Simone Lawson
Woodrow Wilson's diplomacy was based on his belief in the United States' duty to spread democracy and uphold democratic values worldwide. This approach, known as moral diplomacy, marked a shift from the dollar diplomacy of his predecessor, William Howard Taft, and was characterized by Wilson's anti-imperialist stance and support for self-determination. Wilson's moral diplomacy was applied notably in Mexico and Latin America, where he refused to recognize Victoriano Huerta's rise to power in Mexico in 1913 and intervened in elections and political affairs to promote democracy. However, his interventions also led to military occupations and economic control, as seen in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Virgin Islands. Wilson's vision for a new diplomacy was outlined in his Fourteen Points speech to Congress in 1918, advocating for open covenants and transparency in international relations. Despite his efforts, Wilson faced challenges in keeping the US out of world affairs and struggled to gain approval for his peace settlement, including the League of Nations initiative.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Diplomacy | Moral Diplomacy |
| Core Principle | Self-determination |
| Core Principle Description | The moral right of people to choose their form of government and leaders by democratic elections |
| Supported Nations | Those that agreed to uphold democratic values |
| Opposition | Republican-controlled Senate |
| Relationship with Mexico | Intervened in elections and political affairs |
| Relationship with Latin America | Refused to rely on the Roosevelt Corollary |
| Relationship with Japan | Promised not to interfere in the Pacific |
| Relationship with Europe | Remained an "associated power" during WWI |
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What You'll Learn
Moral diplomacy
Woodrow Wilson's "moral diplomacy" was a new form of statesmanship that emerged during his presidency. It was a shift in foreign policy, hinging upon moral values rather than purely imperialist interests. In his 1912 election campaign, Wilson proposed a system in which support would be given only to countries whose beliefs were analogous to those of the United States. This would promote the growth of the nation's ideals and damage nations with different ideologies.
At its core was the principle of "self-determination", or the moral right of people to choose their form of government and leaders through democratic elections. Wilson considered moral diplomacy an alternative to the imperialist policies of his predecessors, which sought to extend American power through territorial acquisitions or indirect control over other nations' political and economic lives. Instead, Wilson's diplomacy aimed to empower developing nations to become self-sustaining and democratic. This was reflected in his relationships with various governments, particularly in Mexico and Latin America. Wilson refused to recognize Victoriano Huerta's right to the Mexican presidency after he took power by force in 1913, despite pressure from Americans with economic interests in Mexico and many foreign powers.
Wilson's moral diplomacy replaced William Howard Taft's "dollar diplomacy", which emphasized the importance of economic support to improve bilateral ties between nations. In Asia, Wilson abandoned dollar diplomacy and revived diplomatic efforts to minimize Japanese interference in the Pacific. Wilson's diplomacy also sought to reduce American intervention in Latin America, as promised during his campaign. He encouraged nations to sign "cooling off treaties", agreeing to resolve international disputes through diplomacy and submit grievances to an international commission.
Despite his ideals, Wilson struggled to keep the United States out of world affairs. His actions in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where he sent American marines to restore order, led to military occupations that failed to create the democratic states they aimed for. Wilson's moral diplomacy often led to economic control and military occupation, as seen in his intervention in Mexico.
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Fourteen Points speech
Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points speech, delivered to Congress on January 8, 1918, outlined his vision for a new diplomacy and a revolution in the conduct of international affairs. The Fourteen Points can be summarised as follows:
- Open covenants of peace, with no secret treaties that could drag the world into war, as had happened in 1914. All territories occupied during the war were to be evacuated.
- Absolute freedom of navigation on the seas, both in peace and war, with no restrictions on any country.
- Removal of economic barriers and the establishment of equal trade conditions among all nations, with a commitment to free trade.
- Reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety, with international guarantees to ensure security.
- Free, open, and just adjustment of colonial claims, with impartial adjustment of all colonial questions by international considerations and the interests of the populations concerned.
- Evacuation of Russian territory and a "sincere welcome" to Russia into the "family of nations" with the hope that she would be able to obtain unhampered and unembarrassed commerce with the world.
- Restoration of Belgian sovereignty and independence, with the evacuation of German troops and a guarantee of permanent neutrality.
- Evacuation and restoration of French territory, including Alsace-Lorraine, which was "wrongfully" taken from France by Germany in 1871.
- Re-adjustment of the Italian frontiers along "clearly recognizable lines of nationality."
- Autonomy for the peoples of Austria-Hungary, with the opportunity to form independent states and develop themselves automatically along "clearly recognizable lines of nationality."
- Evacuation of Romanian, Serbian, and Montenegrin territories, with guaranteed access to the sea for Serbia.
- Autonomy for the Turkish portions of the Ottoman Empire, with the Dardanelles guaranteed to be an international waterway.
- Independence for Poland, with access to the sea and the establishment of a "Polish State" that includes territories inhabited by "indisputably Polish populations."
- A general association of nations to be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity, with a focus on "large and small states alike."
Wilson's Fourteen Points speech was a significant moment in his presidency, reflecting his belief in moral diplomacy and self-determination, and his desire to spread democracy and change the world. However, he faced challenges in keeping the United States out of world affairs and struggled to maintain independence in foreign policy decisions, particularly regarding Mexico and Latin America.
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Self-determination
Woodrow Wilson's diplomacy was based on the principle of moral diplomacy, which he first proposed during his 1912 election campaign. This form of diplomacy was based on economic power and hinged upon moral values rather than purely imperialist interests. Wilson believed that the US had a duty to spread democracy and used aggressive moral diplomacy to ensure this objective.
At its core was the principle of self-determination, the moral right of people to choose their form of government and leaders through democratic elections. This was in contrast to the policy of imperialism, which sought to extend a nation's power and dominion by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of another nation. Wilson's moral diplomacy was an attempt to empower developing nations to become self-sustaining and democratic.
