Victory in the Spanish-American War thrust the United States into the new position of world power, but problems in the Western Hemisphere attracted American interests. Many Caribbean countries were plagued with political instability, and violent revolutions broke out. Compounding the problem was the poor financial state of these countries. Concerned with stability in the region, and wary that hostile foreign powers might use military force to collect debts from these countries and establish a presence in the hemisphere, President Theodore Roosevelt intervened in the domestic affairs of neighboring countries to provide stability and order. This intervention also created investment opportunities for American bankers and businessmen. Such shortsighted activities became a pattern and helped create a legacy of distrust between Latin American nations and the United States. In his 1904 annual message to Congress (that you can read excerpts from by clicking here), Roosevelt offered an explanation for intervention in his famous “corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine.After you have read the document, I would like you to think about and discuss the following: According to Roosevelt, for what reasons would the United States intervene in a Caribbean basin country’s affairs? What are the potential problems of becoming an “international police power?” In what instances would the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine be used? Your thoughts…
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According to Roosevelt, they should intervene because everyone deserves the right to be free and they are trying to help, which is crap, and because of the Monroe Doctrine, it is their right because they own the western hemisphere. He called the US a "police power" because any self-respecting nation should aid in movements that provide substitutes to wars and they should keep prepared while scrupulously avoiding any wrongdoing themself and in exceptional cases, take action when needed which could be potentially problematic because the US could feel that something is bad because it is hurting their economy when in actuality it might not be bad at all for the country, like the independence of Hawaii.
Roosevelt does say that every person has the right to be free. He knows that what the US cares more about itself then has concerns for other nations. He also says that all the US desires is to see the neighboring countries stable, orderly, and prosperous. So that is why there intervened with the Caribbean.
yes, but why?
Roosevelt intervened simply because of the Monroe Doctorine that "gave the U.S. control of the Western Hemisphere." He says that everyone has the right to be free, yet the U.S. will only be willing to help if we get something out of it, like today when we talked about the U.S. trying to free Cuba from Spain. We only wanted to because we had a few tricks up our sleeves, in getting more colonies or "properties." It seems like the U.S. would only help if our economy is struggeling as a result (like not getting a good enough import/export profit).
He was doing it for peace. Also, he mentions righteousness, freedom, rights, good will towards others... "It is not true that the United States feels any land hunger or entertains any projects as regards the other nations of the Western Hemisphere save such as are for their welfare. All that this country desires is to see the neighboring countries stable, orderly, and prosperous. Any country whose people conduct themselves well can count upon our hearty friendship." This is the desire and purpose of the Monroe document...according to this message. It is their DUTY, as a CIVILIZED nation, to watch over and PROTECT the lesser. "If the great civilized nations of the present day should completely disarm, the result would mean an immediate recrudescence of barbarism in one form or another. Under any circumstances a sufficient armament would have to be kept up to serve the purposes of international police; and until international cohesion and the sense of international duties and rights are far more advanced than at present, a nation desirous both of securing respect for itself and of doing good to others must have a force adequate for the work which it feels is allotted to it as its part of the general world duty." I do believe that sums it up. They all would have to look over each other, which is basically saying they can do what they want with those they can push around... in the ways of trade, gov., etc.
first off, whats with all the hipocracies? land or the free? yeah right.. the us basically gave themselves the right to "own" the west. but says that everyone is free... well not really. that is ridiculous, its like you can do as you please but if it screws with our system and we dont like it and its not what we believe or maybe you just piss us off, well then we take over. no thats not right.
Well...Roosevelt states in this document that the reason they should intervene in Cuba and its affairs is basically becuase Cuba deserves to be free. He thinks that since the US has technically made themselves the "police force" of the west....thewe should be able to help any counrty int he time of need or if tehyare effectign our economy. And teh Carribean definately was.
After heavily reviewing the Monroe Doctrine for the debate on wednesday, i have noticed that i kind of agree with it, not so much. I belive that it was more Group Mentality that encouraged the United States to join the imperialist club. they were edged on by what europe was doing, and therefore they did it as well. sometimes we do things we regret, because other people do it as well.
Did we make more corollaries to like cross this one out or is it still in action? I think that the people back then really believed what they were doing was right and justifiable. Saying that they were the police powers of the western hempisphere was wrong, but atleast they said that if the countries were doing fine on their own they'd leave them alone, right? Ha I don't think it was smart of the president to make this corollary because it just showed that he was a horrible imperialist.
all i have to say is get ready for the truman doctrine in season 5
the bush doctrine is interesting as well
Mr. Prill, does the papre have to be EXACTLY a full page? Mine's so close to being a full one, but I can't think of anything else to put.
you're go to go miss fritz...
