Download Saunders Imperialism and World War I VUS 9 American Foreign

Imperialism and World War I
Saunders
VUS 9
1.
American Foreign policy - For most of the early day of the United States, we followed George
Washington’s example by being
Isolationist
in foreign policy, meaning that we did not
believe in interfering in world politics and events. Other countries had long embraced Imperialism, when
one country has political, military, and economic control over other nations. These countries were mostly
interested in obtaining precious natural resources, something of which the U.S. had plenty. The industrial
revolution changed the United States approach to foreign policy to one of Internationalism, because we
wanted to complete for new markets to sell United States goods.
International Markets
Open Door Policy:
During the presidency of William
McKinley, Secretary of State John
Hay proposed the Open Door
Policy. This policy wanted to
give all nations equal trading
rights in China. Its goal was to
open to American businessmen
the Chinese market from which
they had previously been
excluded.
Dollar Diplomacy:
Through Dollar Diplomacy
President Taft aimed to encourage
American investment in Latin
America (South and Central
America). Not only did Taft urge
American banks and businesses to
invest in Latin America, but also
promised that the United States
military would intervene (step in),
if local unrest threatened their
investments.
Latin America
Spanish American War:
The Spanish-American War was
the 1898 war between Spain and
the United States, which the
United States won. As a result of
the Spanish-American War, the
United States annexed both the
Philippines and Puerto Rico and
declared its right to intervene
(become militarily involved) in
Cuban affairs.
Panama Canal:
First, the United States
encouraged Panama’s
independence from Columbia.
Then it negotiated a treaty with
Panama to build the Panama
Canal. Since this canal provided
a short cut between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans, it benefited
American trade and thereby also
furthered economic imperialism.
Asia and the Pacific
Hawaii:
In the early 1890s the United
States marines helped American
sugar planters depose
(overthrow) the Hawaiian
monarch Queen Liliuokalani.
In 1898 Congress agreed to
annex Hawaii or add it to
United States territory.
Philippines:
In 1989, after the SpanishAmerican War, the US
purchased the Philippines for
$20 million. The people in the
Philippines rebelled against the
US, a conflict that lasted 2 years
and killed 200,000 people.
Congress will pass the Jones
Act in 1916, which promised
future independence for the
Philippines.
2.
World War I – The United States entrance into World War I confirmed it as a world power and led
to the Allied victory, but it failed to result in a lasting peace.
Alliances
Allies
Central
Powers
Nations Included:
France
United Kingdom (Great Britain)
Russia
United States
Italy
Germany
Austria Hungary
Ottoman Empire
Names of Leaders:
French Premier, George Clemenceau
British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George
Russian Czar – Nicolas II
American President, Woodrow Wilson
Italian Prime Minister, Vittorio Orlando
Keizer Wilhelm
Emperor Franz Josef
Sultan of Turkey, Abdul Hamid II
Saunders
Imperialism and World War I
VUS 9
3.
World War I continued
How did World War I begin?
World War I began when the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in
Sarajevo by a member of the Serbian terrorist organization known as the “Black Hand”. Alliances were
made between European Countries supposedly to the maintain a “balance of power”, but proved
dangerous when one member of an alliance was threatened.
What did the United States do for the first 3 years of World War I?
Most Americans did not support U.S. involvement in the war, but the US was supplying military
ammunition and weapons to the Allies.
To which side did most Americans have cultural ties?
The Allies, because American’s had cultural and historical ties to Great Britain.
What happened to get the United States to enter the war?
The decision to enter the war resulted from continuing German submarine warfare against American
merchant shipping and then in February, the British revealed the contents of the "Zimmermann
Telegraph," proposing a German-Mexican alliance under which Mexico would recover all the territory it
had lost to the U.S. in the 1840s.
4. Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points - Woodrow Wilson wanted to eliminate the causes of World
War I so that it would not happen again and “make the world safe for democracy”. His plan had 14
points, but there were 4 main ideas which are as follows.
Idea
Self-determination
Details of Idea
Each national group should be in charge of its
own destiny. For example, Polish people
should live under a Polish government, if that
was what they wanted.
Was it done? If so, did it work?
In Europe – yes
In the Middle East – no
Short term – yes
Long term - no
All nations’ ships would be able to sail in
international waters without threat of attack by
another country’s ships.
Yes
Freedom of the Seas
An organization of nations established at the
end of World War I to maintain world stability
and peace.
No
League of Nations
The mandate system, which violated the idea
of national self-determination, was a region
administered by another country until it was
judged ready for independence. The Ottoman
Empire was divided into mandates, under the
direction of the League of Nations. France
received Syria, and Britain received Palestine
and Iraq.
Short term – yes
Long term - no
Mandate System
Saunders
Imperialism and World War I
VUS 9
5. Treaty of Versailles: What were the major provisions of the Treaty of Versailles? The provisions
called for The League of Nations, freedom of the seas, self determination for Europe but not in the
Middle East, Africa, or Asia. The Treaty created many new nations including Finland, Latvia,
Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland. The Versailles Treaty divided the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) into
mandates, lands to be supervised or governed by the Allies under the direction of the League of
Nations. France received Syria, and Britain received Palestine and Iraq. The Treaty of Versailles also
provided for the punishment of Germany. Against the wishes of President Wilson, Great Britain and
France had insisted that the treaty hold Germany responsible for the war.
The peace treaty that ended World War I was never ratified by the United States Congress.
Why? The Republicans, who controlled the United States Senate after the 1918 congressional
elections, questioned the wisdom of the Treaty of Versailles. They particularly raised objections to
United States foreign policy decisions being made by an international organization, like the League of
Nations, rather than by American leaders. When the Treaty, and with it the League, was brought to a
vote, it was defeated. The U.S. technically remained at war with Germany until 1921, and did not join
the League of Nations