Notes CH 29 Part 2
New Directions in Foreign Policy
Wilson hated imperialism or “realpolitik” “Big Stickism” “Dollar Diplomacy”…or…an aggressive “jingoistic” foreign policy.
Wilson after one week declared “dollar diplomacy” instituted by Taft…OVER…He said…he would no longer offer special support to American investors in Latin America and China…
Wilson asked Congress in 1914 to repeal the PANAMA CANAL TOLLS ACT - which exempted American shipping from paying tolls…
Wilson asks Congress to pass the JONES ACT, 1916 – which grants the Philippines territorial status and promised Independence… (which occurs in 1946 at the conclusion of WWII)
Wilson induces the California Legislature….which had passed a law forbidding Japanese-americans from owning land to repeal the legislation…calming the Japanese….again similar to TR’s Gentlemen’s Agreement.
After this extended anti-imperialist set of actions…WW is FORCED TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS….”realpolitik” …******See map in text– This map suggests that Uncle Sam was much less “isolationist” in the Western Hemisphere than he was in faraway Europe or Asia…********
Haiti- Political Turmoil in 1914-15 occurs when the President is literally torn to pieces (ouch) in 1915 WW dispatches MARINES to protect American lives and property…and in the treaty that settled the issues here….he COPIES THE RC TO THE MD… BY providing for US supervision of finances and police in Haiti.
Dominican Republic, 1915- Marines are sent to quell riots… and the Marines stay for eight (8) years…
In 1917, The USA purchases the “Virgin Islands” from Denmark…
*******Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico –
Note: my grandfather and his two brothers were here
Mexico had problems…for decades Mexico had been exploited by Foreign Investors… in oil, railroads, and mines. American’s had invested close to a BILLION$$$ in Mexico.
Mexican citizens were very poor on average… and did not benefit from the rich resources the nation possessed… REVOLUTION BEGINS….and by 1913 it had turned ugly…when the President was Murdered and General Victoriano Huerta (an Indian – oh my) was installed as the new President….
The Chaos resulting from the Murder… and Huerta’s regime…led to chaos. And huge #’s of Mexican immigrants flood into the USA to escape this chaos/violence…MORE THAN A MILLION BETWEEN 1900-1930 and settled mostly in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California….This continued the trend of the Uniquely diverse Southwest United States… a unique culture for sure.
Obviously, the chaos threatened America’s BILLION$$$ investments in Mexico….How would the anti-imperial WW respond????
WW responded, at first, consistently with his anti-imperialist philosophy…withstanding cries from Hearst, who owned a ranch as large as Rhode Island in Mexico, and other businessmen who were losing $$$ while Mexico was disintegrating from within… “it is perilous to determine foreign policy in the terms of material interest.” -- could he continue to ignore the chaos…or would events force his hand???
WW though does not “officially recognize” the Huerta government in Mexico…he considers his path to leadership through violence unacceptable…”I am going to teach the South American republics to elect good men.” [Seems a bit out of touch and idealistic to me…certainly not realistically examining the situation in Mexico…poverty—chaos…a more “realpolitik” approach though would be forced upon him soon, BY PANCHO VILLA]
WW allows American guns and weapons to be exported to President Huerta’s rivals… specifically, Venustiano Carranza & Francisco “Pancho” Villa….
MEXICO ERUPTS IN APRIL OF 1914 [ WWI IS CLOSE TO BEGINNING IN EUROPE***]
In Tampico, Mexico (a port city) when a small group of American Sailors were arrested…and then promptly released… but the Mexican’s refused to fire a 21 gun salute of apology demanded by the American Admiral on the scene… WW GOES TO CONGRESS TO ASK TO USE FORCE AGAINST MEXICO…before Congress could act…Wilson orders the Navy to seize the Mexican port of VERA CRUZ…all Mexican leaders—Huerta/Carranza/Villa – protested this action of WW & the USA…
The ABC Powers {Argentina, Brazil, & Chile) offer mediation…and simultaneously the Huerta government collapses… he is succeeded by his rival Carranza…but the mediation works…and war is avertedFOR NOW…
“Pancho” Villa, a bandit Robin Hood, was now upset due to WW’s apparent support of his rival Carranza…Villa’s Army now attacked US citizens in Mexico…killing 16 mining engineers in Jan. 1916 and in Feb. 1916 Villa’s Army invaded US Territory at Columbus, New Mexico and murdered another 19 Americans…How will WW respond…he has already asked Congress to use force in Mexico, albeit for another reason… Polk in 1846 manufactured an excuse to go to war…what would we do?
