Eleanor Finch
Missionary diplomacy was a policy of US President Woodrow Wilson that Washington had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any Latin American government that was not democratic. It was an expansion of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine. The term missionary diplomacy is often used to describe the policies and practices of the United States in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and China during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921). The concept of missionary diplomacy was also entangled with the work of American diplomacy in the 19th century, with Protestant missionaries playing influential roles in Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands.
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What You'll Learn
Woodrow Wilson's policy
Missionary diplomacy was a policy of US President Woodrow Wilson, which held that Washington had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any Latin American government that was not democratic. It was an expansion of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine.
Wilson saw close relationships between domestic and foreign policies. His domestic program, the New Freedom, envisaged a return to free competition in the United States. Monopolistic interests had to be destroyed at home, and their influence in foreign policy dispelled, leading to his initial rejection of "dollar diplomacy". However, he was not wholly hostile to business interests and believed their activities should serve the public interest.
In Latin America, Wilson's missionary diplomacy was particularly focused on Mexico, which posed a problem for Wilsonian diplomacy. Since 1899, Mexico had been in a state of revolution, and in 1913 it came under the rule of the counter-revolutionary General Victoriano Huerta, whose authoritarian rule was rejected by Wilson. Wilson's stance encouraged anti-Huerta forces in northern Mexico led by Venustiano Carranza. In 1914, using the arrest of several American sailors in Tampico as justification, Wilson ordered the US Navy to occupy the port city of Veracruz, weakening Huerta's control and forcing him to abandon power to Carranza, whom Wilson immediately recognized as Mexico's de facto president. Wilson also sent an expedition of US soldiers into Mexico in 1916 to pursue Pancho Villa, one of Carranza's rivals, but the expedition failed to capture Villa and provoked a confrontation between American and Mexican forces.
In addition to his actions in Mexico, Wilson also urged Germany to curtail its submarine warfare, which he believed would lead to an unnecessary war. When Germany resumed its submarine attacks in 1917, Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany, which it did in April of that year. After World War I, Wilson saw the League of Nations as an instrument for the application of Wilsonian democracy on an international scale. He outlined his vision in the "Fourteen Points" speech delivered to Congress in 1918, calling for a "new diplomacy" based on open covenants and the dismantling of imperial orders.
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Religion and diplomacy
During this period, Protestant missionaries became deeply involved in the work of American diplomacy, particularly in regions that were of interest to them, such as Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands. Once they established a presence in these areas, they demanded government support and protection. They positioned themselves as experts in international relations and influenced how the American government defined its early relationships with foreign powers.
The concept of "missionary diplomacy" is also associated with US President Woodrow Wilson's policies during his presidency from 1913 to 1921. Wilson's missionary diplomacy expanded on President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine and specifically applied to Latin America, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and China. Wilson believed that the United States had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any non-democratic Latin American government. This stance was driven by his concern for democracy and constitutionalism, as well as security considerations during World War I.
While Wilson's missionary diplomacy had some positive effects, such as negotiating a treaty with Colombia to resolve resentment over the loss of Panama, it also created permanent hostility between the United States and Latin America. Critics argue that Wilson's policy was ill-conceived, economically motivated, and assumed that the United States had the right to act undemocratically to install democracy in other nations.
Today, religious freedom remains a priority in American foreign policy, and missionaries continue to play a role in shaping global relations. The history of missionary diplomacy provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between religion and diplomacy, and how it has influenced American foreign policy over the centuries.
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Latin America relations
Missionary diplomacy was a policy of US President Woodrow Wilson, which stated that Washington had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any Latin American government that was not democratic. It was an expansion of President James Monroe's Monroe Doctrine of 1823.
Wilson's policy was based on his concepts of morality and democratic government. He believed that the US had a right to intervene in Latin America if it felt that a government was oppressive, undemocratic, or hostile to US interests. This policy led to increased intervention in Latin America and created permanent hostility between the US and several Latin American countries, including Mexico, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Wilson first tested his Latin American policy in Mexico in 1913, when the country was in the midst of an epic revolution against the dictator Porfirio Díaz.
