Theodore Roosevelt's Big Stick Diplomacy: A Forceful Foreign Policy

Theodore Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy, also known as the big stick policy or ideology, was a foreign policy approach that asserted US domination and intervention in Latin America and the Caribbean. The big stick metaphor originates from the phrase speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far, which Roosevelt claimed was a West African proverb. This approach involved negotiating peacefully while also having a strong military capability to threaten force if needed. Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy was influenced by his belief that the United States had a right and obligation to be the policeman of the Western Hemisphere and is comparable to gunboat diplomacy.

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Latin America and the Caribbean

Big stick diplomacy, big stick ideology, big stick philosophy, or big stick policy refers to a political approach and foreign policy positions taken by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The terms are derived from an aphorism often used by Roosevelt: "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far".

In Latin America and the Caribbean, Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy was felt in several ways. Firstly, it led to repeated police actions and military interventions in "dysfunctional" Caribbean and Latin American countries by U.S. marines and naval forces. This approach, sometimes called "gunboat diplomacy", involved the temporary seizure of control of governments and the dictation of policies favourable to American business interests, such as the repayment of foreign loans.

Secondly, Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy was used to justify the founding of the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This demonstrated the United States' military might and served as a strategic outpost in the region.

Thirdly, Roosevelt's policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean was influenced by the Monroe Doctrine of the early 19th century, which warned European nations against interfering in the Western Hemisphere. Roosevelt built upon this with his Corollary of 1904, stating that the United States would intervene in any Latin American country with serious economic problems or "chronic wrongdoing" that threatened regional stability. This was based on his belief that if nations in the region continued to struggle with issues like foreign debt, they would become targets of European intervention.

Finally, Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy had implications for the construction of the Panama Canal. By leveraging military strength and economic coercion, Roosevelt played a key role in making the canal a reality, seeing it as a way to project military power and enhance international trade.

Overall, Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean was characterised by a combination of military strength, economic coercion, and diplomatic manoeuvring. While he faced criticism for his aggressive foreign policy, Roosevelt believed that these actions were necessary to maintain stability in the region and protect American interests.

Canal Diplomacy

"Big stick diplomacy" was a political approach used by Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States. The term "big stick" was used to describe the country's foreign policy positions during his administration. Roosevelt's diplomatic maxim was to "'speak softly and carry a big stick', and he maintained that a chief executive must be willing to use force when necessary while practising the art of persuasion.

One of the most notable instances of "big stick diplomacy" in action was during the pursuit of a canal across Central America, known as the "Canal Diplomacy". This was one of Roosevelt's most spectacular foreign policy initiatives, which involved the construction of the Panama Canal.

For years, US naval leaders had dreamed of building a passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through Central America. In 1901, the United States negotiated with Britain for the support of an American-controlled canal that would be constructed either in Nicaragua or through a strip of land in Panama, which was then owned by Colombia. In a series of closed-door manoeuvres, the Senate approved a route through Panama, on the condition that Colombia agreed to the terms. When Colombia refused, the United States backed a Panamanian revolution with money and a naval blockade, which prevented Colombian troops from landing in Panama.

Roosevelt visited Panama in 1906 to observe the building of the canal, becoming the first US president to leave the country during his term of office. The Panama Canal was finally completed in 1914, and by 1925, more than 5,000 merchant ships had traversed the 40-mile passage each year. The canal shortened the voyage from San Francisco to New York by more than 8,000 miles and converted the Panama Canal Zone into a major staging area for American military forces, making the United States the dominant military power in Central America.

In addition to Panama, Nicaragua also featured in canal-related incidents of "big stick diplomacy". In 1901, Secretary of State John Hay pressed the Nicaraguan Government for approval of a canal, offering $1.5 million in ratification, $100,000 annually, and the promise to "provide sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity".

Military strength

Theodore Roosevelt's Big Stick ideology emphasised the importance of a strong military as a deterrent to war and a tool for enforcing US diplomatic objectives. Roosevelt believed that a powerful navy was essential for projecting American power and protecting its interests on the world stage.

Roosevelt had a personal interest in military fitness and physical culture, and he brought this passion to his role as commander-in-chief. He believed that physical fitness was a key component of military effectiveness and was dismayed by the lack of physical conditioning among some high-ranking officers in the Army and Navy. He even went so far as to implement a fitness test for the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps, which included a 50-mile walk within three consecutive days and a 90-mile horseback ride. Roosevelt himself led by example, often undertaking strenuous physical activities that left even his military aides struggling to keep up.

