Primary Source
Theodore Roosevelt's Corollary to the MOnroe Doctrine: 1905
"In treating of our foreign policy and of the attitude that this great Nation should assume in the world at large, it is absolutely necessary to consider the Army and the Navy, and the Congress, through which the thought of the Nation finds its expression, should keep ever vividly in mind the fundamental fact that it is impossible to treat our foreign policy, whether this policy takes shape in the effort to secure justice for others or justice for ourselves, save as conditioned upon the attitude we are willing to take toward our Army, and especially toward our Navy. It is not merely unwise, it is contemptible, for a nation, as for an individual, to use high-sounding language to proclaim its purposes, or to take positions which are ridiculous if unsupported by potential force, and then to refuse to provide this force. If there is no intention of providing and keeping the force necessary to back up a strong attitude, then it is far better not to assume such an attitude.
The steady aim of this Nation, as of all enlightened nations, should be to strive to bring ever nearer the day when there shall prevail throughout the world the peace of justice. There are kinds of peace which are highly undesirable, which are in the long run as destructive as any war. Tyrants and oppressors have many times made a wilderness and called it peace. Many times peoples who were slothful or timid or shortsighted, who had been enervated by ease or by luxury, or misled by false teachings, have shrunk in unmanly fashion from doing duty that was stern and that needed self-sacrifice, and have sought to hide from their own minds their shortcomings, their ignoble motives, by calling them love of peace. The peace of tyrannous terror, the peace of craven weakness, the peace of injustice, all these should be shunned as we shun unrighteous war. The goal to set before us as a nation, the goal which should be set before all mankind, is the attainment of the peace of justice, of the peace which comes when each nation is not merely safe-guarded in its own rights, but scrupulously recognizes and performs its duty toward others. Generally peace tells for righteousness; but if there is conflict between the two, then our fealty is due first to the cause of righteousness. Unrighteous wars are common, and unrighteous peace is rare; but both should be shunned. The right of freedom and the responsibility for the exercise of that right can not be divorced. One of our great poets has well and finely said that freedom is not a gift that tarries long in the hands of cowards. Neither does it tarry long in the hands of those too slothful, too dishonest, or too unintelligent to exercise it. The eternal vigilance which is the price of liberty must be exercised, sometimes to guard against outside foes; although of course far more often to guard against our own selfish or thoughtless shortcomings"
The steady aim of this Nation, as of all enlightened nations, should be to strive to bring ever nearer the day when there shall prevail throughout the world the peace of justice. There are kinds of peace which are highly undesirable, which are in the long run as destructive as any war. Tyrants and oppressors have many times made a wilderness and called it peace. Many times peoples who were slothful or timid or shortsighted, who had been enervated by ease or by luxury, or misled by false teachings, have shrunk in unmanly fashion from doing duty that was stern and that needed self-sacrifice, and have sought to hide from their own minds their shortcomings, their ignoble motives, by calling them love of peace. The peace of tyrannous terror, the peace of craven weakness, the peace of injustice, all these should be shunned as we shun unrighteous war. The goal to set before us as a nation, the goal which should be set before all mankind, is the attainment of the peace of justice, of the peace which comes when each nation is not merely safe-guarded in its own rights, but scrupulously recognizes and performs its duty toward others. Generally peace tells for righteousness; but if there is conflict between the two, then our fealty is due first to the cause of righteousness. Unrighteous wars are common, and unrighteous peace is rare; but both should be shunned. The right of freedom and the responsibility for the exercise of that right can not be divorced. One of our great poets has well and finely said that freedom is not a gift that tarries long in the hands of cowards. Neither does it tarry long in the hands of those too slothful, too dishonest, or too unintelligent to exercise it. The eternal vigilance which is the price of liberty must be exercised, sometimes to guard against outside foes; although of course far more often to guard against our own selfish or thoughtless shortcomings"
This is an excerpt from Theodore Roosevelt's Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. Theodore Roosevelt made this corollary in his annual message to Congress in 1905. The significance of this proposition is that it furthered the range of the United States Foreign Policy. The original Monroe Foreign Policy stated that the Western Hemisphere/American Continents were off limits to any European Powers for colonization. Roosevelt Corollary stated that not only was it off limits for colonization from European powers but it is the "responsibility of the United States to preserve order and protect life and property in those Latin American countries." This gave the United States "Police Powers." Roosevelt's Corollary also paved the way for "Big Stick Diplomacy," which he used to obtain Panama Canal. This new Foreign Policy strengthened our status as a"World Power." Theodore Roosevelt's Corollary also helped shape the future Foreign policies of the United States.
Photographs
Spanish-American War; 1898
This picture is showing US troops fighting the Spanish-American War. The picture was drawn in 1898 by William J. Glackens. The fighting in the picture is taken place in Cuba where the Spanish-American War was fought. This picture and the Spanish-American War show the United States enforcing their foreign policy, which stated that no European Powers are to interfere with the Western Hemisphere for Colonization. Since the United States defended their foreign policy, Spain was defeated and Global territories were gained; Guam, Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Cuba. The Spanish-American War marked America's shift from a regional power to a Global Power.
Sinking of the Lusitania; 1915
This is a picture of the Lusitania sinking in 1915. This was taken in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Ireland. The ship was sunk in just 18 minutes, killing 1,198 people, including 128 Americans. The Lusitania was purposely targeted and sunk by a German U-boat torpedo. This violated the United States Foreign Policy, of Free Trade/Freedom of the Seas. In April 1917, when President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress for a Declaration of War, he used the sinking of the Lusitania among other reasons to go to war with Germany. President Wilson asked for a Declaration of war to protect the people of the United States and to protect what America's Foreign Policy stands for. The Sinking of the Lusitania was a tragic event but the lives that were lost allowed the United States to further their Foreign Policy and avenge their deaths.
President Woodrow Wilson's 14 points; 1918
These are pictures of President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points. President Wilson made his speech to Congress on January 8th, 1918. The main point in his speech was about creating a League of Nations. A League of Nations was to be created to settle future international problems by compromise rather than by war. This allowed the United States to formally address their foreign policy to other nations, and created more boundaries for their foreign policy. President Wilson also stressed Freedom of the Seas which is still a major part of the United States foreign policy today.
Summary:
Foreign Policy; 1898-1930
During the 1898-1930 time period the United States had numerous relations with foreign Countries. Some of the conflicts where the United States protected its foreign policy were the Spanish-American War, and World War I. The United States was still in the Imperialism Era where they were searching for more Global Power. The United States Imperialism allowed for them to obtain or have influence in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama Canal Region, Philippines, Dominican Republic, and China. Although these some of these countries were not just handed to the United States. To gain control in these countries the United States sometimes had to fight wars. For example in Cuba, Spain was in violation of the United States foreign policy, so in response the United States fought for Cuba's independence. As a result of Spain losing America gained Cuba, The Philippines, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Other conflicts in the world that applied to U.S. Foreign Policy in some way were the Banana War which involved Latin America (1898-1935), Mexican Revolution (1910-1919), Russian Revolution (1918-1919), and the Moro Rebellion in the Philippines (1899-1913). America's Foreign Policy in 1898 was new and willing to do whatever is necessary to protect and reinforce the policy. By 1930, The foreign changed to a more of an Isolationist policy to avoid another costly war like World War I. This is a very important change to the United States Foreign Policy because it shows that our new nation is now "maturing," and taking less drastic measures to protect America's status of a World Power.