to Cuba and a second fleet, under Commodore Winfield Schley, blockading the southern approaches to the island.
The results of the war
The USA therefore did not include or even seriously consider the Cubans in the final peace settlement with Spain, the Treaty of Paris, which was signed with Spain in August 1898. The Treaty stated that:
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-Cuban independence was recognised but the USA. -was allowed possession of Guantanamo Bay.
-Spain lost the last parts of its American empire by ceding Puerto Rico in the Caribbean to the USA.
-The USA was able to purchase the Philippines for $20 million.
-Spain also ceded the Pacific island of Guam to the USA.
The aftermath - the Plat Ammendment 1901
The Platt Ammendment stated that they were allowed to intervene to uphold stability in Cuba. Also granted them the right to maintain a base in Guatanamo Bay.
Did they stick to the Teller Ammendment?
Do you think America got involved out of self-interest?why?
No, not at all.
Yes. I believe that an imperialist sentiment was espoused when America realised the multitude of economic opportunities. They ventured under the justification of social Darwinism, so that they could uphold stability.
Overview of foreign and imperial policies-1890-1914
During the decade of 1890 the USA extended its influence in the Pacific and Latin America and fought a war against Spain which was a major turning point in American foreign and imperial policy.
Pacific
The US became increasingly involved in the Pacific in the 1890s.
Somoa
US actions in Samoa were an example of preclusive imperialism. America’s interest in Samoa first began in 1872 when the King of Samoa offered the USA the naval base of Pago Pago on the eastern island of Tutuila. Although this was refused, the USA was aware of increasing German and British interest in the area, with the German Trading and Plantation Company turning Samoa into the most important trading post in the Pacific. During a civil war in Samoa in 1898, the Americans and British supported the opposing side to that of the Germans. The following year the three powers abolished the Samoan monarchy and signed the Tripartite Convention in which Britain relinquished all rights to Samoa, the USA established a protectorate in Eastern Samoa while Western Samoa became a German colony. The British relinquished all rights to Samoa in return for being given other Pacific island chains formerly belonging to Germany.
Hawaii
In 1898, the USA annexed Hawaii. Hawaii was important as a stopping station on the way to Japan and China and US missionaries had settled there. Moreover, since 1875 the USA had imported Hawaiian sugar duty free and Hawaii became increasingly dependent on the US economy. By the 1890s, there were 3,000 American sugar growers out of the 90,000 Hawaiians living on the island. In 1887, the USA established its major Pacific naval base at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. In 1890, the McKinley Tariff removed duties on raw sugar so the Hawaii growers lost their trading advantages began to suffer as a result of competition from other sugar interests, especially in Cuba. In 1891, the Hawaiian king died and the new queen, Liliuokalani, led a rebellion and American residents called for help for the USA. The marines arrived and within three days the rebels surrendered. The USA now planned to annex Hawaii because of its important location but was opposed by those who feared that America would become an imperial power, no better than the Europeans. However, the war with Spain in Cuba strengthened the arguments for annexation, which took place in July 1898.
Phillipines
The Philippines - As part of the Treaty of Paris, 1898, which ended the Spanish-American War, the USA was allowed to purchase the Philippine Islands from Spain for $20 million. There were various reasons for this purchase:
The reasons were :
-Many felt that the USA would be able to civilise to islanders through converting them to Christianity
as well as ‘superior’ American ideals
-In addition, there was preclusive imperialism. The fear was that the Philippines might be taken over by Britain, Germany or Japan
The islands could not be returned to Spain and the Filipinos, even though they wanted independence, seemed incapable of ruling themselves effectively
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There was strong opposition to the annexation of the islands both in the Philippines and in the USA. The Filipinos had been fighting for independence from Spain and assumed that once the Spanish were defeated, they would be given their independence. The USA had to fight a four-year war of subjugation, costing around $600 million and, by 1904, 126,00 troops were stationed in the Philippines.
Latin America
The USA looked to extend its influence in Latin America in terms of political influence and developing trade links. While there was no intention of annexing regions, US business interests sought to exploit South and Central America and in doing so raise their standards of living and quality of life.
