Jeffrey Luce

IAH 201 Dr. Magee

March 20, 2015
23751
From Relative Isolation to Global Involvement
At the time of the Spanish American War the United States went from relative isolation to
increased global involvement because of 1. McKinleys blunders as president, 2. The very fact
that America was isolated, and 3. Teddy Roosevelts presidency/policies. The consequences of
this increased global involvement on American society were 4. That America becomes an
imperialist country, 5. Americas involvement in both world wars, 6. The Cold War.
This leads us to the blunder otherwise known as the Spanish American War was really the
beginning of Americas shift from isolation to global involvement. Even the reasons behind this
war remain questionable after all this time, representing the overall weak policymaking of the
American system at the time and how it could go wrong. Some evidence of this was that
McKinley, as many presidents do, wanted to get reelected in 1900, but there was no way that a
long and bloody war would increase the support for him, however a quick cheap military
solution to the Cuban problem would help.1 A more probable reason is that the Spanish
American war was so quick and painless was that both parties were benefiting from it. Spain
was not doing too well economically at the time and could no longer afford to lord over Cuba or
the Philippians for any longer and it seems that the good old United States were more than
willing to pick up the slack. For over a century America had successfully held itself as a
peaceful nation by following the policies of the Washingtons Farewell Address, or of the
Monroe Doctrine, that is to say, policies of isolationism.1 But then in the year 1898 William
McKinley blundered upon a war with Spain which had changed all of that, ending with the
1

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United States, a country founded on revolution against colonialism had several colonies of its
own. 1 When asked about the annexation of the Philippines President McKinley replies, that it
would be bad business and discreditable 2 to give up the Philippines to any other country. And
because he was stuck with it, that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all and
civilize and Christianize them. 2 This statement is an early sign of Americas growing sense of
moral superiority over the world, but where did this sense of superiority stem from?
Strange as it may seem, but this sense of superiority appears to stem from the very fact
that Americans remain, for the most part, separate from the world. Sure there may be a decent
amount of immigrants in the United States but because its always them immigrating to the
United States and never the United States immigrating to other countries Americans as a whole
begin to form a distorted perception of the rest of the world. If the only foreigners you meet are
poor people looking to start new lives in the states who can barely manage to speak your
language, then chances are you would have a low opinion of those immigrants and the countries
they hail from.3 In the eyes of Americans from this time period the difference in intelligence
between them and the immigrants seemed clear as night and day, not to mention the fact that
McKinley was assassinated by an immigrant. The fact that these immigrants were so obviously
on the slow side the Americans began to consider the possibility that perhaps they know better
what should happen in those countries.3 It led them to believe that if they go out into these
underdeveloped countries that they could go out and make things better for everyone with their
superior American knowledge and morality.4
Prior to even becoming president, Roosevelt showed a strong support of isolationism, to
the point where he went as far as to state that Isolation is no longer possible or desirable.4 It
4

Dr Magee, lecture week 3

Theodore Roosevelt, Annual Message to Congress, December 6,
1904, http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?
flash=true&doc=56&page=transcript.
6
The United States and the World CH 4 IAH 201 Course web site
5

should come as no surprise that shortly after Teddy Roosevelt became president, things began to
change with the announcement of the Roosevelt Corollary. This document announces a shift in
foreign policy stating that Chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in a general
loosening of the ties of civilized society ultimately require intervention.5 Roosevelt goes on
to state that if this chronic wrongdoing was to happen in the Western Hemisphere the adherence
of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States to the exercise of an
international police power.5 The birth of these policies can be attributed to two things previously
discussed in this essay, both McKinley for putting the American foot in the colonial door, and the
America knows best attitude of the American people, that is to say the belief that if they were
in charge, they could make a big positive impact on the lives of those poor uneducated souls.2
As such, big brother America, with his wealth of knowledge and morality, decided to go
into a bunch of other countries and try to civilize and Christianize them. One way that America
decided to help the world is that America (along with Japan and Britain) was in support of the
Open Door Policy, which essentially stated that instead of having China colonized and split up
by big European powers they would rather that China remain its own country so that all
imperialist countries could have a fair chance at exploiting China.6
Another prime example of American influence was The Treaty of Portsmouth in which
America convinced the Japanese to not demand payments from the Russian after the RussoJapanese War and accept a bunch of mostly useless islands because they were too poor to
continue with the war.6 Needless to say the Japanese were extremely displeased with this
believing themselves to be cheated out of a just reward paid for by the blood of Japanese gallant
soldier by a jealous America, this treaty also marks the beginning of the friction between Japan
4

