New American Diplomacy

Theodore Roosevelt’s Rise to Power

• William McKinley’s success in recovering the economy won him the reelection in 1900– He chose Theodore Roosevelt as his VP

• On September 6, 1901, McKinley was assassinated by Leon Czolgolz (anarchist)

• Roosevelt (42) became the youngest President ever

Theodore Roosevelt’s Rise to Power

• His war record and charisma won him the vice presidency– Republicans hope this

position would calm his reform-minded spirit

• Now they worried that this “cowboy” would run the country into the ground

Roosevelt Becomes President• He brought great

enthusiasm and energy to the White House

• Became a strong supporter of US imperialism

• A believer in Anglo-Saxonism

• He intended to make the US a world power

American Diplomacy in Asia

• By 1899, the US had the 3rd largest Navy in the world.– Made them capable of exerting power anywhere

in the world

• In Asia the concern was commerce, not conquest.

The Open Door Policy

• In 1894, war had erupted between China and Japan (over Korea).

• Everyone expected China to win as Japan was new to the modern world– However it was Japan who was victorious

The Open Door Policy

• The treaty they signed allowed Korean independence, and gave Japan territory in Manchuria.

– This greatly worried Russia because Manchuria bordered it

• Russia made Japan give it back, then forced China to lease it to Russia instead

The Open Door Policy

• Germany, France, and Great Britain demanded “leaseholds” (when the owner of some land allows someone else to occupy it).– Each leasehold became the center of a country’s

sphere of influence

• President McKinley supported The Open Door Policy– All countries should be allowed to trade with China

The Open Door Policy

• There were requests sent to all countries with leaseholds in China that asked not to discriminate against countries who wanted to trade with China inside the leaseholds.

– They all agreed as long as every other leaseholder did

The Boxer Rebellion• While debates over who

should control China continued, a group known as The Boxers were organizing to get rid of foreign control

• The Boxer Rebellion:– Member seized foreign

embassies in Beijing• Killing more than 200 foreigners

and taking others prisoners

Boxer Rebellion

• In August, 1900 an international force stepped in and squashed the rebellion

• The US encouraged leaseholders to not use this as an excuse to break up China into colonies– Instead they accepted compensation for the

damages

Balancing Power in East Asia

• Theodore Roosevelt supported the Open door policy– Worked to prevent any single nation from

monopolizing trade there

– In the years following the boxer rebellion, US and Japanese relations got worse

Balancing Power in East Asia

• In 1907, Roosevelt sent 16 battleships to tour the world– Meant to showcase the US Navy’s power

• Known as The Great White Fleet

• When the tour made a stop in Japan, it only made matters worse.

The Great White Fleet

A Growing Presence in the Caribbean

• Roosevelt believed that showcasing military might would force nations to think twice about fighting (“speak softly and carry a big stick)

The Panama Canal• In 1903, Roosevelt acquired the Panama canal zone from

France

– France had attempted to dig it in 1881 to save time and money for commercial and military shipping

• At the time, Panama was still a part of Colombia– Colombia refused the $10 million proposal by the US to

construct the canal

Revolt In Panama

• Many Panamanians were angry at Colombia for preventing the commercial benefits of the canal.

• They decided that the only way to ensure construction would be to declare independence and stage an uprising.

Revolt In Panama

• Roosevelt sent the Navy to prevent Colombian interference.

• Within a few weeks a treaty was signed – Allowed for the

construction of the Panama Canal

Roosevelt Corollary

• Stated that the US would intervene in Latin American affairs when necessary.

– In order to maintain economic and political stability in Western Hemisphere.

Roosevelt Corollary

• Many Latin American nations resented the growing American presence – Regardless, William Howard Taft (Roosevelt’s

successor) continued the policies

• Taft focused less on military force and more on helping L.A. industry

Dollar Diplomacy

• Taft promoted dollar diplomacy– By promoting development in L.A. & Asia, the US

can benefit by increasing markets, trade, and profits.

– Also the countries in Asia and L.A. could rise out of poverty and social order

• He said he was substituting bullets for dollars