Wilson's predecessor, William Howard Taft, had practised dollar diplomacy, which highlighted the importance of economic support to improve bilateral ties between nations. Wilson's moral diplomacy replaced this, and he believed it did not necessarily extend American power. Instead, he used it to intervene in elections and political affairs in countries such as Mexico and Latin America, to 'support' the development of democratic systems and values. This often led to military occupation and economic control over these territories, their governments, and their markets.
For example, in 1913, Mexican President Victoriano Huerta took power by force. Wilson refused to recognise his right to the presidency, despite most Americans and many foreign powers supporting him. Wilson also sent American marines to Haiti and the Dominican Republic to restore order and create democratic states, although these attempts failed. Wilson's actions in Mexico and Latin America were perhaps the most well-known examples of his moral diplomacy.
In 1918, Wilson outlined his vision for a "new diplomacy" in his "Fourteen Points" speech delivered to Congress. He called for open covenants openly arrived at, and an end to secret treaties, which he believed had pulled the world into war in 1914.
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Opposition to imperialism
Woodrow Wilson's moral diplomacy was a departure from the imperialist policies of his predecessors. Wilson's diplomacy was based on economic power and moral values, rather than purely imperialist interests. He believed that it was America's duty to protect democracy and free peoples in other countries, and that all peoples had the right to self-determination.
However, Wilson's actions in Latin America and the Caribbean reveal a more complicated picture. In 1915, Wilson responded to chronic revolution in Haiti by sending in American marines to restore order, and he did the same in the Dominican Republic in 1916. The military occupations that followed failed to create the democratic states that were their stated objective. In 1916, Wilson also practiced an old-fashioned form of imperialism by buying the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million.
Wilson's actions in Mexico further illustrate the complexities of his approach to imperialism. Mexico had seen a series of revolutions since 1910, and Americans with interests in the country wanted immediate US intervention to protect their property. When Victoriano Huerta gained control of Mexico in 1913, Wilson refused to recognize him because he had illegally seized power. Wilson attempted to initiate peaceful negotiations between Huerta and the usurped government, but when a group of American sailors on shore leave in Mexico were seized by Huerta's army, Wilson responded with force, sending American marines to take and occupy Veracruz, Mexico's primary seaport.
Wilson's "Fourteen Points" speech delivered to Congress on January 8, 1918, outlined his vision for a "new diplomacy" that would dismantle the imperial order. He called for open covenants, the evacuation of occupied territories, and the independence of European sections of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires. Despite his idealism, Wilson faced opposition both at home and abroad, and he was forced to compromise on most of his points in the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed harsh terms on Germany.
In conclusion, while Wilson's moral diplomacy represented a shift away from the explicit imperialist policies of his predecessors, his actions in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Mexico reveal a more complicated relationship with imperialism. Wilson's idealism was often at odds with the realities of international affairs, and he resorted to military action and economic control in an attempt to uphold democratic values and protect American interests.
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Intervention in Mexico
Woodrow Wilson's diplomacy was based on moral values and was known as "moral diplomacy". This form of diplomacy was proposed by Wilson in his 1912 United States presidential election campaign. It entailed a shift in foreign policy from being hinged on imperialist interests to being hinged on moral values. Wilson believed that the US had a duty to spread democracy and used aggressive moral diplomacy to ensure this objective.
Moral diplomacy was particularly evident in Mexico and Latin America. Mexico posed a problem for Wilsonian diplomacy due to the series of revolutions that had taken place since 1910. Americans with mining and other interests in Mexico wanted immediate US intervention to protect their property. When Victoriano Huerta gained control of Mexico in 1913, Wilson refused to recognize him, despite most Americans and many foreign powers supporting him, because he had illegally seized power. Wilson urged European powers to refrain from recognizing Huerta's government and imposed an arms embargo on the regime.
Wilson was reluctant to send US troops to Mexico in 1914 but eventually yielded to pressure from American business interests, cabinet members, newspapers, and representatives of the Southwest. The US government ordered two military incursions into Mexico. The first entailed an invasion and occupation of the city of Veracruz in 1914, and the second was the "Punitive Expedition" of 1916-1917, commanded by General John J. Pershing. This expedition was in response to a raid on the town of Columbus, New Mexico, by a revolutionary faction headed by Francisco "Pancho" Villa, which resulted in the deaths of sixteen Americans. The Punitive Expedition penetrated 419 miles into Mexico in search of Villa but never found him.
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Frequently asked questions
Wilson supported moral diplomacy, which was based on economic power and democratic values rather than purely imperialist interests.
Moral diplomacy was a form of diplomacy proposed by President Woodrow Wilson in his 1912 United States presidential election campaign. It was based on the principle of self-determination, or the moral right of people to choose their form of government and leaders through democratic elections.
Wilson's moral diplomacy replaced the dollar diplomacy of William Howard Taft, which highlighted the importance of economic support to improve bilateral ties between nations. Wilson's diplomacy was also notably different from his predecessors in Asia, where he revived diplomatic efforts to keep Japanese interference in the Pacific at a minimum.
Wilson's moral diplomacy took the form of intervention in elections and political affairs to 'support' the development of democratic systems and values. This often led to military occupation and economic control over territories, their governments, and their markets. Wilson notably practiced moral diplomacy in Mexico and Latin America.
Wilson's moral diplomacy did not necessarily extend American power, but rather sought to empower developing nations to become self-sustaining and democratic. However, military occupations in Haiti and the Dominican Republic failed to create the democratic states that were their stated objective. Wilson also faced challenges in Mexico, where he refused to recognize Victoriano Huerta's right to the presidency after he took power by force in 1913.
