American Imperialism

Paper Summary:

The paper first examines the components of Roosevelt's foreign policy, as build upon the Monroe Doctrine. The paper then looks at this policy in action, as seen in repeated interventions into sovereign countries, as well as during the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars. The writer argues that these interventions led to considerable resentment in Latin American countries. The paper analyzes how there is a second side to Roosevelt's foreign policy, that of being a "good neighbor." By the 1920s, Roosevelt had moved away from colonizing as a superior power to one emphasizing commercial relations and the need for nations to act like good neighbors. The paper concludes that Roosevelt's "big stick" and "good neighbor" policies have had lasting effects on diplomacy in the Western Hemisphere, through World War II until the Cold War.

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From the Paper:

"This "big stick" policy is a significant departure from previous foreign policies, which were based on coastal defense. The new century, however, brought on a changing global vision of United States security. Previously, the thought of an army and militia coming to the rescue was enough to make the American government feel secure. However, by the 1890s, the age of "big navies" meant that imperialist countries such as the United States could be threatened by conflicts that are occurring far from its shores. Navalists such as the young Theodore Roosevelt therefore began to think of American security in terms of the greater global framework. Since America is an imperialist country, it also needed to conceive of a global security framework to safeguard its colonial possessions (Tompkins)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barry, Tom et al. 2005. "The Good Neighbor Policy -- A History to Make Us Proud." retrieved from http://www.irc-online.org/content/commentary/2005/0503ggn.php
• Marks, Frederick W. 1979. Velvet on Iron: The Diplomacy of Theodore Roosevelt. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
• Ricard, Serge. 2006. "The Roosevelt Corollary." Presidential Studies Quarterly. 36(1): 17-27.
• "Spanish-American War Service of Joseph Wheeler." retrieved from http://wheelerplantation.org/span-am_war_service.htm.
• Tompkins, Ralph Brett. "Destiny of Expansion: Theodore Roosevelt's Address at the Dedication Ceremonies of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition-1903 Western Tour." retrieved from www.thepresidency.org/pubs/Fellows03papers/sec1/section1.pdf

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