The USA sends troops to Mexico to crush “Pancho”
General John J. Pershing (“Black Jack” – he commanded Black Troops previously) and troops from across the USA were sent to Mexico…(My relatives lived in NY-Brooklyn)
Several Thousand “Calvary” troops penetrated deep into Mexico…when in battle against Carranza’s forces or Villa’s they crush them… BUT DO NOT CAPTURE “PANCHO”….
Black Jack and the US Calvary forces are withdrawn IN JAN. 17… WHEN WWI BEGINS TO DRAW AMERICA CLOSER… TO THEIR EVENTUAL PARTICIPATION.
Thunder Across the Sea
WWI begins in Europe in 1914…when after a considerable tension of militarism Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Austria-Hungarian Empire, is shot AND KILLED by Gavirillo Princip, a member of the Serbian Nationalist “Black Hand,” (they wanted to be independent of the A-H empire)…THIS SPARK ---LED TO A SERIES OF ULTIMATUM’S AMONG EUROPEAN COUNTRIES THAT ENDS UP BECOMING WWI…
GERMANY ATTACKING THROUGH NEUTRAL BELGIUM CAUSES CHAOS TO BEGIN IN EUROPE…. ******
WWI***
Note: my grandfather and his two brothers fought in this war …Great Uncle Alfred was gassed but survived…Great Uncle Carl was one the first Pilots in the US Army Air Corp—and my grandfather was a member of a Calvary unit –one of the very few who actually had their horses. All Three survive…
CENTRAL POWERS – GERMANY, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, TURKEY, BULGARIA
ALLIED POWERS – France, Britain, Russia, later-- Japan, Italy,[**** and the USA (after 1917)
America was initially neutral… and does not enter the war on the side of the allies until 1917…our first troops do not arrive until 1918…
A Precarious Neutrality
Woodrow Wilson’s wife died…. (he will marry again, Edith, during his second term and it is this his 2nd wife who after he has a stroke in 1919 is considered by some to be the 1st woman president of the usa)
WW at this time issues a “Neutrality Proclamation” [why many have called us “isolationists” during this period and during the period before we enter WWII] Wilson requests that Americans be neutral in thought as well as deed….
Both the Central Powers and the Allies wanted America’s support… However…due to GB’s closeness to us and the predominant # of immigrants from the Allied Nations…we as a nation favor the Allies…PROPOGANDA ---FOR THE ALLIES AND MAKING THE CENTRAL POWERS (GERMANY) APPEAR TO BE MURDEROUS RAPACIOUS THUGS—FLOODED AMERICA.
NOTE: There were a considerable # of immigrants from the countries that made up the Central Powers, especially Germany…about 11 million of the appx…80 million in the USA…
Most Americans were Anti-German from the outset…Kaiser Wilhelm II was arrogant aristocracy…and Germany’s ruthless and devastating attack of Neutral Belgium made it even worse …When a German Spy left his briefcase on a train in NY…and in it was plans for sabotage---this made it even worse….
STILL MOST AMERICANS, A LARGE % HOPED TO STAY OUT OF THIS WAR---WE WERE LUCKY---THE “BOYS OF THE LOST GENERATION,” WERE DISCOMBOBULATED AND KILLED BY THE MILLIONS DUE TO ANTIQUATED TACTICS V. NEW TECHNOLOGICAL MAN DESTROYING WEAPONS---AND THE HUBRIS OF ANCIENT OR IGNORANT GENERALS AND STATESMEN…Europe became a slaughter ground of trenches that began at the English channel and reached to the Swiss and Italian Alps.****
America Earns Blood Money **** this is important***and will become the foundation of “neutrality laws passed in the 1930’s before WWII in America ----ALSO due to the immense amount of LOANS TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES…WE CHANGE FROM A DEBTOR NATION TO A CREDITOR NATION….ALSO---THE FINANCIAL CENTER OF THE WORLD MOVES FROM LONDON TO NYC-WALL ST… 3 HUGE ISSUES HERE…
WAR MAKES HUGE $$$$ FOR USA – BEGINS “GREAT MIGRATION” OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH FOR JOBS-continues duringWWII**********huge*************change***
The British and French begin to order war goods from the USA…in 1914. JP Morgan and Co. LOANS 2.3 BILLION$$$ TO THESE COUNTRIES ALONE…(a private company, wow) The Central Powers did not benefit from being able to order as much due to the difficulty getting the orders to their ports ….the Allies- especially Britain and France…had a much easier logistical hurdle (however they did have to deal with Germany’sSECRET WEAPON – THE UNTERSEEBOOT?
