U.S. Foreign Policy, Late 1800s Essay, Research Paper
This nation, from its inception had a lust for real estate.
From the original chants of “manifest destiny” to the calls for the
annexation of Indian territories our nation has been driven to acquire
land. In this country’s youth land was needed for economic expansion.
However, by the end of the 19th century the entire continental United
States was in our possession and the citizenry of this country turned
their eyes out to sea. the United States no longer sought new lands to
farm and work nor did they need new areas for their geological
resources, the motives had changed. the United States was now driven
by the temptations of world power and political one-ups-manship. the
self-absorbed citizenry looked upon their intrusion into foreign areas
as a moral obligation; to spread the words of democracy and Christ
throughout the world. the Spanish – American War in the final years of
the 19th century perfectly demonstrate this “new” Imperialism. In
addition the American intrusion into Chinese affairs during the Boxer
rebellion is also a proof for the new motives which governed our
international attitude.
By the end of the 19th century Spanish forces in Cuba were in
all out battle with nationalist rebels. the Spanish army had tortured
and killed thousands of innocent Cubans in their efforts to maintain
control of Cuba. the American “Yellow Press” under the leadership of
Pulitzer and others wrote horrific articles about the war in Cuba and
called for the imposition of the United States into the matter under
the flag of moral obligation. President McKinley and his war hungry
Congress saw this as a perfect opportunity to have a “nice little war”
and bolster the status of the United States in the international
community. the war with Spain also gave McKinley am excuse to invade
the Spanish controlled Philippine islands, an important naval site
which would give the United States a voice in the far east. After, the
United States Navy massacred the meek Spanish Armada and defeated the
Spanish forces at San Juan hill, the little war was over. In the
process the United States acquired the Philippine islands, a strong
voice in Cuban affairs, and most importantly, status. the political
support that McKinley received after the Spanish – American War was
“worth” the loss of a few American lives. In addition the control of
the Philippine islands gave the United States clout in the far east
and a chance to spread the dreams of democracy and Christ. Clearly the
forces working behind the Spanish – American War were far different
then those that led our forces, only a few decades earlier, into the
western frontier.
Once the United States had established it’s presence in the
far east it felt obliged to oversee all that went on in the area. So
when Chinese nationalists rebelled against the controlling government,
the United States was most eager to get into the action. At the time
the United States had issued the “Open Door Policy” which called for
the equal financial treatment of all foreign governments. the Boxer
rebellion, as it would later be called, gave the United States a
chance to strengthen the unpopular policy. 2,500 United States troops
were eventually sent into the area and gave the United States the
power to push ahead its own personal agenda in China. the threat of
political instability and the chance to further outstretch its
political sphere of influence were the driving factors behind the
United States’ involvement in this affair. the Imperialistic McKinley
government was not going to sit idly while the other nations of the
world edged the United States out of China.
These two isolated incidents, when analyzed from a historical
frame of reference reveal a growing change in the Imperialistic
tendencies of the United States towards the end of the 19th century.
the United States was determined to gain a voice in the international
arena for the political status it would generate and the strategic
benefits it would foster. This country was settled as a satellite to
it’s mother country, Great Britain, and now it would spread out its
own Imperialistic wings to cover the globe with it’s own political
motivations and moral conscience.