Question

Why, after years of looking inward, did the United States suddenly begin a “quest for empire” in the late 19^thcentury? Hawaii is one of the 50 states. The U. S. governed the Philippines through World War II. The Panama Canal Zone was an official U. S. territory until recently. What do you think of how the U. S. acquired these and other colonial possessions during this era?   

Answer 1

The US foreign policy of overseas expansion needs to be historically interpreted in terms of the growth of industrialisation and the need for the discovery of new markets both to provide resources and support the inland industries as well as increase the sale of American products by entering the overseas trade. However, the US state soon met with a strong competition from the major European empires which had already established their colonies in Africa, Asia, and parts of South America.

Moreover, the emergent scenario of the First World War 1914 and the division of the European superpowers between the two camps, one led by Germany, Serbia and Ottomon Empire and the other led by the Allied Forces of United Kingdom, France, Austria- Hungary created, soon directly drew the United States into the conflict as the US became the major supplier of industrial and military goods to the Allied Powers. It therefore became pertinent for the United States to enter the war in order to protect its own overseas investments.

Thus, the US projects in South America especially the Panama Canal, especially Mexico, the Philippines in Asia and later in Japan can be said to be grounded in the economic interest of the US state for establishing its monopoly in the world trade.