The USA while neutral…. 1914-1917…could sell supplies to both sides…and make huge sums of $$$... and we do…some call it later “Blood Money” and consider after the war that if the USA had not loaned $$$ and Sold Weapons the war would have ended at least 2 years earlier…everyone would have run out…. I do not know if I truly believe this but… many did and still do….Thus the “blood $$” is quite a slam against us… maybe…it depends on your perspective…
“We [Americans] prattle about humanity while we manufacture poisoned shrapnel and picric acid for profit. Ten thousand German widows, ten thousand orphans, ten thousand graves bear the legend ‘Made in America.’”
The “Cost of doing Business” as a “neutral shipper” --- to protect our “rights” --Would it be War?
What would be the cost of being a “neutral nation” who sells war supplies to both sides…during the French Revolution under various Presidents we were close to war due to the warring (belligerent) nations attacking our “neutral ships” to prevent these supplies to getting to their enemies…and embargo, non-intercourse, and Macon’s Bill #2 did not stop us from eventually going to war in 1812 to defend our rights…as a neutral shipping nation…How would the USA fair during this struggle-WWI- could we continue to be just a “neutral shipper” and demand our “neutrality” on the “high seas” while shipping war supplies to either side? Or… Would the “belligerent” nations—one side or the other {central powers-Germany} attempt to stop our supply shipments by force, violating our “neutral rights” and force us to choose a side---and enter WWI??? You will see
The USA’s business community realizes that the War in Europe was good for American business and attempted to trade with both sides…however, the British Navy…controlled the Sea…and therefore the USA’s attempt to sell supplies to the Central Powers is blockaded and mined by the British Navy and they began to force our merchant shipping bound for Germany into their ports and control…this harassment of our ships virtually ended our trade with the Central Powers…THE GERMANS in retaliation for the British Navy’s actions….announces in Feb. 1915 a SUBMARINE WAR AREA AROUND THE BRITISH ISLES*****{IMPT****SEE MAP P. 700 IN THE DIGITAL EDITION OF THE BRITISH CONTROLLED AND GERMAN CONTROLLED SEA AREAS}
THE UNTERSEEBOOT –undersea boat – THE SUBMARINE-- *****HUGE****
The “U-Boat” – submarine, was not invented by the Germans… some were actually used in the Civil War… HOWEVER –the Germans built the most effective and technologically advanced version of this Weapon by FAR---WAY AHEAD OF ALL OTHERS…. THE SUBMARINE POSED A DIRE THREAT TO AMERICAN NEUTRAL SHIPPING RIGHTS-international law stated that: a warship must stop and board a merchantman…this could hardly apply to submarines, which could be easily rammed and sunk if they surfaced----so if not and they stayed under firing their torpedoes… and sunk vessels there would be “no warning” for the crew of the merchant ship---and huge losses of life would be the result…THIS SHOCKS THE WORLD…. GERMANY HAS A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE HERE (which will continue at the outset of WWII)
***Germany declared in Feb. 1915 the “Submarine War Area” around the British Isles ----any shipping entering this area---was entering –“A WAR ZONE” ---AND LIABLE TO BE SUNK---Germany announces that they would “TRY NOT TO SINK NEUTRAL SHIPPING BUT THAT MISTAKES COULD HAPPEN.”******** THIS IS HOW WE –THE USA- IS DRAGGED INTO WWI***** - Our shipping of War Materials to the “Allies” is seen by the Germans as extending the War and preventing them from victory---so….they have a choice…and choose to attack our ships…. ****”UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE FORCES??? THE USA TO DECLARE WAR**** You must know this*** now let’s see how it happens******a series of events: ships sunk…apologies and promises made…more ships sunk…an ultimatum made…agreed to-then broken…more ships sunk---WAR.
Wilson decides that America would defend its NEUTRAL NATIONS RIGHTS TO TRADE ON THE HIGH SEAS….and HOPED…that no incident would force him to go to war…. (it works for a while) …
WW publicly announces, after Germany announced its Sub-War-Zone around the British Isles, that Germany would be held to “strict accountability” for any attacks on American vessels or citizens—the “Schoolmaster” in action ----could America earn the “blood $” without consequence???
