AMERICA ON THE WORLD STAGE1899 - 1909

Chapter 28

The “Great White Fleet” at nightoff the coast of Coronado Island

I. Insurrection in the Philippines

A. Filipinos expected independence after Spanish-American War

(like Cuba had gotten)

1. US Senate narrowly refused; Philippines became a

protectorate of the US (US feared they were at risk for another European takeover; might cause world

war!)

2. Filipinos angry at what they perceived as deceit on the part of the US

B. Open rebellion – February 1899; Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippines independent

1. More savage fighting/casualties than Spanish-American War.

2. Filipino armies - guerilla warfare.

3. 4,300 Americans and 5,700 Filipinos dead.

C. Anti-Imperialists increased their protests

1. Said US now waging war 10,000 mi. away; depriving local population of their liberty.

2. Atrocity reports boosted their protests.

Emilio Aguinaldo

D. Insurrection finally broken in 1901 when Aguinaldo was captured.

E. McKinley appointed Philippine Commission to make appropriate recommendations in 1901.

1. Led by Wm. Howard Taft who called Filipinos his

“little brown brothers.”

2. US instituted reforms: education, sanitation, public health & infrastructure; Filipinos still resentful.

3. Philippines finally got their independence on July 4, 1946.

II. Open Door Policy in China

A. Foreign powers lured into China by huge Chinese market and by missionary zeal.

1. By late 19th c., Japan & western European powers had carved much of China into separate spheres of influence

* Within each sphere, one nation held economic dominance.

2. US manufacturers feared Europeans would monopolize Chinese markets.

3. American missionaries had a number of groups in China.

B. Open Door Note (summer of 1899)

1. Issued by Secy. of State John Hay

a. US at a disadvantage geographically compared to Russia & Japan

b. US feared they must act quickly!

2. Urged all the Great Powers to announce they would respect Chinese

rights & fair competition.

3. Open Door Policy - wide acceptance in US.

4. Policy did not gain international acceptance; was weak and relatively short-lived.

C. Boxer Rebellion (1900)

1. Chinese were enraged over Open Door Policy

2. Super-nationalist group of Chinese “Boxers” killed over 200 missionaries & other whites.

3. Multinational force of about 18,000 arrived to put down the rebellion.

-- Included Japan, Russia, Britain, France,Germany, & US troops.

4. Victorious allies assessed China reparations of $333 million (US share – $24.5 million)

a. When Washington decided our sum was more than needed, we gave $18 million back to China.

b. Appreciative of US gesture, Chinese set aside the $$ to educate select Chinese

students in the US as a goodwill gesture.

* Students played big role in westernizing Orient.

III. Election of 1900 and Theodore Roosevelt’s Ascendancy to the White House

A. Election of 1900

1. GOP re-nominated McKinley (Theodore Roosevelt as VP)

a. Won the war, acquired territory, established

gold standard, & economic prosperity.

b. Platform: prosperity, gold standard, & overseas expansion.

c. Dems re-nominated Wm Jennings Bryan

* Once again pushed for free silver.

3. Campaign similar to 1896

a. McKinley - “front porch” campaign

b. Bryan campaigned throughout the nation criticizing GOP imperialism & trusts; imperialism no longer a major issue to the American voters.

c. TR out-campaigned Bryan & claimed Bryan would “rock the boat of prosperity”

4. McKinley defeated Bryan 292-155 electoral votes.

Election of 1900(Still the “Solid South”)

B. McKinley was assassinated in Sept. 1901 byderanged anarchist (Polish immigrant)

1. TR became the youngest president thus far in US history (at age 42)

2. TR vowed to carry out McKinley policies.

C. Theodore Roosevelt (TR)

1. First president to play significant role in world affairs.

2. Imperialism in Western Hemisphere:

“Speak softly but carry a big stick [and] you will go far.”

3. Major proponent of military & naval preparedness.

IV. Panama Canal

A. Spanish-American War emphasized need for a canal to connect Atlantic & Pacific Oceans

* US now had to protect Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Philippines, & US merchant marines.

B. Overcoming legal challenges to the Canal

1. Clayton-Bulwer Treaty 1850 - “no country can have exclusive control over an isthmian canal.” (US and UK)

2. 1889 - French company trying to build Panama canal went bankrupt; US eager to take over project.

3. Hay-Pauncefote Treaty 1901 - nullified the earlier Clayton-Bulwer Treaty

a. Brits were occupied with unfriendly Europe & South African Boer War

b. Brits agreed to give US the rights to build canal & to militarily protect it as well.

4. Colombian Senate rejected a treaty negotiated with the US for a canal in Panama (part of Colombia at the time)

C. Creation of Panama as a nation; “gunboat diplomacy” by U.S.

1. French representative, Phillipe Bunau-Varilla, urged Panamanian revolutionists to fight for independence from Colombia.

