Question

Discuss how the United States was perceived as a world power in the late nineteenth century and the changes that occurred concerning its foreign policy.

Answer 1

Historians have identified several reasons for the emergence of the United States asa a major political power in the 19-20th century. As the United States became more and more aware of its position in the world politics and economy, it gradually began to rethink and reformulate its own foreign relations and policy with the rest of the world. Some of these developments are discussed below:

Economic Factors:
The United States (US) established itself as a great economic power in the early 20th century due to privatisation of banks, technological and industrial developments and a stable railroad system that ensured exchange of goods and services across the length and breadth of the country.
Economic expansion also financed America’s major defence, the navy.
Technological innovation ameliorated production methods, improved the infrastructure weaponry such that when the European powers got engulfed in the First World War, the United States became the primary seller for ammunition to the United Kingdom. Indirectly, their economic investment in the war lead to a situation of US presence in the First World War in the form of a direct intervention so as to protect itself from the unpaid debts in case the Allied forces got defeated.

Strong Presence in the Caribbean and the Pacific:

In 1898, the US declared war on Spain and ended the control by its fleet outside Santiago harbour in Cuba. The war with Spain was marked by a strategic drive to maximize security in the Pacific. The US Victory in the war brought gains in terms of influence, security and trade. The Congress moved more and more in favour of an intervention policy in its relationship with the Carribean and Latin countries. The victory led to building a naval base in Cuba and annexing Puerto Rico. Moreover, it extended US’s influence into the Pacific through the annexation of the Philippines and Guam.

Open Door” Policy to China
A major development at the time was the US involvement in Asia, particularly China. State Secretary Hay originally extolled the “Open Door” policy which sought to ensure the US interests were secured within China at a time when all major powers had an established physical and commercial presence in China. Hay proposed a fair, universal platform for trading relations based on free market principles which was a sweeping move in international diplomacy.
Roosevelt’s Diplomacy and the Panama Canal
One of the then President, Theodore Roosevelt’s main achievement was the building of a Trans-Isthmian canal, as negotiated in a treaty with Britain that allowed the US to build a neutral and unfortified canal. However, the major clause of the treaty was a permanent stationing of the US navy to protect the canal. This move safeguarded US interests in the canal, protecting the investment but more importantly, it empowered the US military to intervene unchecked in the regional politics of the Latin and South America.

Theodore Roosevelt’s policy of Deterrence & Diplomacy:
Roosevelt’s political ideas of war deterrence or increasing military strength as a way to intimidate and prevent any threat from potential enemy states, was a major theme that shaped the US foreign policy at the time. The US military at the time developed at least threefold to its earlier size. The idea was that a strong military projects an message of massive defense and offence in case of attack to the contender and it can therefore influence the contending state to reconsider its decision of war with the US, thereby preventing war.

Along with war deterrence, The US government promulgated a policy of international diplomacy and responsibility.It was declared that America had a moral duty to be a force for good in the world and ensure international order. America’s foreign policy of diplomatic intervention led to mediation of conflicts during the Russian-Japanese war in 1907, maintain the French-British alliance and contain Germany and also persuade in favour of the Second Hague Conference, encouraging amity and the settlement of European disputes

What these developments show is how historical developments along with political decisions and actions in the 20th century elevated the American influence and allowed it to emerge as a major stakeholder in the balance-of-power in global issues.