1-The Sinking of the “cruise ship” Lusitania***May 1915- {see advertisement and warning in textbook*** read the German governments warning to passengers****)
In the first months of 1915 the U-Boats sunk about 90 ships in the War Zone… The British passenger ship Lusitania left NYC…with over a thousand passengers…it was not a merchant ship carrying weapons (***or was it***) it was a passenger vessel…a cruise ship…. The Germans torpedoed the ship…1198 lives were lost including 128 Americans**** they were warned*** but ----the public nor the passengers—knew that on board ---this “passenger ship” carried 4200 boxes of small arms ammunition….Wilson does not ask for war…but does use harsh terms towards the germans…enough that WJBryan, sec. of state, resigns…TR though criticizes WW’s “soft stance”…WE WERE NOT AT WAR—YET…THE PUBLIC WAS beginning to consider the choice….not a majority but considering….
2- The sinking of the “cruise ship” –Arabic*** August 1915 (two (2) Americans on board –
Germany announces it would agree not to sink unarmed and unresisting passenger ships WITHOUT WARNING**** KEY---
*****3- The sinking of the French “cruise ship” – Sussex******************************************
Wilson in response to the “Sussex” being sunk….announces the SUSSEX ULTIMATUM************
IF GERMANY CONTINUES TO SINK “MERCHANT” “PASSENGER” SHIPS ---WITHOUT WARNING ---THE USA WOULD “BREAK DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH GERMANY” { WAR }
****GERMANY AGREES NOT TO SINK PASSENGER AND MERCHANT SHIPS WITHOUT GIVING WARNING***** With Conditions*** that the USA would have to persuade the ‘Allies’ – Britain and France specifically to modify their blockade….(WILSON IGNORES THESE CONDITIONS AND ACCEPTS THE GERMAN ACCEPTANCE OF THE SUSSEX PLEDGE****** So in March of 1916, a few months before our Presidential Election Wilson, the “minority” President claims a significant diplomatic victory…getting Germany to back off… this does last a while….and allows WW to campaign for re-election claiming, “I kept our boy’s out of War.”---but---how long would this precarious situation last….?
Dr. Woodrow Wilson Wins Reelection in 1916 –his Anti-War stance brings him victory
*****– see election map p. 703 digital edition….it does not look like a close race based on this visual….BUT WW GOES TO BED THINKING HE HAD LOST
BACKGROUND TO 1916---*********
*******Note:1- Mexico was in a revolution…we were in conflict with them…and WWI was continuing its horrible slaughter…***The FIRST Great African-American Migration- 1.6 MILLION LEAVE- a 40% increase in African Americans in the North… had begun as hundreds of thousands of African-Americans leave the South and JimCrow/Lynching-etc…. for the promise of WAR JOBS in the Northern cities…. Chicago, Detroit, NYC – (the great Jazz-blues trail NO to Chic.) across the North large #’s of blacks come and realize that there is still discrimination and police violence etc… BUT NOT EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT EXISTED IN THE SOUTH---AND THAT THEY COULD VOTE---AND OWN PROPERTY--- and their children could go to much better schools…ETC… THEIR LETTERS HOME ENCOURAGE MORE AND MORE MIGRATION….THIS SLOWS DOWN DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION SOMEWHAT BUT EXPLODES DURING THE BUILD UP TO WWII ***2ND GREAT MIGRATION – 5 MILLION LEAVE AND GO NORTH AND WEST AND AFTER-----GREATLY RESHUFFLING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE USA FOREVER***********
******NOTE 2:more on the Election of 1916: Women voted for President in 10 states****…in states like Wyoming, 1869, which had granted women the right to vote… and Women could not vote…in states that did not grant women the right to vote…like North Carolina. Jeanette Rankin, Montana, becomes the 1st Woman elected to Congress-House of Representatives- in the 1916 election*****her votes against WAR in WWI and again in WWII –show her to be a leader of the Peace Movement in America… these votes were unpopular, even more so in WWII, and she only served these two terms, HOWEVER, HER LEGACY IS IMMENSE**** as a suffragette, and only woman in either house of Congress…in 1918 opens debate on the 19th amendment in the House of Reps… The amendment passes the House but fails in the Senate, THIS TIME…IN 1919 IT PASSES AND IS SENT TO THE STATES FOR RATIFICATION…WHERE IT WINS ¾’s of the States approval August 26, 1920---by a margin of 1 state…..North Carolina voted against it -- Tennessee was the state that gave them the 1 state margin…