After World War I, American ambitions to innovate, expand and control new markets led to the rise of international trade.
It is the practice of exerting control over foreign entities by direct or indirect economic or political intervention. A practice that expands power or sovereignty by acquiring territory directly or obtaining political and financial control over other areas, is known as imperialism. This essay will focus on the American Presidents McKinley, Wilson, and Roosevelt’s role in American imperialism. Roosevelt’s most important achievement was the Panama Canal. It embodied American Imperialism. Roosevelt needed to intervene in foreign affairs to establish order and stability in order to be able to continue to exist in the world. Roosevelt organized a national uprising by Panamanian separatists to force Columbia to recognize the independence of Panama after Columbia’s government was difficult to negotiate with. This made Columbia a quasi-puppet state under American control and allowed the canal’s regulation to be dominated. Roosevelt proposed the Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. In it, the USA was allowed to ‘exercise global police power’ in Latin America when there were flagrant cases or impotence. This was done in order to demonstrate that the USA is a powerful country. This was a significant shift for American policy. Roosevelt basically amended the Monroe Doctrine as a justification for his interventionalist approach to obtaining Panama’s independence to ensure American control of the Panama Canal. This also shows America’s power to control a country.
Roosevelt’s imperialism was further supported by his collaborations in naval base construction with Alfred Thayer Mahan. Roosevelt knew Mahan well and he accepted Mahan’s arguments about how the USA could build navy bases in China. Thus, America would be more forward-thinking with its foreign policy that is based on modern seapower. America would appear more powerful to countries with large sea powers than it does now, which would make it more capable of defending against other power attacks, especially European. It would also be able join the world’s top powers.
With his influence on Cuba, President McKinley was also an imperialist like President Roosevelt. The US provided significant support to Cuban nationalists who rebelled against Spanish rule in 1895. While the US government refused to intervene in Cuba’s affairs, McKinley felt obliged to do so after McKinley’s criticism of McKinley. Congress passed the Teller Amendment, which prevented Cuba from becoming a US colony. American forces invaded Cuba to win the war. The Teller Amendment was repealed and the Platt Amendment of 2001 replaced it. This allowed the USA’s intervention in Cuba to protect its independence and stability if the situation was deemed a threat. This would have allowed America to determine what was and was not a threat Cuba’s ‘independence. His use of force against Cuba by President McKinley made American imperialism the defining point of America’s isolationist status and displaying their imperialism.
The example of Mexico could suggest that President Wilson might have been an imperialist. Wilson sent American Marines to Vera Cruz in 1914 to restore order and occupy the territory. But this helped the military dictator Victoriano Huerta to consolidate his position, not overthrow it. Roosevelt was critical of Wilson’s toughness, while being criticized by Roosevelt for having intervened. Wilson intervened once more in 1916, sending a large army. American intervention proved unsuccessful and the army was disbanded in 1917. Wilson did not intend to send American marines into Mexico. He was an imperialist, but he is not naturally one. After the events in Mexico Wilson returned to his original isolationist views.
The Monroe Doctrine was amended by Roosevelt to allow him to pursue his imperialist ideologies. McKinley had a major role in American colonialism, as he used force to subdue Cuba. However, this was his first presidential action, showing his imperialist motives. Although President Wilson attempted to intervene with Mexico through imperialist tactics, this was not a good idea for American imperialism. Instead, he returned to American isolationism and his beliefs.