Dr Magee, lecture week 3

Theodore Roosevelt, Annual Message to Congress, December 6,
1904, http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?
flash=true&doc=56&page=transcript.
6
The United States and the World CH 4 IAH 201 Course web site
5

and America, and surely you know how that turned out. There was also the influence of the
Moroccan Crisis in which Germany acted in order to help Morocco gain independence from
France, however every country besides Austria-Hungary was in firm support of the French,
leading to the Germans backing down, however this caused a great amount of friction between
the opposing parties that culminated in the First World War.
In comes Woodrow Wilson, elected to be president in the year 1916 with an
underwhelming 41% of the popular vote due in part thanks to Roosevelt and Taft splitting the
vote. He soon decided to focus his attention on reorienting American foreign relations into a
more moral direction.6 He goes as far as to appoint a missionary as ambassador to china
saying that it was more important to represent America by saving souls than by saving dollars.
He was a man who wanted to make war a force for good, to change the worlds system as they
know it, 7 some would go as far as to call this man nave, yet to others he was a visionary.
During his War Message to Congress Wilson accuses the Germans of accusing acts that he was
unable to believe that such things would be done by any government that subscribed to the
practices of civilized nations.8 He goes on to say that he is not concerned about the lost in
property and profit, but that instead he is thinking only of the wanton and wholesale destruction
of the lives of noncombatants, men, women, and children.8 Wilson concludes that the Germans
actions qualify as warfare against mankind.8 This message would no doubt rouse the fire
burning in the hearts of early 20th century Americans as they prepare for war against the evil
German powers.
However simply defeating the Germans was not enough to satisfy Wilson, Wilson wanted
to remake the world into something different than what had preceded the War.7 He wanted a
peace that would last, and this is what drove him to create the Fourteen Point Plan. The Plan was
2

General James Rusling, Interview with President William McKinley, The

Christian Advocate 22 January 1903.
3
Dr Magee, lecture week 4
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comprised of open treaties, freedom of seas for all, free trade, and the League of Nations.7 To
Wilson the most important aspect of this was the League of Nations, however this vision never
came to fruition and the Treaty of Versailles only served to sow the seeds for the rise of Nazi
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on the economies of France and Britain and the very fact that these terms existed created a deep

resentment in Germany. And as if in response to this hatred, Hitler rose to power offering
prosperity and their pride.10 Yet, its not as if the rise of Hitler instantly dragged America into
the 2nd World War. If Hitler was the only threat than maybe America wouldnt have even gotten
involved, but two years into the war on December 7, 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in an
event that no one over the age of 5 would forget.10 For after this night, America was officially at
war.
World War 2 ended up becoming the most expensive war in history with over 35 million
Europeans killed as well as untold millions in Asia.10 However the United States was able to
get through the war having lost a significantly smaller amount of troops throughout the war
losing only less than half of 1% of the population was killed or wounded compared to 14% in
Russia and higher in Germany.10 Its not an understatement to say that America remained
mostly unscathed10 by World War 2. Not to mention the fact that also became the only nation
to possess the doomsday weapon, the atomic bomb.10 For all these reasons America was able
to become sole super power in the world due to every other country being in ruins.
Although they didnt lose as many men as Germany, Russia still managed to lose 14% of
their population during the war.10 After such a devastating blow to their population, there are
4

Dr Magee, lecture week 3

Theodore Roosevelt, Annual Message to Congress, December 6,
1904, http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?
flash=true&doc=56&page=transcript.
6
The United States and the World CH 4 IAH 201 Course web site
5

sure to be some grudges held for the enemy government or the allies who failed to help you.
During world war one Stalin pleaded10 with Churchill and FDR to apply pressure to the east of
Germany in order to help them. Despite his pleas, from 1941 to 1944, only 10% of Germanys
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Scarred by the bloody battle against Hitler, the United States had decided to no longer try
to remain isolationist, it was simply too expensive in both money and life.10 Still feeling the
wounds of World War 2, Russia was more than willing to resist the United States. As a result the
United States now had a directly competing ideology that had the force of a powerful
government behind it. What came from this was the Cold War, a different, more passive
aggressive form of war began between the two powers.10
The Cold War was a war unlike any other war, which was caused by rising tensions
between America and the USSR. After WW2 despite recognizing the legitimacy of Russias
concern for security in Easter Europe, FDR hated the totalitarian nature of the Soviet System.11
After all the trouble caused by appeasing Hitler the United States decided that appeasement was
no longer a possibility.11 The conflicting interests and competitions between America and the
USSR eventually led to the intense anti-communism campaign and arms race that the Cold War
became known for. However the most important part of United States Cold War policy was the
American policy of containment.
The Marshall Plan was a prime example of the policy of containment which promised to
give aid to Eastern European countries on the grounds that they reject communism.11 Despite
generating tensions between the US and the USSR the plan led to an all-time high in the
2
General James Rusling, Interview with President William McKinley, The
Christian Advocate 22 January 1903.
3
Dr Magee, lecture week 4
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Dr Magee, lecture week 3

