Chapter 18-Section 3

Vocabulary – Terms

Insurrection- rebellion, in this instance, against U.S. rule

Guerrilla Warfare- a form of nontraditional warfare generally involving small bands of fighters

Sphere of influence- Britain, France, Germany, and Russia’s privileged access to Chinese ports and markets

Boxer Rebellion- Chinese secret organization that which led to an uprising in Northern China against the spread of Western & Japanese influence

Open Door Policy- policy proposed to keep China open to trade with all countries on an equal basis

Vocabulary – Terms & People Russo-Japanese War- war fought between Russia and Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Korea & Manchuria

“Gentlemen’s Agreement”- agreement between the U.S. and Japan where the school board pledged to stop its segregation policy; Japan would limit emigration of citizens to the U.S.

Great White Fleet- new force of navy ships, consisting of 16 white battleships, which demonstrated America’s increased military power

William Howard Taft- future President of the United States

John Hay- former U.S. Secretary of State

Filipinos Rebel Against U.S. RuleFilipino-Spanish War

During the war between the Philippines and the Spanish, Emilio

Aguinaldo, a Filipino nationalist leader, believed America's intentions as

an ally was to assist the Philippines in achieving independence.

Insurrection

However, America decided to maintain control of the Philippines.

Aguinaldo became disappointed with America, and helped to organize an

insurrection against U.S. rule. The Filipino rebels believed they fought for the

same principle of self-rule that had inspired America's colonial patriots during

the American Revolution.

Guerilla Warfare Erupts in the Philippines

Due to lack of weapons, the Filipino rebels relied on guerilla

warfare to attack behind American lines. America went to extraordinary

measures to defeat these warriors, and just as the Spanish did in Cuba,

U.S soldiers gathered civilians into overcrowded concentration camps.

General Jacob Smith

Despite orders to capture the native people, General Smith did not want

prisoners. He stated, "I wish you to kill and burn, the more you kill and burn the better

you will please me." His comment was backed by the San Francisco Argonaut (a popular

newspaper in 1902). The following is a few sections from the newspaper: '‘WE DO WANT

THE FILIPINOS. WE DO WANT THE PHILIPPINES… The more of them killed the better…

they must yield before the superior race.''

The End of the Filipino War

In the spring of 1901, the Americans captured Aguinaldo. Although the fighting

didn't end immediately, his capture started the end of the insurrection. The war in the

Philippines resulted in more lives lost than the Spanish-American war, with nearly 5,000

Americans and 200,000 Filipinos dead. The U.S. government sent more than 100,000

troops and spent over $400 million to defeat the insurgency.

Reforms Lead to Promise of Self-Rule

In 1901, William Howard Taft became governor of the Philippines. He had

big plans to help the islands recover from the rebellion.

Taft censored the press and placed protesters in jail to maintain order and

win the Filipino’s support.

At this time he also extended limited self-rule and ordered the

construction of schools, roads, and bridges.

Jones Act

In 1916, Congress passed the Jones Act. This pledged that the Philippines

would ultimately gain their independence.

Thirty years later, after U.S. forces freed the islands from Japanese

occupation at the end of World War II, the Philippines finally became an

independent nation.

The United States Pursues Interests in China

The once powerful China had dug itself into a hole of political, economic, and military disarray by 1899. However, its large population was a tempting target for imported goods of other nations. But instead of competing for Chinese trade, Britain, France, Germany, and Russia split China into distinct spheres of influence.

Within their respective zones, each power had access to Chinese ports and markets. Japan had also begun expanding its regional influence, and had subsequently seized territory in China and Korea. The United States did not have a zone in China, and this new system of privileges threatened to limit American trade in China.

America Declares Equal Trade in China To overcome these obstacles, U.S. Secretary of State John Hay issued the first of a series of notes to foreign diplomats in 1899. He informed the leaders of imperialist nations that the U.S. expected “perfect equality of treatment for commerce” in China. Hay’s note did little to sway the decisions of European nations or Japan immediately. Although, it would eventually come to serve as an important guiding principle of American foreign policy in Asia.

The U.S. Intervenes in the Boxer Rebellion

However, some Chinese were outraged at the growing influence of outsiders in their country. They responded by joining secret societies. An example of such a society, the Righteous and Harmonious Fists, earned the nickname “Boxers” from Europeans due to its members being trained in martial arts. These societies typically celebrated traditional Chinese customs and criticized those of the West. They also condemned any Chinese converts to Christianity. Eventually, all of this conflict resulting in a full-on rebellion against the “foreign devils.”

