Omar Bennett
Theodore Roosevelt's diplomacy was characterised by an assertive approach, with the aim of increasing the influence and prestige of the United States on the world stage. His speak softly and carry a big stick approach, also known as the Big Stick policy, was a significant shift in US foreign policy, marking the country's transition from a continental empire to an overseas one. Roosevelt's diplomacy was influenced by his belief that the United States' interests were global, and that the country should wield power in world affairs, just as European empires did. This approach was applied in various situations, including Latin America and the Caribbean, East Asia, and Europe.
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What You'll Learn
'Speak softly and carry a big stick'
Theodore Roosevelt's diplomatic maxim was to "speak softly and carry a big stick". This approach was based on the idea that a chief executive must be willing to use force when necessary while also practising the art of persuasion. Roosevelt wanted the US to wield power in global affairs, just as the European empires did.
Roosevelt's "big stick" approach had five components. Firstly, it was essential to possess serious military capabilities that forced adversaries to pay attention. This meant having a world-class navy. The other qualities were to act justly towards other nations, never to bluff, to strike only if prepared to strike hard, and the willingness to allow the adversary to save face in defeat.
Roosevelt's foreign policy initiatives were driven by his belief that the US had become an empire and that it was important for the country to wield power in world affairs. He believed that US interests were global interests and that it was good for "civilised" nations to intervene in other countries' affairs. He also believed that the exportation of American values and ideals would have a positive effect on the world.
Roosevelt's diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean, for example, was characterised by his Big Stick policy, also known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. This policy allowed the US to police small debtor nations with unstable governments. In 1902, Roosevelt demanded that Germany and Britain agree to arbitration to resolve a dispute over Venezuela's refusal to repay loans. He also ordered an American collector to assume control of the customs houses in Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) to collect duties and avoid possible European military action.
Roosevelt also played a role in negotiating an end to the Russo-Japanese War and intervened to prevent war between Germany and France over their colonial claims in Morocco. He established close relations with Britain to ensure peaceful, shared hegemony over the Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt's diplomacy during the Japanese-American crisis of 1906-1909 was described as shrewd, skillful, and responsible.
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The Monroe Doctrine
Roosevelt's approach to Latin America and the Caribbean has often been characterized as the "Big Stick," and his policy became known as the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. This policy had five components: possessing serious military capabilities, acting justly toward other nations, never bluffing, striking only if prepared to strike hard, and allowing the adversary to save face in defeat. Roosevelt's famous quote, "speak softly and carry a big stick," reflects this approach. He believed in the importance of practicing the art of persuasion while also being willing to use force when necessary.
Roosevelt's Big Stick diplomacy was particularly evident in Latin America and the Caribbean, where he intervened in the affairs of small debtor nations with unstable governments, such as Venezuela and Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic). In 1904, he stated that the United States would intervene as a last resort to ensure that nations in the Western Hemisphere fulfilled their obligations to international creditors and did not violate American rights or invite foreign aggression. This policy served as justification for U.S. intervention in Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
Roosevelt's diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean represented a shift from the passive Monroe Doctrine of the 19th century to a more assertive policy in the 20th century, reflecting the United States' growing confidence and desire to play a larger role in international diplomacy.
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The Open Door Policy
One of the key diplomatic strategies that President Theodore Roosevelt advocated for was the Open Door Policy. This policy was a component of Roosevelt's broader strategy in East Asia and called for keeping China open to free trade with all countries. In practice, the Open Door Policy was largely rhetorical and had little tangible impact.
Roosevelt's approach to diplomacy was shaped by his belief in the importance of possessing serious military capabilities, specifically, a powerful navy. This belief was influenced by Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan's argument in "The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783" (1890), which asserted that only a nation with a formidable fleet could dominate the oceans, effectively exert its diplomatic influence, and safeguard its borders. Roosevelt's famous quote, "speak softly and carry a big stick," encapsulates this aspect of his foreign policy approach.
In East Asia, Roosevelt sought to strengthen relations with Japan, believing that friendship with the country was crucial for preserving American interests in the Pacific. He played a pivotal role in ending the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Additionally, he negotiated the Gentlemen's Agreement with Japan, which aimed to limit Japanese immigration to the United States in exchange for less discriminatory policies towards immigrants already in the country. Roosevelt's diplomacy during the Japanese-American crisis of 1906-1909 was described as shrewd, skillful, and responsible.
Roosevelt also navigated complex relations with European powers, particularly regarding their colonial ambitions and disputes. He played a mediating role in the Moroccan crisis of 1905–1906, convening a multinational conference in Algeciras, Morocco, to resolve the conflict between France, Britain, and Germany over colonial influence in Morocco. Despite his involvement in this crisis, Roosevelt later advised European powers that the United States would generally refrain from involvement in European affairs, including mediation efforts.
