ON THE VERGE OF EMPIRE:AMERICAN MOTIVATIONS AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY

Motivations Overview

1. Economic Expansion New Markets Raw Materials

2. Nationalism Jingoism Militarism Competition

3. Social Darwinism Missionaries

White Man’s Burden

The Imperial grab-bag, a free-for-all for all world powers.

Arguments For Expansion: Economic

Overproduction of Goods: American industrialization created more

raw materials and manufactured goods than could be sold (supply exceeded demand)

Mass consumption evident in chain stores, mail order, and department stores

Required new markets to sell goods

Labor

Rise of Organized Labor: AFL and Knights of

Labor forced higher wages and better working conditions

Cost of business increased

Labor unrest forced businessmen to find other labor sources

Other Economic Considerations

Federal government increased regulation of business (anti-trust, most notably)

Overseas expansion was sound economic policy

Recent recessions: Panic of 1893 indicated the need for economic regulation Picture of the Panic of 1893 as it would

have affected the New York Stock Exchange.

Ideological Arguments Manifest Destiny:

Advocated by vocal expansionists: F.J. Turner, Theodore Roosevelt, and Henry Cabot Lodge

The frontier was quickly vanishing (due, in part, to population boom, agricultural, and industrial expansion)

The frontier symbolized the democratic ideal of freedom and self reliance

International expansion must replace geographic barriers in North America

“Westward Ho” The angel of “progress leading Americans westward. The West, considered the Promised Land, brought millions in search of cheap land.

History of Foreign Policy

The White Man’s Burden White Man’s Burden:

Advocated by missionaries like Josiah Strong

Derived from Rudyard Kipling’s poem intended to help the savages

U.S. must spread democracy, Christianity, and civilization throughout the world

Brought a sense of paternalism to colonialism

“The Cares of a Growing Family.” Paternalism, a condescending approach taken by imperialist

countries to the natives, implied that the civilized country should treat other countries like children.

Social Darwinism

Derived from science, eugenic, and pseudo-scienctific (racial) theory

All countries, in order to survive, must compete

The fittest (militarily, culturally, and economically) country and the one which can adapt, will prevail

Eugenics, the 19th century study of racial genetics became the main justification for racial superiority. This, and phrenology, the study of the bumps on a

human head, explained group and individual psychology

Two Views of Social Darwinism Ideology

American Nationalism Advocated in national

elections America was destined to be

the most powerful protector of all things good: money to spend, food to eat, human rights, culture, etc

America must compete with rival imperial powers: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Britain, France, and Russia (all the powers involved in WWI)

America has the responsibility to share the right of self-determination, democracy, self-government and human rights

The power of the American eagle is clearly evident in its wingspan which covers the world. Note, also, that the light from the sun emanates from behind the bird. Incidentally, the national bird was originally proscribed, by Ben Franklin, to be the turkey.

Strategic Arguments for Expansion

Based on Admiral Alfred T. Mahan’s Book, The Power of the Seas Claimed a fully

equipped modern navy would ensure domestic tranquility, economic control, and world peace

Becoming a superpower depended on a modern navy

Mahan’s treatise on naval control and supremacy set off the first arms race of the twentieth century. The race to mobilize a steel navy and develop new naval technology was first accomplished by the Germans, then the British in Europe. The Germans were the first to develop the submarine

Strategic Militarism Arms Race

Control of the seas depended on rapid buildup and construction of a steel navy

Control of the seas depended on the rapid deployment of the navy across oceans

German superiority in submarine technology resulted in their control of the Atlantic prior to the Great War

Control of foreign ports Including the Hawaiian port

of Pearl Harbor, the control of islands provided fuel, strategic protection, and a rest stop

American shipbuilding was a slow process, with shipyards primarily in the East Coast. It would often take over 240 days to construct and fit a naval ship. By World War II, Henry Kaiser cut the time it took to 22 days

In Short

The imperialist agenda won out Character of agenda depended on

presidency and key leadership Arguments in favor of imperialism

outweighed arguments against imperialism

All superpowers, throughout history, have succeeded on a balanced imperialist policy

All superpowers, throughout history, have failed if their policy overextended their ability and resources