2. Nov. 3, 1903 – Panama's revolution

a. US naval forces did not allow Colombian troops across the isthmus.

b. Nov. 6 - TR extended formal recognition of Panama.

3. Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (Nov., 1903)

a. US-Panamanian treaty in Washington

b. US would pay $40 million; canal zone would be widened from 6 to 10 miles.

D. TR’s role in Panama issue was controversial

1. 1911 – TR claimed, “I took the canal"; sparked a wave of controversy.

2. US suffered diplomatically as Europeans sneered at apparent US “hypocrisy.”

3. Latin America tired of the “Colossus of the North” (US); (PR, Cuba, & now Panama)

E. 1914 - Canal completed; initial cost $400 million

* Wm C. Gorgas made canal zone safe, using sanitation methods he had used in Havana. (drained & cleared swamps, etc.)

President Theodore Roosevelt surveying

the monumentaltask of building the

Panama Canal

V. Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine

A. Motivation: TR concerned German & British bill collection violated the Monroe Doctrine.

1. Both Venezuela & Dominican Republic owed a lot of $$ to Germany & Britain.

2. Venezuelan Crisis 1902 - Germany sank two Venezuelan gunboats trying to seek forced payment for heavy debt to Germany.

3. TR devised policy of “preventive intervention” (Roosevelt

Corollary)

B. Policy: In financial crises concerning Latin American debt, US would intervene, take over

customs houses, pay off LA debts, & keep European powers out of W. Hemisphere.

1. US: “We have a moral obligation to protect bankrupt ‘banana republics’ from European takeover.”

2. US became “Policeman of the Caribbean.”

* Contrasted with Monroe Doctrine that had merely told Europeans to "stay out". 3. TR’s policy was radical, but its association with Monroe Doctrine = acceptance.

4. Roosevelt Corollary often called “Bad Neighbor” policy toward Latin America.

5. Policy was eventually used to justify US interventions in LA & repeated landings of US Marines in Latin American countries.

C. 1905 - Dominican Republic treaty gave US supervisory power over Dominican tariff collections.

* In effect, Dominican Republic became a protectorate of the US.

D. Cuba

1. US kept high tariffs against Cuban sugar to benefit US sugar growers.

2. Recession in Cuba plus discontent over Platt Amendment led to a revolution in 1906.

3. TR sent in Marines in 1906; stayed until 1909.

4. US troops would reoccupy Cuba

during WWI.

VI. Russo-Japanese War (1904) and Japanese-American relations

A. Russia & Japan went to war over issue of ports in Manchuria & Korea.

1. Japan destroyed much of Russian fleet

2. Japanese ran short of men & money.

3. TR trying to prevent trade monopoly in Asia, but didn’t want war.

a. TR concerned about security of Philippines.

b. Japan secretly asked TR to help sponsorpeace negotiations.

B. Treaty of Portsmouth 1905

1. Both sides met at Portsmouth, NH, in 1905

a. Japanese demanded huge reparations & various island territories.

b. Russians refused to concede defeat.

2. Agreement: Japanese gained territory but no reparations

* Secretly, TR agreed to accept future Japanese dominance of Korea.

3. For his mediation, TR received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906.

4. Negative results of Portsmouth Treaty

a. US-Russian relations soured; Russians felt that TR had robbed them of military victory

* Massacres of Russian Jews drew US protest.

b. Japan felt robbed of its reparations; blamed US.

* US-Japan mutual distrust grew; naval arms race between US & Japan resulted.

C. San Francisco School Board Incident

1. 1906 - 70,000 Japanese immigrants came to California as result of Russo-Japanese War.

2. San Francisco school Board ruled Asian children should attend segregated school.

* $$ & overcrowding problems as result of 1906 earthquake.

3. Japanese furious; sensitive to racial issues.

a. Talk of war in “yellow press.” b. TR concerned about California

starting a war other states would have to fight.

4. TR invited SF School Board to White House.

a. Coerced repeal of the policy: the “Gentlemen’s Agreement”

b. Provisions:

* Japan agreed to limit flow of Japanese laborers to US (limited passports)

* Californians agreed to not ban Japanese from public schools

D. US-Japanese relations

1. Fearing Japanese perception of US weakness, TR sent “Great White Fleet” on 1907 world tour (to show US strength)

* Great White Fleet (modern, huge white ships) showed US naval power.

2. Root-Takahira Agreement (Root was US Secretary of State)

a. US & Japan vowed to respect each others’ territorial possessions in the Pacific & to uphold Open Door Policy in China.

b. TR regarded the voyage of Great White Fleet his most important contribution to peace.

Root-Takahira