#2 – Compare and contrast the foreign policies of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson toward Latin America.
- TR foreign policies toward Latin America
o Speak softly and carry a bit stick and you will go far
§ Aggressive diplomacy?
o TR and the Canal
§ Reasons why: With Oregon which took forever to go around South America to join the fleet in the Pacific Coast.
§ Overcame the obstacles with Clayton Bulwer Treaty by making the Hay Pauncefote Treaty.
· After Columbian government rejected offer to buy canal with $10 mil, creates puppet government.
§ Villa took the opportunity knowing that TR would respond w/ big stickism and overthrew Columbian government.
· TR twisted meaning of “perfect neutrality” treaty with Columbia.
§ Accepted the arbitrary manner which independence was gained and concluded Hay-Bunau Treaty where canal was bought.
§ US suffered from Roosevelt’s diplomacy.
o TR’s perversion of Monroe Doctrine
§ Nations not paying European creditors so feared that British or Germans would use force.
§ Roosevelt Corollary declared that US would intervene and take over customshouses to pay off debts.
· Became policeman of the Carribean
§ Turned Carribean into “Yankee Lake”
§ In Cuba, Revolutionary disorders brought foreign intervention.
- Wilsonian diplomacy
o Was against big stickism of TR.
§ Opposed dollar diplomacy by Taft and withdrew support for American investors in Latin America.
o Repealed the Panama Canal Tolls Act which exempted Amer. Coastwise shipping from tolls.
§ Why? Was unfair to Britain?
o Installed General Victoriano Huerta
§ Refused to recognize the leader while many others did.
§ Still refused to intervene
· Aided Carranza and Villa.
§ Some force used by asking Congress for authority to use force against Mexico.
· But also had ordered navy to seize Mex port of Vera Cruz.
§ ABC powers intervention prevented the inevitable.
· Not very aggressive as he now supported Villa after Carranza fell.
§ But still sent General John J. Pershing to perish Villa’s force to prevent future
o Somewhat aggressive diplomacy:
§ When disorders came in revolutionary Haiti, Wilson sent marines to protect property there.
· Borrowed from TR’s corollary and concluded a treaty for Haiti providing for US supervision of finances and policy.
§ Same thing with Dominican Republic.
§ Also bought Virgin Islands from Denmark
- Similarities between two
- 1) Wilson and TR both had aggressive foreign policy toward the Caribbean
o Wilson followed that of his predecessors – sent troops down to put down a revolution in Haiti and had the troops occupy there for 21 years.
o Dominican Republic (who shared the island of Hispaniola with the Haitians) refused to accept a treaty making them a protectorate of the U.S. Wilson, forced them to accept the rule of a U.S. military government.
- Key differences
o Wilson placed greater emphasis on democracy and human rights, helping them to aspire democratic ideals while primarily intervening for human rights infringement and not imperialist motives such as that of TR.
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