The failure of Wilson's missionary diplomacy in Latin America has been attributed to the paradoxical nature of his methods, which often involved undemocratic means to achieve democratic objectives. For example, Wilson sent marines to occupy Veracruz and Santo Domingo, and worked to destroy the government of Victoriano Huerta, whom he viewed as immoral. Wilson's Latin American policy has been criticized for its failure to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of Latin American nations.
In addition to the political aspects of missionary diplomacy, it is worth noting that the term has also been used to describe the complex relationship between Protestant missionaries and the US Foreign Service in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This relationship influenced how the rest of the world viewed the United States and vice versa.
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Democracy and constitutionalism
Missionary diplomacy was a policy of US President Woodrow Wilson, which held that Washington had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any non-democratic government in Latin America. This policy was an expansion of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine.
Wilson's commitment to democracy and constitutionalism was genuine, and this was likely the main component of his Latin American policy when his administration began. However, Wilson's actions in Latin America, such as the bombardment of Veracruz and the US Marines' occupation of Santo Domingo, seemed to contradict his commitment to constitutionalism.
Wilson's policy of missionary diplomacy was driven by his belief in the superiority of democratic government and his concern for the security of the hemisphere, especially with potential enemies like Germany during World War I. He saw close relationships between domestic and foreign policies and wanted to dispel the influence of monopolistic interests in foreign policy.
While Wilson's ideas about democracy and constitutionalism were admirable, his policy of missionary diplomacy was ultimately a failure. It created permanent hostility between the United States and Latin America. This failure may be due to the contradiction between Wilson's democratic ideals and his willingness to act undemocratically to install democracy in other nations.
In the 19th century, Protestant missionaries played a crucial role in American diplomacy, particularly in Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands. They served as consuls, translators, and even influenced the State Department's actions. However, as time passed, Americans began to question the propriety of the missionaries' power and their true role in serving American diplomatic interests.
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Security and economic considerations
Missionary diplomacy was a policy of the US government under President Woodrow Wilson. It was an expansion of President James Monroe's Monroe Doctrine of 1823. The policy dictated that Washington had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any Latin American government that was not democratic.
The policy was driven by Wilson's concern for democracy and constitutionalism, and his belief that the United States might have to act undemocratically to install democracy in Latin America. This concern became more apparent as World War I progressed, with potential enemies such as Germany becoming a greater threat. An example of this is the 1917 Zimmerman telegram, where the German foreign minister invited Mexico to ally with Germany against the US.
Security considerations were not always the primary explanation for missionary diplomacy, but they were constant concerns for Wilson and his administration. With World War I occurring during most of Wilson's presidency, and the US entering the war in 1917, this focus on security is understandable.
There were also economic motivations for missionary diplomacy. Wilson initially rejected "dollar diplomacy," believing that business interests should serve, rather than dominate, the public interest. However, some have argued that Wilson's policy was ill-conceived and primarily economically motivated.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Protestant missionaries played a significant role in American diplomacy, particularly in Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands. They served as consuls, translators, and occasionally forced the State Department to take actions it otherwise would have avoided. Over time, the power of missionaries came into question, and their role in creating unnecessary problems was debated.
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Frequently asked questions
Missionary diplomacy is a term used to describe the policies and practices of the United States in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and China during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.
The main idea behind missionary diplomacy was that the United States had a moral responsibility to promote democracy and constitutional liberty in Latin America.
Wilson's administration took a hard line on Latin American revolutions, deeming them unconstitutional and illegitimate. They also negotiated treaties to resolve resentment towards the United States, such as the 1914 treaty with Colombia over the loss of Panama.
Missionary diplomacy had both positive and negative effects. While it led to the resolution of some international disputes, it also created permanent hostility between the United States and Latin America, and was criticised as being economically motivated.
