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