Chapter 28 – America on the World Stage

1. “Little Brown Brothers” in the Philippines

a. On February 4, 1899, Emilio Aguinaldo led an insurrection of Filipinos wanting independence. They were defeated,
but continued to wage guerrilla warfare.
b. America soldiers used the “water cure” to make Filipinos yield and reconcentration camps were established.
c. The Filipino insurrection was defeated in 1901 when American soldiers captured Aguinaldo but fighting dragged on
for months.
d. McKinley established the Philippine Commission in 1899 to develop a government for the Philippines. It was
headed by William H. Taft who felt a kinship to the Filipinos, unlike the federal troops.
e. McKinley’s “benevolent assimilation” progressed slowly. Economic sugar ties developed and American teachers
established a good school system.
f. The Filipinos still preferred freedom and rebelled until they received their freedom on July 4, 1946.
2. Hinging the Open Door in China
a. After China’s Machu government had been defeated by Japan in 1894-1895, imperialistic European countries such
as Russia and Germany moved in to claim valuables.
b. Americans were worried about missionaries and Chinese markets. Sec. of State John Hay issued the Open Door
note in 1899 to all the great powers urging them to acknowledge the rights of the Chinese and of fair competition.
c. It was asking all the countries without plans for China to stand up – Italy accepted freely, Britain, Germany, France
and Japan accepted under the conditions that the others would accept, and Russia declined. John Hay interpreted this
as an acceptance and declared the Open Door policy in effect.
d. In 1900, a Chinese patriot group called the “Boxers” murdered whites and trapped diplomats at Beijing.
e. A multinational force quelled the uprising, but was contrary to America’s policy of nonintervention. The victors
assessed China at a value of $333 million. America was to receive $24.5 million, but they gave up $18 million to
China when they discovered that was more than enough to pay their damages. The Chinese government put this
money aside to educate Chinese students in America – participated in Westernization of China.
f. A new Open Door note issued by John Hay in 1900 stated that imperial powers would not only respect China’s
economic integrity but also its territorial integrity.
3. Imperialism or Bryanism in 1900?
a. Republicans reelected McKinley on a platform of prosperity, the gold standard, and overseas expansion. Teddy
Roosevelt had been elected governor of NY where the political bosses found him difficult to manage. There was a
push for him to be VP. He was eventually railroaded into being VP and Hanna feared that there was only one
heartbeat between him and the presidency.
b. William Jennings Bryan was the Democratic candidate and his forced the issue of free silver down their throats.
However, they insisted that imperialism was the main issue. In 1900, McKinley sat back and Bryan campaigned
heavily. However, Roosevelt campaigned heavily as well and cut into Bryan’s support in the west.
c. Bryanism vs. Imperialism – Bryan charged that McKinley had established slavery for 7 million Filipinos;
Republicans charged that Bryan would rock the prosperity boat with free silver, etc.
d. McKinley won, but it was mostly a vote for prosperity rather than imperialism.
4. TR: Brandisher of the Big Stick
a. McKinley was assassinated by a deranged anarchist in September 1901. Roosevelt, knowing he had a reputation for
being impulsive, promised he would carry out the policies of McKinley.
b. As a larger man, he gathered around him the “tennis cabinet.” He denounced civilized “softness” and believed in
military and naval power. He preached virtue from the White House. Self-confidence morphed with self-righteous.
He had enormous popular appeal because people saw him as a champion.
c. He had no respect for checks and balances and believed that he could take any necessary action.
5. Colombia Blocks the Canal
a. The Oregon stationed on the Pacific Coast at the beginning of the war in 1898 had to steam all the way around
South America to join the fleet in Cuban waters – a canal across the Central American isthmus would make the
defense of acquisitions easier and augment the strength of the navy.
b. The 1850 Clayton-Bulwer treaty with Britain stated that neither could control such an area. However, Britain needed
an ally and consented to the Hay-Paucefote Treaty in 1901, which gave America the right to build and protect it.
c. Americans favored the Nicaraguan route but the old French Canal Company wanted to salvage Panama. The New
Panama Canal Company represented by Philippe Bunau-Varilla, dropped the price of its holdings to help encourage.
d. In June 1902, Congress decided on Panama. A treaty for $10 million right away and $250,000 every year was
developed between Washington and the Colombian government agent in Bogota. The Colombians rejected this
treaty, infuriating Roosevelt. He was anxious to be elected in his own right in 1904 and ignored the rejection.