The U.S. Intervenes in the Boxer Rebellion (continued)

In May 1900, the Boxers murdered foreign missionaries and bombarded the foreign diplomats’ district in Beijing. A force comprised of European, American, and Japanese troops was sent to the Chinese capital to subdue the Boxer Rebellion. The initial force of 2,100 soldiers eventually grew to over 20,000, including 2,000 Americans. Upon suppressing the rebellion, European powers urged China’s imperial government to pay an indemnity (money to repair damages that were caused due to the rebellion). However, this only added more fuel to the ever-increasing nationalist fire. These nationalists would eventually revolt against and overthrow the emperor in 1911.

Hay Reaffirms the Open Door Policy As the Boxer Rebellion began to engulf China, Secretary of State Hay upheld America’s Open Door Policy. In an additional letter to European powers, Hay stated that the U.S. wanted to “preserve Chinese territorial and administrative entity.” Put more simply, America had no plans to place colonies in China; all it desired was free trade there. As an act of kindness, the United States put some of its indemnity money from China to good use by funding scholarships for Chinese students to study in America.

Tensions Rise Between America and Japan

Japan wished to expand its influence in China, much as the United States had been doing. Similarly, the Japanese also frowned upon the European sphere of influence of the area. To add to that, Japan took offense to the fact that Russian troops began to occupy Manchuria, a section of China that bordered Russia. In February of 1904, even without a declaration of war, Japan attacked and bottled up Russia’s Pacific fleet that was stationed at Port Arthur, China. This victory seemingly went to Japan’s head, and followed up on its victory with a series of major land skirmishes in Manchuria that resulted in in over 100,000 Russian casualties. However, the Japanese also suffered severe losses in the fighting.

Roosevelt Settles the Russo-Japanese War In 1905, representatives from Russia and Japan met in in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to negotiate an end to the Russo-Japanese War. When the talks hindered in progress, President Theodore Roosevelt stepped in and was able to convince the two sides to sign a peace treaty. (Roosevelt had become the President after McKinley had been assassinated in 1901.) Roosevelt was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. His intervention – and subsequent receipt of the very famous award – adequately illustrated America’s increasing role in world affairs.

Anti-Asian Prejudice Troubles Relations

Even with Roosevelt’s success, America had entered into a rocky relationship with Japan. One of the main causes of this conflict was anti-Asian sentiment harbored among the hearts of the West Coast of the United States. In the fall of 1906, the San Francisco School Board effectively prohibited Japanese, Chinese, and Korean children from attending public schools with white children. This occurrence resulted in Japan’s immediate wrath. One Tokyo journal demanded that Japan fight back, saying, “Stand up Japanese nation! Our countrymen have been HUMILIATED on the other side of the Pacific.”

Anti-Asian Prejudice Troubles Relations (continued) Roosevelt was not a fan of the decision to segregate Asian children in the San Francisco schools. He completely understood Japan’s intense anger with America. To stifle the tensions, he negotiated a “Gentlemen’s Agreement” with Japan. This pact would cause the school board to end its segregation policy. Japan agreed that it would limit the emigration of its citizens to the United States.

The Great White Fleet Sets Sail◦ Roosevelt employed diplomacy in his efforts to ease the conflict

with Japan, but he also promoted military preparedness to protect U.S. interests in Asia. By expressing increasing concerns about Japan’s territorial expansion at the expense of China, Korea, and Russia, the President was able to gain congressional support for a new force of navy ships, known as the Great White Fleet. In 1907, Roosevelt sent the armada of 16 white battleships, which was the Navy’s peacetime color scheme, on a “good will cruise” across the globe. The voyage was meant to demonstrate America’s increased military power to the world.

The Great White Fleet Sets Sail (continued)

However, this type of voyage was not unprecedented. Naval courtesy calls had actually become quite common in the 16th century, and became ever more important with the rise of nationalism. As mentioned before, though, one of the main reasons for the Great White Fleet’s voyage was to display that the U.S. had become a major sea power in the years following the Spanish-American War. As the Panama Canal wasn’t completed at the time of the voyage, the fleet had to pass through the Straits of Magellan. The scope of such an operation was unprecedented in U.S. history, as ships had to sail from all points of the compass to rendezvous points and proceed according to a carefully orchestrated, well-thought out plan. It involved nearly all of the Navy’s operational capability.