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The Panama Canal
The construction of the Panama Canal was a significant diplomatic endeavour for US President Theodore Roosevelt. In fact, Roosevelt considered it his most important action in foreign affairs during his presidency. Prior to Roosevelt, no American president had travelled abroad during his tenure, but Roosevelt broke this tradition when he visited Panama in 1906 to inspect the construction of the canal. Roosevelt's visit to Panama and his enthusiasm for the project encouraged American views of US "ownership" of the canal, which later became a source of tension in US-Panamanian relations.
The US interest in building a canal in Central America dated back to 1850 when the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty was negotiated with Great Britain to address rivalry over a proposed canal through Nicaragua. However, this Anglo-American canal never progressed beyond the planning stages. French attempts to build a canal through Panama (then a province of Colombia) in the 1880s were thwarted by tropical diseases, resulting in the loss of approximately 20,000 lives and eventual bankruptcy.
Despite these setbacks, American interest persisted, and in 1901, the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty abrogated the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty, granting the US the right to build and manage its own canal. The US Senate voted in favour of Panama as the location, and negotiations began with Colombia, which then had sovereignty over Panama. However, Colombia rejected the financial terms of the proposed treaty, and Panama, with US support, declared its independence from Colombia in 1903.
The newly independent Republic of Panama, led by Philippe Bunau-Varilla, a French engineer involved in the earlier French attempt, quickly negotiated the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty with the US in 1903. This treaty provided the US with a 10-mile-wide strip of land for the canal, a one-time payment of $10 million to Panama, and an annual annuity of $250,000. The US also guaranteed Panama's independence. The canal zone was widened from six to ten miles, and the US was granted the sole authority to fortify and defend the canal, with the right to intervene in Panama to protect its interests.
While the Panama Canal was heralded as a triumph at the time, tensions between the US and Panama over control of the canal grew in the following decades. In the late 1960s and 1970s, negotiations between the two countries led to the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which aimed to address the status of the canal and the Canal Zone. The treaties, signed in 1977, stipulated that the US could defend the Panama Canal and maintain its usage, while the Canal Zone would be abolished, and the canal would eventually be turned over to Panamanian control in 1999.
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The Russo-Japanese War
Theodore Roosevelt's diplomatic approach was characterised by his belief in the importance of the United States as a global power, and his advocacy for the country to wield "a big stick" in world affairs, just as European empires did. This ""big stick" diplomacy had five components: possessing serious military capabilities, acting justly towards other nations, never bluffing, striking hard when necessary, and allowing adversaries to save face in defeat. Roosevelt's famous foreign policy maxim was to ""speak softly and carry a big stick".
Roosevelt's involvement in the Russo-Japanese War exemplifies his diplomatic approach. The war lasted from 1904 to 1905, and Roosevelt played a significant role in negotiating its end. His efforts in the conflict earned him the Nobel Peace Prize. Roosevelt's intervention in the Russo-Japanese War represented a shift in the US presidency, signalling a new era of American involvement in international diplomacy. Roosevelt believed that the United States' interests were global, and that events in far-off places like Japan could have a tangible impact on American interests.
Roosevelt's foreign policy initiatives extended beyond the Russo-Japanese War. He was also instrumental in establishing the Panama Canal, which was completed in 1914, five years after he left office. The canal allowed ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans without having to navigate around South America. The construction of the canal solidified the United States as the dominant military power in Central America and facilitated the projection of American military force in the region. Roosevelt's assertive approach to Latin America and the Caribbean, particularly in Venezuela and Cuba, further exemplified his "big stick" diplomacy.
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Frequently asked questions
Roosevelt's 'big stick' diplomacy was a foreign policy approach that involved the US wielding power in world affairs in a similar way to European empires. This meant possessing serious military capabilities, acting justly towards other nations, never bluffing, striking hard when necessary, and allowing adversaries to save face in defeat.
Roosevelt's diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean was characterised by intervention in the affairs of debtor nations with unstable governments. He was particularly involved in the Venezuela debt crisis, demanding arbitration to resolve the dispute between Venezuela and its European creditors. He also ordered American collectors to assume control of customs houses in Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) to prevent European military action.
Roosevelt was the driving force behind the construction of the Panama Canal, which was completed in 1914, five years after he left office. He supported Panama in its struggle for independence from Colombia and signed a lease to build the canal. The canal converted the Panama Canal Zone into a major US military staging area, making the US the dominant military power in Central America.
