Imperialist Era / Isolationism / WW I

Background of the Imperialist Era

• The War of 1812 (1812-1814)– "The Second War for Independence" - "Mr. Madison's War“– Battle of New Orleans Jan. 8, 1815– Andrew Jackson emerges as a national hero

•  Monroe Doctrine

Spanish American War, 1898• Cuba• USS Maine

– explosion kills 266 men, the Maine sinks in Havana

– investigation – not conclusive (to this day)

– "Remember the Maine, To Hell with Spain!"

– volunteers gathered to invade and liberate Cuba, Theodore Roosevelt strongly encourages interevention

• Puerto Rico• Guam• The Philippines

The Philippines• Philippine-American War

(1899 – 1902)– rebellion and pacification

campaign continue on until 1913

• between 250.000 – 1.000.000 Filipinoes die in result of the war

• concentration camps• mutual atrocities• American Anti-Imperialist

League created back home (Samuel Clemens)

• Rudyard Kipling writes "The White Man's Burden"

American Foreign Policy of the Imperialist Era

• Theodore Roosevelt Presidency, 1901 - 1909

Forms of American interventionism

• Gunboat Diplomacy• Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine

– Monroe Doctrine– the right of the United States to intervene in Latin

America in cases of “flagrant and chronic wrongdoing by a Latin American Nation"

• Big Stick Diplomacy– “Speak softly and carry a big stick."

• Dollar Diplomacy

Big Stick Diplomacy

Big Stick Diplomacy

• Panama– Building of the Panama Canal

• Dominican Republic• Cuba

Dollar Diplomacy

• Honduras• Nicaragua• Haiti

World War I

• European roots of the conflict– crisis of the European system of security

• web of alliances – a network of bilateral treaties / balance of power

– ambitions of new nation states– colonial crisis– assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Road to American involvement in WW I

American isolationism – prior to WWI and at early stages of WWI

• International aspects of WW I for American foreign policy– Monroe Doctrine / Roosevelt Corollary

• domestic aspects of WW I– German Americans

• Woodrow Wilson• The concept of "victory without victors"• stay neutral, be key player – plans to make

the U.S.A. central in a peace process

The Unrestricted Submarine Warfare

• Prize rules (Declaration of Paris, Hague Convention)– passenger ships not to be attacked– merchant ships stopped, occupants safely

evacuated and then the vessel sunk, usually by gunfire

• Q-ships• Departure from prize rules

The sinking of Lusitania, May 1915

• 1,198 dead• 128 American citizens dead• Germans claim the sinking was justified• In the USA – anti German sentiments

rise

Baralong Incidents• August and September 1915

Zimmermann Telegram, 1917• in an encrypted note, German foreign

minister, Arthur Zimmermann, informs the German ambassador to Mexico of unrestricted submarine warfare and an invitationof alliance with Mexico to enter the war, should the U.S.A. enter the war, in exchange of the land of the Mexican Cession

• The British intercept the note, decrypt it and reveal to President Wilson

• Wilson reveals the note to make the case for the American participation in the war

• The public generally believes the telegram to be a forgery, yer Zimmermann admits it is genuine…

• The U.S.A. declares war against Germany, April 1917

Zimmermann TelegramOn the first of February, we intend to begin unrestricted submarine warfare. In spite of this, it is our intention to endeavor to keep the United States of America neutral. In the event of this not succeeding, we propose an alliance on the following basis with Mexico: That we shall make war together and make peace together. We shall give generous financial support, and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. The details of settlement are left to you. You are instructed to inform the President [of Mexico] of the above in the greatest confidence as soon as it is certain that there will be an outbreak of war with the United States and suggest that the President, on his own initiative, invite Japan to immediate adherence with this plan; at the same time, offer to mediate between Japan and ourselves. Please call to the attention of the President that the ruthless employment of our submarines now offers the prospect of compelling England to make peace in a few months.

Anti-German sentiments

• Reactions to the Zimmermann Note

• British and American anti-German propaganda

The American impact on WW I• open help to Grat Britain• deployment of American troops to Europe –

significant morale boost• hastened the German surrender

Woodrow Wilson

• Plans for the League of Nations• 13 Point Plan• ratification of the Versailles treaty• Wilson loses in Congress – the U.S.A. never

enter the League of Nations

Aftermath of WW I for the U.S.A.

• emerged as a future superpower. "The War’s only Victor„

• debts from Great Britain still important in making international policy before and during WW II