Foreign Policies of McKinley, Roosevelt, Taft, & Wilson

Presidents’ Beliefs

William McKinley

• Beliefs– Moral responsibility to

Christianize and civilize those who were not

– Main interest – • to secure the will and interest of

the average working man• The “people” should get what they

want

– Wanted to expand the frontier – continue “manifest destiny”

Theodore Roosevelt• Big Stick Diplomacy– “Speak softly and carry a big stick”– Big stick = military– International negotiations backed by

threat of force• U.S. has moral responsibility to

“civilize” weaker nations• Roosevelt Corollary (to Monroe Doctrine)

– U.S. can use “international police power” in Latin America to prevent European nations from intervening

William Howard Taft• Wanted to expand American

trade• Dollar Diplomacy– “Substituting dollars for bullets”– Maintain orderly societies abroad

by increasing investments in foreign economies

• Main Goals – Maintain Open Door to China– Preserve Stability in Latin America

Woodrow Wilson• Wanted Foreign Policy based on

principles rather than materialism• “Moral Diplomacy”– Hoped to spread democracy, condemn

colonialism, and promote peace – 3rd Party Mediation of Conflicts

• Nations would remain peaceful during mediation

– Hoped "to cultivate the friendship" w/ LA

• Help other nations achieve self-government eventually – U.S. model (democracy)