Roosevelt's focus on military strength was particularly directed towards naval power. He sought to transform the Navy into a world-class force, capable of deterring potential adversaries and projecting American power globally. In his address to the New York-based Union League Club in 1897, Roosevelt urged policymakers to "prepare a navy capable of upholding the honour of the nation". He increased the Navy's budget and force strength exponentially, prioritising preparedness, reorganisation, training, and "armed diplomacy".

Roosevelt's belief in the importance of naval power was shaped by his interpretation of the conflict between the United States and the Royal Navy. He attributed the defeat of the American Navy to poor preparation and concluded that strengthening American naval power was essential for deterring future aggression. Roosevelt's naval strategy was also influenced by the need to protect American interests in the Pacific and manage conflicts with rising powers such as Japan, Great Britain, and Germany.

Roosevelt's Big Stick diplomacy was closely associated with his use of military force to enforce the Monroe Doctrine and intervene in Latin America. He stationed naval forces in Cuba to ensure compliance with the Monroe Doctrine and dispatched the Great White Fleet of 16 battleships to circumnavigate the globe as a display of American naval power. Roosevelt also used the "big stick" during "Canal Diplomacy", with incidents of big stick diplomacy occurring in both Nicaragua and Panama.

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Peaceful negotiation

Theodore Roosevelt's "big stick" ideology is a political approach that emphasizes peaceful negotiation backed by military strength. The phrase "speak softly and carry a big stick" is attributed to Roosevelt, who claimed it was a West African proverb, although this is disputed. This approach to foreign policy suggests that negotiation and diplomacy should be the primary tools, but it is essential to have the strength and capability to take action if needed.

Roosevelt believed that the United States had a right and an obligation to be the "policeman" of the Western Hemisphere. This belief shaped his foreign policy decisions, especially in Latin America, where the US had a strong military presence. Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy in Latin America included interventions in Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. For example, when Germany and Britain blockaded Venezuela's coastline over loan repayments, Roosevelt demanded arbitration and threatened military action to maintain stability in the region.

In Asia, Roosevelt sought to maintain a balance of power among the various countries to prevent any single player from becoming too dominant. When Japan forced American businesses out of Manchuria, Roosevelt sent the Great White Fleet on manoeuvres in the western Pacific Ocean as a show of force. This action, described as a goodwill tour, successfully protected American interests in Asia. Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy also played a role in establishing the Panama Canal, where he supported a Panamanian revolution with money and a naval blockade to gain approval for the canal's construction.

Overall, Roosevelt's "big stick" ideology emphasizes the importance of peaceful negotiation and diplomacy, backed by a strong military capability. This approach allowed Roosevelt to pursue American interests and influence globally while minimizing the use of force.

Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine was articulated in President James Monroe's seventh annual message to Congress on December 2, 1823. The Doctrine warned European powers not to interfere in the affairs of the Western Hemisphere, which was considered the United States' sphere of interest. Monroe outlined two separate spheres of influence: the Americas and Europe. The Doctrine stated that the American continents were not to be considered for future colonisation by any European powers. In exchange, the United States pledged to avoid involvement in the political affairs of Europe.

The Doctrine was conceived to address major concerns at the time, and it soon became a watchword of U.S. policy in the Western Hemisphere. It was invoked in 1865 when the U.S. government exerted diplomatic and military pressure in support of the Mexican President Benito Juarez. This enabled Juarez to lead a successful revolt against the Emperor Maximilian, who had been placed on the throne by the French government.

The Doctrine was broken several times over the course of the 19th century, notably with the Second French intervention in Mexico. By the beginning of the 20th century, the United States itself was able to successfully enforce the Doctrine, and it became a defining moment in U.S. foreign policy.

The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, announced in 1904, stated that the United States would intervene as a last resort to ensure that other nations in the Western Hemisphere fulfilled their obligations to international creditors and did not violate the rights of the United States. This led to the United States increasingly using military force to restore internal stability to nations in the region, including Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

Theodore Roosevelt's "Big Stick" ideology was a political approach that asserted U.S. domination when such dominance was considered a moral imperative. The "big stick" refers to military strength, which was to be used as a threat while still negotiating peacefully. Roosevelt's foreign policy had five components, one of which was to possess a serious military capability that would force adversaries to pay close attention. This included stationing naval forces in Cuba to ensure compliance with the Monroe Doctrine. Roosevelt's "Big Stick" ideology thus served to strengthen and enforce the Monroe Doctrine, particularly in Latin America.

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