the path of empire 1890 – 1899. imperialist stirrings shift in us foreign policy –move from...
TRANSCRIPT
The Path of Empire
1890 – 1899
Imperialist Stirrings ¨ Shift in US foreign policy
– Move from isolationism to imperialism¨ Causes:
– Exports of manufactured goods & agricultural products shot up
– Expand or explode– New sense of power generated by booming increase in
population, wealth, & industrial production– “yellow press” of Joseph Pulitzer & William Randolph
Hearst - Cuba– Josiah Strong’s belief that Americans should spread their
religion & their values (white mans burden) – Anglo-Saxonism
Colonial Scramble
¨ Africa – Europeans – 1880s¨ Chinese Empire – Japan, Germany, & Russia –
1890s¨ In order to compete, America must become an
imperial power also!
Naval Buildup
¨ Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan– The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783
• Published in 1890
– Control of the sea was the key to world dominance. Why is this important?
– Stimulated the naval race around the world
Latin America
¨ Sec of State James G. Blaine– Pushed his “Big Sister” policy– Rally the Latin American nations behind Uncle Sam’s
leadership & open Latin American markers to trade¨ Pan-American Conference 1889
– Goal: economic cooperation through reciprocal tariff reduction
– Vague plan // led future meetings
Diplomatic Crises ¨ 1889 – Dispute over the Samoan Islands between
US & Germany¨ 1891 – Lynching of 11 Italians in New Orleans
caused problems between US & Italy– US paid compensation
¨ 1892 – Two US sailors at Valparaiso, Chile were killed– Chileans had to pay
¨ 1893 – Dispute between US & Canada over seal hunting in Pribilof Islands off of Alaska– Settled by arbitration
Monroe Doctrine & Venezuela¨ Problems for US & Great Britain over disputed
boundary (1895 – 1896)– Between British Guiana & Venezuela– Venezuelans urged arbitration– Gold was found in disputed region – no arbitration
¨ Sec of State Richard Olney responds– Great Britain had violated the Monroe Doctrine– Should agree to arbitration
¨ Reply from London– no arbitration // Monroe Doctrine –not relevant
¨ Cleveland - experts decide on the boundary– If Great Britain refused, US would fight
¨ US was not prepared militarily for war & Great Britain didn’t want to fight
¨ German Kaiser Wilhelm II – Sent a letter to South Africa to congratulate
them on their capture of 600 British men – Great Britain changed their anger to Germany & not US
¨ Great Britain agreed to arbitration ¨ Results:
– Monroe Doctrine enhanced– Reconciliation between US & Great Britain
Hawaii
¨ Early 19th century – shippers, sailors, & whalers¨ 1820 – New England missionaries
– Most settled permanently ¨ 1840s – State Dept warned other powers to keep
out. Why is it important?¨ 1875 – commercial reciprocity agreement¨ 1887 – treaty to allow the building of Pearl Harbor
naval base
The Hawaiian Pear¨ 1890 - Sugar cultivation was dramatically affected
the McKinley Tariff¨ White planters (mostly Americans) wanted US to
annex Hawaii¨ Queen Liliuokalani – against annexation¨ 1893 – successful revolt by whites
– Openly assisted by American troops¨ Treaty of annexation was rushed to Washington
– Stopped by Pres Cleveland– Annexation postponed until 1898
Cuban Revolt¨ 1895 – Cuba rose against their Spanish oppressor
– Revolt was partly economic• Wilson-Gorman Tariff (1894) - high duties on sugar
¨ Insurgents adopted a scorched-earth policy– Spain might be willing to move out– US might move in & help Cubans with independence
¨ America sympathies went to the Cubans – Investment stake of $50 million in Cuba
& annually trade of $100 million
General “Butcher” Weyler¨ Sent by Spain to crush rebellion in Cuba
– Sent civilians into reconcentration camps in order to prevent them from supporting the rebels
– Many died¨ Weyler was removed in 1897
yet conditions got worse¨ American public was outraged
– Called on Pres Cleveland to formally recognize Cuban rebels
– Pres Cleveland was against possible war
“Yellow Journalism” ¨ Sensational and often false reporting¨ William R. Hearst & Joseph Pulitzer
– Engaged in a duel for circulation / tried to out do each other– Frederic Remington - sent to Cuba to draw pictures of atrocities – “You furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the war.” (Hearst)
USS Maine ¨ 1898 – Washington sent battleship to Cuba for a
“friendly visit”– Actually there to protect & evacuate Americans if
needed¨ Feb 1898 – Hearst headlined the de Lome Letter
– Written by Spanish minister Dupuy de Lome – Insulted Pres McKinley
• Uproar resulted & de Lome was forced to resign
¨ Feb 15, 1898 – Maine mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor– 260 died
“Remember the Maine!To hell with Spain!”