NOW FOR THE STORYWe have a foundation

Hawaii Hawaii becomes a US

protectorate in 1849 due to economic interests American businessmen

invested in Hawaiian plantations

American govt. saw Hawaii as a strategic local

Hawaiians seen as inferior

Hawaii: A rebellion

American farmers revolted against Queen Liliuokalani American marines support

rebellion Establish “Committee of Safety”

to “protect” the workers Queen sought to regain more control

of the islands Queen ousted and a new

constitution was drafted Grover Cleveland opposed

annexation but congress voted to go ahead in 1898

Cuba

Cuba, Spain’s last prized possession 1868- 10 years of rebellion against

the Spain ends in failure US ignores pleas for help

1895– Maximo Gomez and Jose Marti Gomez lead another rebellion against Spain

Spain reacts

1896 Reconcentration policy–General Valeriano (Butcher) Wyler 8 Days to move to fortified towns

Disease, starvation, etc Shot if failed to obey

Burning and destruction of Cuba’s infrastructure by both rebels and Spanish

Yellow Journalism

William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer Yellow Journalism--

Publications exaggerate the atrocities to gain American Support for intervention.

Hearst is said to have told his photographer who was about to return home from an uneventful trip to Cuba, “Please remain. You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.”

Yellow Press

Yellow Journalism

Nickname came from the newly created colored comics that left many of the newspapers covered in yellow ink

Immediately pointed to the Spanish as the perpetrators of the explosion even though they had no motive or evidence

McKinley immediately jumped on the bandwagon

De Lome Letter

Spanish ambassador to America sends letter to Spanish friend in Cuba

Cuban rebels intercept the letter and expose the contents

Hearst published it in his paper The letter states: “McKinley is weak and

catering to the rabble and, besides, a low politician who desires to leave a door open to himself and to stand well with the jingos of his party."

Remember the Maine!!!

Spanish Reaction

Spanish, wanting nothing to do with a war and quickly removed the accused officials from the country

Also offered Cubans autonomy but this fell way short of establishing Cuba as independent.

US Reaction

President McKinley wanted an investigation prior to war

Hearst’s paper incited anger toward the Spanish with definitive accusations .

War!!!

April 19th 1898, after McKinley’s request, congress declared Cuba free and independent, demanded Spanish leave and gave the military permission to take action to help liberate Cubans.

“Any Means Necessary”

Spanish declare war on US

McKinley Asks for Support

McKinley gets $50 million approval from congress

Only 26000 troops Congress increased to

62000 and 125000 volunteers added

Ill equipped with civil war arms and supplies Wool uniforms, civil

war rifles, etc.

Transporting of troops was difficult

Backfiring of Racism and Yellow Journalism

Most news had led Americans to believe that the Cubans were civilized, well trained and intelligent light-skinned people and the Spaniards as barbaric dark-skinned savages

Reality=Opposite (in the eyes of the soldiers)

Racism prevented the American military from taking advantage of what was truly a well trained Cuban population. They Refused to fight along side because of the racism brought about by Social Darwinists and Racist Ideals in America.

Dewey’s Victory

Late April- Dewey, while visiting Hong Kong, Gets word of war and turns fleet toward Manila (Philippines)

Paints Ships Grey (were white) and destroys all wood cargo (notorious for splintering and killing sailors)

A Sailor on the Boston Wrote

Just two hours after the beginning of the battle we hauled out and, withdrawing a few miles, the order was given for breakfast. I was exhausted from the heat, loss of sleep, and lack of proper food. I went up on deck. Below the thermometer was at 116°, and the fresh air was a great relief. From this vantage point, I could see the destruction we had wrought.

Total American Casualties

0

Rough Riders

Army lacked organization

Some groups outfitted themselves

Theodore Roosevelt and Leonard Wood gathered a group of primarily cowboys, ivy league gentleman, native Americans, prospectors, and some Latin Americans and began organizing while in Tampa, Fl.

We drew recruits from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and many another college; from clubs like the Somerset, of Boston, and Knickerbocker, of New York

Rough Riders

Now or Never

Environment was taking the biggest toll on the soldiers

Roosevelt-- Armed with a pistol and a saber, ordered the

charge up the hill.

The 9th and 10th Cavalry

Several regiments of blacks showed extreme bravery in battle. “If it had not been for the Negro cavalry, the

Rough Riders would have been exterminated” I am a Southerner by birth, and I never

thought much of the colored man. But…I never saw such fighting as those Tenth Cavalry men did . They didn’t seem to know what fear was.”

