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Roosevelt became president in sept. 1901 after the assasination of President McKinley. Chosen as VP in order to remove him from New York politics, his ascension to the presidency was an ironic accident.
He brought to the White House a new type of Presidency. An energetic, commanding presence. He brough leadership to the White House for the first time since the death of President Lincoln, when the Congress had began to dominate U.S. policy. Roosevelt had a set of foreign policy goals.
He brought a lot of firsts to the presidency: he invited a black man to the White House; he became involved in labour disputes; he was the first conservationist president.
He brought his background with him, too. He believed in "New Manifest Destiny." He was a navalist, he believed in social darwinism, and in anglo-saxon nobility. He was also very pro-British. He believed in the White Man's burden. He believed that the U.S. was destined to become a world power, and that she must act as if she were a great power (though America's prestige was still not THAT great).
He was a realist, believing that conflict would continue as long as countries continued to compete. He believed in the balance of power as the only road to peace.
Roosevelt considered Russia a danger to the balance of power in Asia. He believed that Japan was fighting an American war. The U.S. acted as mediator for the first time in international war. This increased U.S. prestige.
A secret agreement and acknowledgement of Japanese suzerainty in Korea and the security of the Philippines.
The notorious measure which gave America the right to intervene at will in Cuba. It was forced through Congress in 1901 as a rider to another Bill by Senetor Orville H. Platt of Connecticut, as the condition for withdrawing US forces.
The amendment stipulated that Cuba would sign no treaty affecting its sovereignty without U.S. permission, that the US could intervene at will to protect its independence or political stability, and that Cuba would give it land for naval bases; one was established at Guantanamo. Cuba wa prevented from incurring national debt, and obliged to include the terms of the amendment in its constitution.
<Franklin D. Roosevelt would have it repealed in 1934 under his Good Neighbor policy toward Latin America. The Guantanamo base survives.>
A treaty between the US and UK which freed each country from its pledge never to build a canal across Central America on its own or to colonize any part of the region. It enabled the US to build a canal, provided all nations should have equal access
The US chose to deal with columbia, to which Panama was a feudal state.
For a cash payment of $10 million plus an annual rent of $250 thousand, renewable with perpetuity, Columbia was to give the US a 99 year lease over the Canal Zone.
The columbian senate refused to ratify the treaty in a bid for more money.
Panamanian Revolution (Nov. 3, 1903)
US warships arrived at Panama on the 2nd of November, blocking the Columbian troop transport route into Panama. On the 3rd, the province of Panama suceeded from Cuba, forming a separate republic. Because of the US troop blockade, it was a bloodless revolution.
Panama declared its independence on the 4th. One hour later, the US recognized its independence. The congress made that official on the 6th.
Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (Nov. 18, 1903)
The US began negotiating for the Panama Canal with the Panamanians. John Haye and Varilla made a new agreement, identical to the one the US oferred Columbia, except that Panama gave sovereignty over the canal zone to the US, including administrative, economic, and military control, until 1977.
The public response to this was overwhelmingly supportive.
Varilla was a stock broker for the Panamanian canal company.
Venezuela Crisis (1902-1903)
Venezuela was among many small nations that were deep in debt to Europe and the US. The Venezuelan dictator, named Castro, declared bankruptcy, defaulting on all his debts. The German's and british were his primary debtors. They became upset, and the Germans sent a blockade force to interrupt Venezuela's Economy.
Roosevelt offered arbitration. He was alarmed by German Aggressiveness. He began to pressure the Germans with US military preperation. Skirmishes between Germans and Venezuelans. The case went to the world court.
Those nations who had applied military force received an agreement to pay. Europe learned that force worked. The Us was alarmed.
Dominican Republic
Civil War. Unable to pay their debts, they announced bankruptcy.
Roosevelt announced that any American Nation that did this would face military force, and that the US would apply it. Eg, the US would apply this force before Europe could. Roosevelt said that the Monroe Doctrine gave the US Police Power over the western hemisphere.
The US took over the customs office of the Dominican Republic.
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