20th Century Imperial Debates

Wisconsin Workshop, Tues, 2:15-3:00

Emily Rosenberg, U California, Irvine

Three eras of “imperial debate”

• I. Aftermath of War with Spain in 1898

– Philippines and Puerto Rico became colonies; Cuba, Panama became protectorates

– Widespread, grassroots debate over empire ensued

This session we will take up:

• II. Military incursions and occupations, 1910-30

– In Mexico– In Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua and debates

• III. Incursion into Iraq

Reviewing Themes of Imperial Debates in 20th Century

• Advancing civilization or barbarism?

• Upholding or betraying national values such as freedom and democracy?

• Displaying manly duty and women’s rescue or mocking such rationales?

• Advancing or undermining America’s strategic and economic position?

• A laudable “burden” or an overly costly and back-breaking one?

Extensions of U.S. Empire, 1910-1930

• Temporary military incursions such as Mexican interventions: Military seizure of Veracruz in 1914 Pershing’s incursion in 1916.

• Financial dependencies: Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua. Finances controlled by loan contracts.

• Marines sent to keep order and fight insurgencies against US control in all of these countries between 1914 and 1930.

Woodrow Wilson,1913-1921

Woodrow Wilson, 1917

“There is a mighty task before us, and it welds us together. It is to make the United States a mighty Christian nation and to Christianize the world,”

“American principles. . . are the principles of mankind and must prevail”

Bombardment of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 1914

General Pershing in Mexico

Romantic Rendition of Smedley Butler Taking Fort in Haiti

What are“Bandits”?

Poster for PanamaPacific Exhibition,1915

“Parted, but CloserThan Ever”

Samuel Guy Inman, “Imperialistic America,” Atlantic Monthly, 1924

“In these smaller countries of the South, controlled by our soldiers, our bankers, and our oil kings, we are developing our Irelands, our Egypts, and our Indias. Our North American Christian civilization will find its final test in the way we treat our neighbors. We are piling up records for exploitation and destruction of sovereignty in Latin America, such as have never failed in all history to react in war, suffering, and defeat of high moral and spiritual ideals. How can the United States expect to be the one exception to the rule?”

Marines in Nicaragua holding Sandino’s Flag, 192?

Three eras of “imperial debate”

• I. Aftermath of War with Spain in 1898– Philippines and Puerto Rico became colonies;

Cuba, Panama became protectorates

• II. Military incursions and occupations, 1910-30– Mexico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua

• III. Incursion into Iraq, 2003

“US imperialism has been the greatest force for good in the world during the past century.”

“There’s no need for the US government to embrace the term [imperialism].”

-Max Boot

What Is U.S. Empire?

• Empires are not single types of arrangements but are highly flexible forms of domination and control.

• Like other empires, the US empire took a wide variety of forms.

• Unlike other empires, US history has paid too little attention to this imperial experience, either casting it as benign or ignoring it entirely.

Is there an Imperial Cycle?• Imperial power usually beings with benevolent rhetoric about reform,

assistance, and the uplift of women.

• Resistance adopts the language of nationalism, putting US effort at a disadvantage.

• US “reformers” are culturally blind about transferability of US models, creating further resentment.

• US military force can’t distinguish innocents from foes: great brutalization of population.

• Doctrine grows up that “all these people understand is force,” making things worse.

• Domestic opposition mounts: congressional hearings into torture, abuse; calls to cut funding; etc.

Imperial History

• Often, the story of US empire is ignored.

• If not, it often gets told as one in which other cultures are too violent and dysfunctional to be helped; failure was not our fault

• They owe U.S. a “debt of gratitude” for our dollars spent and our loss of life on their behalf, but they are ungrateful and undeserving.

• The history of our exuberance for imperial ventures slips from memory. We fail to remember that domination has nearly always been seen and sold as reform and progress and benevolence.