Even pro-imperialist and supporter of social Darwinist ideas Theodore Roosevelt stated that the black troops were, “an excellent breed of Yankee.”

Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill1st stop—Kettle Hill was taken by

the Rough Riders

2nd stop--Roosevelt rode to the top of San Juan Hill to find that it had already been taken by the 10th African American regiment.

Atop the High Ground

Spanish Naval Defeat

Just as the Americans began loosing moral ground, the Spanish fleet tried to retreat from Santiago Harbor but were crushed by the American Fleet.

Meanwhile, half-way around the world…

US, even though the Filipinos had fought with us against Spain, took over the Philippines by force

Filipinos fought back but were placed in concentration camps just like the Spanish used in Cuba

More casualties fighting in the Philippines than against Spain

Anti-Imperialist Leagues

Andrew Carnegie, Mark Twain, Grover Cleveland, Benjamine Harrison, Samual Gompers, Jane Addams, William James Annexing without plan for statehood was

unconstitutional Occupation without consent violated

Declaration of Independence Reforms at home needed attention Too costly Fighting Filipinos reflected American

Hypocracy

Economic Federal government

didn’t have the money Would require private

contracts which would further corrupt government

Too much labor unrest, urban poverty, agricultural depression, and unemployment required focus on domestic spending Uncle Sam, ever the symbol of American

virtue (and vice) is here seen as a nonchalant guardian of the world. His posture is

unworried and his expression, unconcerned.

Ideological Arguments Imperialism

fundamentally opposed to American ideals of self-government, self-determination, and democracy

“Manifest Destiny” was an excuse for greed and gaining profit

“White Man’s Burden” was inherently patronizing and racist

Politics

The government had failed to ensure the right of democracy to African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, most immigrant groups, the poor, and all women

A Comparative Look: A Summary

Arguments For Expansion

Cheap resources and new markets

Manifest Destiny Social Darwinism Required ports Logical extension of

U.S.

Arguments Against Expansion

Expensive Difficult to maintain Anti-Democratic Racist Patronizing

Reactions

"I have been criticized a good deal about the Philippines," McKinley said, "but I don't deserve it. The truth is . . . they came to us as a gift from the gods."

"Congratulations," Andrew Carnegie wrote to a leading expansionist. "You seem to have about finished your work of civilizing the Filipinos. It is thought that about eight thousand of them have been completely civilized and sent to heaven. I hope you like it."

Treaty of Paris

December 10th, 1898 Spain reliquishes control of Cuba Spain cedes Puerto Rico, Guam,

Marianas and Philippines to the United States (in exchange for 20 Million)

American-Filipino War

Statistics 15000 Filipino Soldiers Died Fighting 4200 American died fighting Cost America 160 million (8X what we

had paid for the islands to begin with) Estimated 50,000 to 200,000 Filipinos

died indirectly (starvation, disease, fighting)

Cuba

Cuba, “a protectorate” Interventions in political

affairs Trade with Cuba increased

tenfold (27 to 300 million) Americas investment in

Cuba quadrupled Our political, economic and

military control of Cuba fueled Cuban resentment for years to come

Puerto Rico

The Foraker Act (1900) – Made Puerto Rico a territory but did not grant the inhabitants US citizenship. The act gave America the exclusive right to establish whatever government they saw fit.

Spain had allowed Puerto Ricans some independence

Public Opinion Cuba and Puerto Rico are Different

American public did not protest the control exerted over the islands in the west. Because of the Monroe Doctrine (1823) Americans believed that we had the right to protect our interests in the Western Hemisphere and to prevent the Europeans’ influence in the west

Interpret

China: Background

China took an isolative stance upon arrival of western powers

Western powers found ways of getting into China– Opium and then force

Many in China responded by trying harder to slam the door shut

Eventually western powers gained access to China

America’s Reaction

Brittan, Russia, France, Japan and Germany were exerting their influence in China

America did not want the Europeans to gain complete control over China

The Cracked Door John Hay asked the Europeans to

open the doors to world trade Europeans– We might consider it

if they (other euro countries) consider

Hay acted as if they had given the thumbs up.

When Chinese rebels laid siege to Beijing, the US sent troops to help end the “Boxer Rebellion”

We used our influence during this event to gain a foothold in China.

We also made it seem, once again, that we were the saviors or the Chinese

US offers China an alternative

Japan: If you can’t beat them…