U.S. Foreign PolicyRoosevelt & Taft

Unit 2 – US History

US Foreign Policy

• “All future wars will be conflicts for commerce”

Beveridge, US Senator, 1900

• Commercial expansion a priority– Sending troops to defend markets if necessary

• policy of self-interest

Roosevelt’s Big Stick Policy

• Negotiate Peacefully, but threaten the use of military intervention– Examples: – Panama Canal

• Tried to negotiate an agreement with Columbia (Hay Herran Treaty)

• Columbia refused, so US supported a rebellion by Panama

• The Canal was built

– Great White Fleet• Sent around the world to show US Military Power

What would the benefits of a canal be?

Purpose of the Panama Canal

• Economic– Reduce travel time to ship

goods and save millions of dollars

– Money (fees) from use of Canal

• Military– Shortened distance to move

ships from Atlantic to Pacific

Roosevelt Corollaryto Monroe Doctrine

• U.S. had right to act as “police force” in the Western Hemisphere to maintain stability or stop wrong-doing

• Example: Dominican Republic – US seized custom houses and custom fees, to pay back German debt and avoid Germany from sending troops to DR

Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy

• Substituting Dollars for bullets– Attempt to gain friends and allies in Latin America

• Example: Latin America– American bankers lent money to Central American

countries – US Government encouraged investment in Latin

American mines, banana, coffee, RR• Loans damaged economies in LA• US used power to protect Am. Investors from loan defaults

and unfriendly governments

China Open Door PolicyRoosevelt & Taft

• Ended Spheres of Influence in China

• Stated All European Nations and the United States could trade with China

War with Philippines• US Reasons to for not granting

independence– Filipino’s unfit to rule –US needed to

“uplift, educate, and civilize” the population

– Natural resources– Naval base

Emilio Aguinaldo waged guerilla war against US from 1902-1906

US won war, but later granted Filipino independence in 1942

Balance of PowerRoosevelt

• Insure no one country gains too much power in Asia

Example:Russo Japanese War• Roosevelt negotiated a peace

agreement to keep Japan or Russia from having too much power

Roosevelt’s Gentleman’s Agreement

• Reason: Racial Superiority• US would end segregation of Japanese-

American’s in San Francisco Schools• Japan had to “voluntarily” reduce immigration to

US