6. Uncle Sam creates Puppet Panama
 a. Panamanians were upset as they were counting on the income from the canal. Bunau-Varilla was annoyed at the
prospect of losing his $40 million. He organized a “patriot” army of the fire department and five hundred bought
Colombian troops.
b. On November 3, 1903, the Panama revolution occurred. Colombian troops were ready to crush it, but US troops
wouldn’t let them cross the isthmus. Roosevelt justified it with the treaty in 1846 which obligated the US to protect
the neutrality of the isthmus.
c. A few days after the rebellion, Roosevelt recognized them as a separate country and organized the Hay-Bunau-
Varilla treaty in Washington that gave permission for the canal.
d. European imperialists now looked at America and scorned America’s high moral pretensions.
7. Completing the Canal and Appeasing Colombia
a. US relations with Latin America took a downturn with Colombia. “Big Brother” policy was established.
b. Roosevelt defended himself – the canal was a “mandate from civilization” and Colombia wouldn’t let itself be
benefitted. However, the Nicaraguan route was feasible as well and only Roosevelt’s rush made him hasty.
c. Delays on the canal were common until the organization was perfected by Colonel George Washington Goethals.
Sanitation was perfected by Colonel William C. Gorgas against the yellow fever in Havana.
d. In 1914, the canal was finally finished at an initial cost of $400 million.
8. TR’S Perversion of Monroe’s Doctrine
a. Latin American nations were chronically late in payments to European creditors. In early 1903, Germany sunk two
Venezuelan gunboats and bombarded a city in force payments.
b. Roosevelt worried that through credit Europe would achieve a foothold in Latin America. He devised the Roosevelt
Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine or “preventive intervention.” He declared that in future financial malfeasance, US
would intervene, establish customhouses and pay off the debts to keep Europe out.
c. In 1905, the US took over tariff collection in the Dominican Republic and established customhouses. They were a
success, despite popular protest.
d. This changed the meaning of the Monroe Doctrine, but gained acceptance through being associated with the revered
document and within its own rights.
e. This promoted the “Bad Neighbor policy” and was used to justify wholesale intervention. To the Latin American
nations, the Monroe Doctrine was a shield under which the US could strangle them.
f. In 1906, the Cuban president requested the US’s help with revolutionaries. The US Marines were landed.
9. Roosevelt on the World Stage
a. In 1904, war broke between Russia and Japan. Russia was looking for control of China’s Manchuria and their Port
Arthur. In Japanese eyes, Russia controlling Manchuria and Korea was dangerous to them. Russian troops had
invaded Manchuria during the Boxer outburst and hadn’t left. The tsar was obviously waiting for the trans-Siberian
railroad to be completed. Japan began war in 1904 by devastating a Russian fleet in Port Arthur. They beat Russia in
a series of battles. However, they were running out of men and money so they asked for Roosevelt’s help.
b. Roosevelt held a meeting in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1905 where Japan asked for a huge indemnity and the
island of Sakhalin and Russia refused to admit it had lost. Roosevelt managed to create a treaty where Japan
received no compensation and only the southern half of Sakhalin.
c. For this, and for arranging an international conference to mediate North African disputes, Roosevelt received the
Novel Peace Prize in 1906.
d. Relations between both countries soured as both believed they had been wronged. Russia believed the US had
robbed them of a military victory. Japan believed the US had robbed them of compensation.
10. Japanese Laborers in California
a. The Japanese government had prevented immigration until 1884 when it allowed laborers to the sugar plantations of
Hawaii. From there, they were recruited to California as farm laborers, railroad workers, or servants. They were
never considered citizens, did arduous work, and were considered a danger to the state.
b. In 1906, the San Francisco school board had moved Japanese, Chinese, and Korean students to a special school to
free more space for whites. The issue became an international incident.
c. Roosevelt invited the San Francisco Board of Education to the White House. They were required to repeal the
school order and accept the “Gentleman’s Agreement,” as series of secret notes between Washington and Tokyo.
The Japanese promised to stop the influx of laborers by withholding passports.
d. Roosevelt worried that this move might be construed as fear of the Japanese. In 1907, he sent his "Great White
Fleet” of battleships in a tour of the world. They were received well, especially in Japan, ironically. The Root-
Takahira agreement of 1908 was created saying that the US and Japan promised to respect each other’s territories
and uphold the Open Door in China.