I think it is funny how he refers to the united states as a police power. What makes him think he has the right to say that the United States can invade any country in the west to insure peace. The real truth is that this really isn't about peace, it is more so about insuring power in the Unites States and giving them the right to invade any other country and protecting their investments.
i dont get how the u.s can think that they own the western hemisphere, there are like 20 other countries in the western hemispher...who gave them the right to be allowed to interfere in othe countries affairs...he just wants to have that document so all the countries stay stable so that no U.S business is hurt.i mean that's all that the U.S has been wanting from other countries in the beginning...
At this point in history it's a race for the largest empire. All the powerful countries in the world are conquering more and more territory. Russia has a massive land area, and is still a major government in the world today. China has always been a larger country, and has seen success for thousands of years. Another country with a large land area that is still powerful today is the United States. England and the United States are both products of imperialism and the Industrial Revolution.
I think it is quite humorous that the untied states changes to the platt amendment AFTER they "liberate" from the colonial powers and deicde to then have a way to take over for themselves. This kinda goes hand in hand with the famous Pac Man Theory we have been talking about because the united states feels like they have moral obligations to intervine in the problems or any type of thing that will disrupt financial investment affairs. so any domestic problem the us claims right to intervine...but now acting as a police force....with gun power
what i dont understand is how the US could think that we "own" the western hemisphere.
Roosevelt feels that U.S. interference is only for beneficial purposes. American presence in the Caribbean is only a matter of peace and justice. Each country has a right to peace and justice, and he felt as if the U.S. could be the one to help them achieve this as well as have the opportunity to prosper (if the U.S. received something in return of course). The Monroe Doctrine is justification for this U.S. interference. It states that the U.S. is the police force of the Western Hemisphere, giving them the power to intervene with firearms if needed. The problem that might come about without this “international police power” would be the fall of these economies and countries. This loss of control and overbearing power can lead to barbarism. Referring back to this idea of white supremacy, it seems as if Roosevelt is saying that once again, it's the job of Americans to protect and watch over these countries who are helpless.
Roosevelt wrote for the people of U.S., so it was biased and he stretched a little here and there to make it look a justified, and glorious, that he was doing good for the world. He hid the fact that it was really all for U.S., not for the freedom and justice for all, or any of that. The government kept the truth like it is now. It didn't matter to us however, because while we were exploiting other countries, we got the stuff that we needed for our factories, so therefore we made plenty of the things we "needed" and therefore happier Americans
U.S. can intervene with the Western hemisphere when it jeopardizes U.S.'s investments. Which makes sense U.,S being powerful and all that but why isn't other Western hemisphere countries having a say in this? I mean, if i was Mexico, i would be really angry that only U.s. gets to be the police power and control all hemispehre.
Roosevelt claims that if the United States feels the need to intervene and tidy up the newly "free" countries they can. If there is a political system they do not like, they can come in and fix it. If something is going on that may cause a slowdown in production or that may mess with United States economics, they can intervene. By becoming an international police force they can create a lot of enemies. If they get in other countries ways, they aren't going to like it and want to put up a fight.
this is like watching a drug deal happen but doing nothing about it. you know its wrong but you continue to do because somhow you may benefit from it later. this is exactly how roosevelt sees the us. he knows what's going on, but as long as he can keep the us pretty much in control of the western hemisphere, he's not gonna do anything about it. its ironice, because invading a country will not make it peaceful, it is more likely that it will just bring more unhappiness..
If Roosevelt did all these crude things, why did/does everyone love him so much? Just because he was a very nature friendly man? Was he the quiet with the big stick? Which means...he had a nice image-nature walking staff- but he used the stick to attack and put down others. Why did/do people still not see these things?
Roosevelt is saying that the USA will only intervene in the economy if something in the government is threatening a US investment. He says that they're looking out for the other country, but it's really causing the Caribbean to be a bunch of protectorate countries. It implies imperialism, but it's never actually mentioned because that would make the USA sound like a colonial power and people would rebel.
well roosevelt does say that everyone deserves to be free. he is correct but also realizes and understands that the united staes are so into themselves that they dont even care about other countries/nations. we are givin ourselves passes to intervine with other nations problems. makes no sense to me
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