popularity of America in Europe. However despite not wanting a colonial war, the US wanted to
bolster up the French in order to help support us against the communists. Eisenhower describes
American fears of the spread of communism likening it to a row of dominoes, where if you
knock down one the rest will surely follow.11 Kennedy also shows a strong support of the policy
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ideologies: freedom under god vs. Ruthless, godless tyranny.12 This strong belief in containment
led America to escalate the fight against communism and also was the cause for US involvement
in Vietnam. After 3 days of presidency LBJ decides to adopt JFKs war as his own.11 The
Vietnam war wouldnt end until 1974 where Nixon quickly got US troops out but continued to
funnel money and weapons to the South Vietnamese government, however this didnt stop the
North from finally succeeding in crushing the South very soon after the US had departed.11
After 1970, America started to cool off. Everything that led to the polarization of the late
60s had faded, Nixon brought troops home, campuses quieted down as protesting became too
expensive, Democrats moved to the left to accommodate dissent and black people had gained a
larger political vote.13 The United States suffered from a different set of structural problems
during this period with real income falling 2% each year from 1973 to 1981 due to stagflation,
which was caused by the Arab Oil Embargo in 1973, showing signs of America already having a
dependence on foreign oils.13 Richard Nixon resigns in 1974 leaving the countries in the hands
of Gerald Ford, a president with no political base, no constituency, and no executive
experience.13 Throughout his presidency Carter passed no major domestic legislation and
economic stagnation continued until 1980 where Ronal Reagan rode in from the west on his
white horse to rescue the nation.13
4

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In addition to his support of small government and low taxes, Reagan also had a great
love of guns. He rose defense spending by 1.5 trillion dollars over 5 years and the Reagan
Administration saw Russia as an evil empire that was trying to take over the world.13 This
leads to an accelerated arms race just when the Soviets might be ready to reach an agreement, to
a return to the Vietnam-era policies of containment, dominance of military industrial complex,
and a return to deceit and illegality as revealed by the Iran-Contra scandal.13 After a few more
years of increased conflict the cold war finally reaches a close as the USSR dissolves into several
smaller independent states. After the cold war the world enters a system of power very similar to
that of the 19th century only with the US filling the role of Britain.13 This brings us to modern
time where America has realized that rather than confront and fight against autocracies, its better
to integrate them into the current global economy while supporting rule of law and stronger state
institutions.13
This all stems back to McKinleys blunders culminating in the Spanish American War
after which America slowly began its shift to imperialism. This imperialism along with the fact
that most Americans had limited to no reactions with foreigners besides the poor immigrants who
came to America seeking a new life led Americans to begin to feel that they know better than
those poor uneducated immigrants which in turn strengthens the support for imperialism in
America. Then comes Teddy Roosevelt who rides this imperialist momentum and introduces
some policies that make America much more involved in the outside world. After becoming
involved with the outside world America started becoming friends with certain countries, and by
extension became enemies with others. Then, that fateful day three years into the Great War, the
moral soldier Wilson had had enough of Germanys abuse and declared them the great evil in the
world in order to appeal to the morality of Americans to get them ready. After the First World
2

General James Rusling, Interview with President William McKinley, The

Christian Advocate 22 January 1903.
3
Dr Magee, lecture week 4
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Dr Magee, lecture week 3

War and Americas failure to create a League of Nations and a lasting peace and heavy
reparations on Germany caused Germany to start to lust for power once more, the ambitions of
Hitler eventually lead the German war machine into war with the rest of Europe, marking the
beginning of WW2. However it wasnt until December 7, 1941 that America joined the conflict
after being attacked by Germanys allies, the Japanese. Finally, after all the fighting is over,
America stands as the least injured country coming out of WW2, in fact, America was much
more prosperous now than before the war. And American influence continued to expand until it
began to clash with the influence spheres of the Russians. This marks the beginning of the cold
war and what could be considered the height of Americas global involvement. The Cold War
also marks the start of Americans policy of containment towards communism which leads to a
many a conflict during this time period in the form of proxy wars. However as time passes the
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us to modern times, where Americas role isnt lone protector of the world but as a first world
NATO country America should try to focus on making itself and the world a better place.

Dr Magee, lecture week 3

Theodore Roosevelt, Annual Message to Congress, December 6,
1904, http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?
flash=true&doc=56&page=transcript.
6
The United States and the World CH 4 IAH 201 Course web site
5