¨ Spanish – explosion was internal & accidental ¨ Americans – explosion was caused by a submarine
mine¨ Washington refused arbitration ¨ Americans blindly accepted that Spain was
responsible
McKinley & War
¨ American demands from Spain– End reconcentration camps– Armistice with Cuban rebels
¨ McKinley, Mark Hanna, & Wall Street did not want war
¨ The public wanted war - “yellow journalism” ¨ Pres McKinley finally gave the people what they
wanted - WAR
McKinley
¨ April 11, 1898 – McKinley urged armed intervention to free the oppressed Cubans– Congress responded with a declaration of war
¨ Teller Amendment 1898– Proclaimed to the world when the US
had overthrown Spanish misrule, it would give the Cubans their freedom
American Navy ¨ Navy Sec John D. Long
– Assistant Sec Theodore Roosevelt¨ Feb 25, 1898
– Long was away & Roosevelt cabled Commodore George Dewey with the following instructions:• In the event of war, attack Spanish fleet in the
Philippines• Orders were confirmed by McKinley
¨ May 1. 1898 – Dewey carried out his orders– Became a hero – Waited in bay until reinforcements arrived
Unexpected Imperialistic Plums
¨ Dewey’s reinforcements arrive & captured Manila on Aug 13, 1898– Joined forces with Emilio Aguinaldo
¨ Hawaii – needed as a coaling & provisional way station – Joint resolution of annexations was rushed through
Congress & approved by McKinley (July 7, 1898)– Granted US citizenship & full territorial status in 1900
Invasion of Cuba
¨ Spanish gov’t ordered a fleet to Cuba– Commanded by Admiral Cervera
• Believed it was suicide
¨ Cervera found refuge in Santiago harbor– Blockaded by US forces
¨ Plan: Send in forces from the rear to drive out Cervera – General William R. Shafter lead the force
Rough Riders¨ Regiment of volunteers – consisted largely of
cowboys & other hardy characters¨ Commanded by Colonel Leonard Wood¨ Organized by Theodore Roosevelt
– Resigned from the Navy Dept to serve as lieutenant colonel
Spain Loses Big ¨ Shafter’s landing near Santiago was made without
serious opposition ¨ Fighting broke out at El Caney & San Juan Hill
– Rough Riders & Buffalo Soldiers– Suffered many casualties
¨ July 3 – entire Spanish fleet was destroyed– 500 Spaniards killed – 1 American killed
¨ General Nelson A. Miles commanded army to invade Puerto Rico– little resistance – invaders were greeted as heroes
¨ Aug 12, 1898 – Spain signed an armistice
Treaty of Paris
¨ Outcome:– Cuba was granted its independence– Pacific Island of Guam annexed by US– Puerto Rico was annexed by US
*** Most controversial issue was what to do with the Philippines – US finally agreed to pay Spain $20 million – Philippine Islands annexed by the US
Debate over Imperialism¨ Pres McKinley argued that there was no acceptable
alternative to acquisition of the Philippines – US could not honorably give the islands back to Spanish
misrule– Filipinos might fall into anarchy if they governed
themselves– Germany or another power may try to take them & war
would result
The Debate Continues
¨ Anti-Imperialist League argued it violated our own political heritage & the philosophy of the Dec of Independence
¨ Imperialists stressed the economic potential for American trading profits and the “White Man’s Burden”
¨ Treaty of Paris was approved by 1 vote on Feb 6, 1899
Puerto Rico ¨ Many inhabitants lived in poverty ¨ Foraker Act of 1900
– Congress accorded Puerto Ricans a limited degree of popular government
¨ 1917 – Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship¨ Insular Cases – Supreme Court was divided on
whether the Constitution followed the flag– Document did not necessarily extend to Puerto Rico
Cuba ¨ American military gov’t set up
by General Leonard Wood– Major improvements politically, economically & with
education– Public health – Dr. Walter Reed
• Attack on yellow fever • Clean up of mosquito breeding grounds
¨ 1902 – US withdrew its troops from Cuba after the Cubans had been forced to write into their own Constitution
Platt Amendment - 1902¨ Cuba agreed not to impair their independence by
treaty or debt¨ Cuba agreed that the US might intervene with
troops to restore order and provide protection¨ Cuba promised to lease naval stations to the US
(ultimately only one-Guantanamo)
Legacy of the “Splendid Little War”
¨ War did not make the US a world power– Advertised the fact that the nation was a world power
¨ Americans found in the victories further support for their indifference to adequate preparedness
¨ National pride soared¨ US became a full-fledged Far Eastern power ¨ Reunited Yankees & Rebels