American Involvement Overseas

American Involvement Overseas

Origins of Spanish American War

The Tariff of 1894, which put restrictions on sugar imports to the United States, severely hurt the economy of Cuba, which was then a Spanish colony. Angry nationalists began a revolt against the Spanish colonial regime.

The USS Maine

The US, which had many businessmen with investment interests in Cuba, became concerned and dispatched the USS Maine to rescue US citizens who might be endangered by the conflict.

The Effects of Yellow Journalism

On February 15,, 1898, the Maine mysteriously blew up and the US blamed a Spanish mine.

When the American public was stirred into an anti-Spain frenzy by the yellow journalism of newspaper men like Hearst and Pulitzer, President McKinley gave the OK for war.

Effects of Yellow Journalism

• Yellow journalism is exaggerated or biased writing disguised as news, often used for political, social, or economic gain.

• "You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war." -William Randolph Hearst

  
  

Teller Amendment

Congress agreed to war, but only after adopting the Teller Amendment that made it clear that the United States did not harbor imperialist ambitions and would not acquire Cuba.

Poll

Which do you think was the most influential reason for the US to go to war with Spain?

• The blowing up of the USS Maine

• Yellow Journalism

Manilla Bay

Surprise naval attack sunk the crumbling Spanish Navy in the Philippines.

Made Americans feel very superior.

Rough Riders

Teddy Roosevelt resigns as Asst. Sec. of the Navy to lead a volunteer "Cowboy Cavalry" that served with the 17,000 soldiers that landed in Cuba.

TR's popularity from this leads to his becoming V.P. and President.

Rough Riders Battle

San Juan Hill

African Americans also helped but they don't get any credit.

Teddy Roosevelt

The Platt Amendment

After the US defeated Spain, it passed the Platt Amendment, which gave the US the right to intervene in Cuba to protect "life, property, and individual liberties."

The Philippine-American War

As a result of the Philippine-American War, a sequel to the Spanish American War, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States for $20 million.

American Atrocities

To suppress Filipino insurgency, the American military forcibly relocated or burned villages, imprisoned or killed non-combatant civilians, and used vicious torture techniques (including the "water cure") on suspected insurgents

Philippine Independence

During the war, more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers, about 20,000 Filipino fighters, and an estimated 200,000 Filipino civilians died.

U.S. made improvements in infrastructure, education, and healthcare. Resistance ended by 1902.

Filipinos received their independence in 1946.

Multiple Choice

Which U.S. President was a part of the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War?

• William McKinley

• Harry Truman

• Teddy Roosevelt

• Dwight D. Eisenhower

China Open Door Policy

Spheres of Influence: European nations had divided up China for trading purposes.

1899: John Hay (Sec. of State) called for 1. open access to all of China's coastal ports to all countries. 2. elimination of special privileges for any trading nations. 3. maintenance of China's independence.

3 American Beliefs reflected in Open Door Policy:

• 1) Growth of American economy depended on exports

• 2) America had the right to intervene abroad to keep foreign markets open.

• 3) A fear that closing of an area to American products, citizens, or ideas threatened U.S. survival.

The Roosevelt Corollary

• In 1904, when Germany demanded a port in the Dominican Republic as compensation for an unpaid loan.

• Theodore Roosevelt announced the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. It stated that the U.S. would intervene in Latin American affairs when necessary to maintain economic and political stability.

• This was a declaration that the U.S. would be the policeman of the Caribbean and Central America.

America As World Power

Panama Canal

Built to connect Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Cut travel time of U.S. ships by half.

Panama was province of Columbia, but TR helped Panama obtain its independence to get Canal built.

America As World Power

Great White Fleet

New all-steel fleet of 16 battleships that TR sent around the world to show U.S. dominance.

Painted white

Roosevelt and Latin America

Gunboat Diplomacy: Use force to accomplish goals in world, especially Latin America.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far" (Big Stick Diplomacy)

Taft and Latin America

Dollar Diplomacy:

1) Invest money into a country to help strengthen that country's economy in hopes of preventing revolutions.

2) By investing money, it normally meant U.S. corporations in Latin American countries.

Interventions in Western Hemisphere

To enforce order, forestall foreign intervention, and protect economic interests, the United States intervened in the Caribbean and in Central America some twenty times over the next quarter century (in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama).

American Support of Dictators

Each intervention put into power a dictator supportive of American interests (Somoza in Nicaragua, Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, and Duvalier in Haiti).

Protection of American Interests

As a whole, the United States' actions in Latin America protected US commercial and strategic interests, but the goal of spreading democracy went mostly unfulfilled. The frequent use of military force to endangered widespread resentment in the region.

Open Ended

In your personal opinion, do you think the United States had the right to become involved in international affairs at the extent they did and why?