Early Foreign Policy in the US
- US was created by rebelling against the empire of the time, had a negative view of Britain and the way it ran its colonies
What did the Founding Fathers think of how Britain ran its colonies?
- disagreed with how they had ran colonies, set principle where the new nation would not become involved in the politics of Europe
- nevertheless, many founding fathers still saw the new nation as a rising empire
Foreign Policy Doctrine of the Founding Fathers
- do not get entangled in European politics
- never tie up the country in alliances, especially with European powers
- expanding commercial relations
- freedom of action
- “peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.
The Monroe Doctrine
- The US would not interfere with internal affairs of Europe
- The US recognized and would not interfere with existing colonies in the Western Hemisphere
- The Western Hemisphere was closed to future colonization
- Any attempt by a European power to oppress or control any nation in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as a hostile act against the US
What was the purpose of the Monroe Doctrine?
The Monroe Doctrine was established by US president James Monroe in 1823, to warn European countries from intervening in the Western Hemisphere. As a result, it paved the way for American dominance of the New World
Mexican American War
- 1845, President Polk used as an excuse regarding Texas’ southern border to launch a war against Mexico, and demand the northern regions of Mexico
- as a result, the US annexed areas that are now Texas, Cali, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah.
- US greatly increased their territory as a result of the war.
What is the significance of George Washington’s Farewell Speech?
The basis of US foreign policy was to ignore foreign interests of the British.
- the exception to this is the war of 1812.
How much did the US GDP multiply between 1865 and 1920?
More than seven times
How much of the world’s output did the US produce in the 1920?
more than half?
Corporations from the end of the Civil War to the 1920s
the number of corporations grew rapidly in this period. An index of incorporations went from about 5 in 1870 to 100 in 1925
What was the significance of the early 20th century?
Arguably the golden age of American entrepreneurship.
What was the aim of US policy decisions in 1800s and 1900s?
protecting American economic interests abroad.
- this includes the Spanish-American and the takeover of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Hawaii, as well as construction of Panama Canal.
Open Door Policy
Adopted towards China in 1899. At the end of the 19th century, China was being invaded by the Japanese, and the US advocated for open door policy, as in trade. In terms of trade, the doors of China should be open no one should have exclusive rights over China due to military advantage. This would allow the US economy to expand through trade.
Woodrow Wilson
- liberal idealist, advocated for liberal principles
- US policy was to stay out of WWI, they did not want to be involved based on previous tradition.
- there was tension because in early 1900s the main goal of US foreign policy was trade, and trade was being affected by WWI
What did Wilson do on April 1917?
Declared war on Germany. The US formally entered WWI
Why did the US formally enter WWI?
Germans had threatened to incite Mexico against US if US supported Britain in the war, British intelligence intercepted this message, gave it to Americans, which angered them into entering the war. They had already been economically involved in the war
How long did it take for the US to declare war on Germany?
It took them a year to deploy forces, and they only entered the war in the last period of the war. .
How did the war impact the US differently than it impacted Britain?
Europe was devastated by the war, but the Americans suffered much less damage and became a creditor for the British when Europe began rebuilding the war.
What did Wilson advocate for?
- spread of democracy, self determination, capitalism, and an interventionist foreign policy.
- major shift in US policy
- brought the US to the global stage, an actor with global intentions
What did Wilson advocate for when he spent 6mos in Paris?
- new territories to have self determination (Automan/austrohungarian)
What is the main criticism of Wilson
Wilson has been criticized as naive and hypocritical
Wilsons 14 points (the relevant ones)
- open covenants of peace, frank diplomacy in the public view
- freedom of navigation on seas
- removal of economic barriers
- free, open minded adjustment of colonial claims, advocating for colonies of European.
- general association of nations (league of nations) to afford mutual guaranteed of political independence
Manifest Destiny
- the God given right of expanding toward the West, all the way to Pacific Ocean.
- used to legitimize conquering the lands of native americans
- in 1917, the same mentality was now applied to the foreign realm where American had the divine role to stabilize, democratize and profit from many parts of the globe.
What are the four periods of US foreign policy according to Walter Russel Mead?
- 1776-1823: the new nation has a hesitant and confused relationship with Britain
- 1823-1914: The US embraces the “Monroe system” of sheltering under Britain’s hegemonic influence
- 1914-1947: the US grapples with the problems of Britain’s rapidly declining power
- 1947-today: the US becomes toe world’s hegemon.
