Jonah Patel
Theodore Roosevelt's Big Stick foreign policy was based on the idea of speaking softly and carrying a big stick. This approach, which he claimed was derived from a West African proverb, involved negotiating peacefully while also having the military strength to enforce foreign policy goals. While Roosevelt's policy aimed to use peaceful negotiations and avoid the use of force, it also asserted U.S. domination and intervention in Latin America, which created resentment in the region. One weakness of Roosevelt's Big Stick diplomacy was that it relied on a strong military presence to back up negotiations, and in regions without a significant U.S. military presence, such as China, the threat was not as credible. This limited Roosevelt's ability to achieve his foreign policy goals and maintain U.S. dominance in those regions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Roosevelt's belief in the U.S. as the "policeman" of the Western Hemisphere | Led to resentment in Latin America |
| Lack of strong military presence in China | Unable to use "big stick" threat to achieve foreign policy goals |
| Aggressiveness of foreign policy | Intervened in Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic |
| Interventions in Latin America | Created tension with European powers, e.g. during the Venezuela Crisis (1902-1903) |
| Use of presidential decrees | Roosevelt's declaration regarding the Monroe Doctrine was never ratified by the Senate |
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What You'll Learn
Lack of military presence in China
The "Big Stick Ideology" was a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The ideology was based on a favourite proverb of Roosevelt's, "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far". This proverb was used to describe his foreign policy, which involved negotiating peacefully but also having the strength of the military to fall back on if needed.
One weakness of Roosevelt's "Big Stick" diplomacy was the lack of military presence in China. Although Roosevelt supported the Open Door notes as an excellent economic policy in China, he lamented the fact that the United States had no strong military presence in the region to enforce it. Roosevelt believed that the coercive power wielded by the United States could be harmful in the wrong hands, but he also felt that the Western Hemisphere's best interests were also the best interests of the United States. Without a military presence in China, Roosevelt could not as easily use his "big stick" threat to achieve his foreign policy goals.
Roosevelt's belief in the importance of a strong military presence is evident in his support for increasing naval preparation to support the nation's diplomatic objectives. In the early 20th century, he stationed naval forces in Cuba to ensure "the respect of the Monroe Doctrine" and the compliance of the parties in question. Roosevelt also used the "big stick" during "Canal Diplomacy", where he sent American battleships to the coast of Colombia to support the Panamanian people's revolution and the formation of a new nation.
The lack of a military presence in China limited Roosevelt's ability to intervene in conflicts on the other side of the Pacific. For example, when the Russo-Japanese War erupted in 1904, Roosevelt initially supported Japan's defence against Russia. However, when Japan's ongoing victories put the United States' own interests in Asia at risk, he was forced to step in and intervene diplomatically.
The United States' focus on Asia, and specifically on China, has continued into the 21st century, with efforts to build up its forces in the Pacific and create strategic partnerships to deter and contain China's military power. However, some argue that the United States has overstated its priorities in competing with China, undermining its broader global strategic interests and damaging its ties with Europe and NATO.
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Intervention in Latin America
The "Big Stick Ideology" was a political approach used by US President Theodore Roosevelt, based on the saying "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far". This approach was used by Roosevelt to complement his diplomatic policies and enforce the Monroe Doctrine during multiple interventions in Latin America.
Latin America was a significant focus of Roosevelt's first term as President. In 1902, Venezuela became a key area of attention when Germany and Britain sent ships to blockade the country's coastline. This was due to the Venezuelan dictator's refusal to repay loans given by the European nations. Roosevelt demanded that Germany and Britain agree to arbitration to resolve the dispute. This incident provided the initial basis for the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which stated that the US would intervene as a last resort to ensure that other nations in the Western Hemisphere fulfilled their obligations to international creditors.
Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) also encountered issues with European countries over debt. Roosevelt ordered an American collector to assume control of the customs houses and collect duties to avoid possible European military action. This intervention in Latin America was another instance of Roosevelt's "Big Stick" diplomacy in action, as he used the threat of US military power to enforce arbitration and maintain regional stability.
Another example of Roosevelt's "Big Stick" diplomacy in Latin America was the Panama Canal incident. Roosevelt supported the Panamanian people's revolution against Colombia, sending American battleships to the coast of Colombia to prevent the Colombian government from quelling the uprising. This intervention ensured that the new country of Panama, which Roosevelt immediately recognized, would be an American protectorate, furthering US dominance in the region.
While Roosevelt's "Big Stick" diplomacy was successful in asserting US domination in Latin America, it also created resentment in the region. The policy's aggressive nature, with the frequent use of military threats and interventions, contradicted Roosevelt's desire for a world where countries would turn to arbitration instead of war to settle disputes. This contradiction highlights a weakness in Roosevelt's approach, as his pursuit of US dominance through coercive means could undermine efforts to promote peaceful resolutions to international conflicts.
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Aggressive foreign policy
Theodore Roosevelt's "Big Stick" foreign policy was a political approach based on the idea of "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far". This approach was based on the belief that peaceful negotiation was preferable, but having a strong military was necessary in case things went wrong. Roosevelt believed that the United States had a right and an obligation to be the "policeman" of the Western Hemisphere and to intervene in Latin American countries that had serious economic problems or violated the rights of the United States.
One example of Roosevelt's aggressive foreign policy was his support for the Panamanian people's revolution against Colombia in 1903. Roosevelt sent American battleships to the coast of Colombia, blocking their ability to move troops into the region and quelling the Panamanian uprising. He immediately recognized Panama as a new country and offered them protection, making them an American protectorate until 1939.
Another example was the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which 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 policy led to US intervention in Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Roosevelt also stationed naval forces in Cuba to ensure "the respect of Monroe doctrine" and the compliance of the parties involved.
Roosevelt's "Big Stick" diplomacy was also evident in his dealings with China. He supported the Open Door notes as an excellent economic policy but lamented the lack of a strong US military presence in the region to enforce it. When conflicts arose between Russia and Japan in the Russo-Japanese War, Roosevelt initially supported Japan but stepped in when Japan's victories put US interests at risk.
While Roosevelt was often recognized for the aggressiveness of his foreign policy, he also played the role of a peacemaker. He offered his services to negotiate peace between Russia and Japan, meeting with them in 1905 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and winning the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. Roosevelt also arbitrated a dispute between France and Germany over the division of Morocco, demonstrating his commitment to peaceful resolution of international disputes.
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Peacemaking and mediation
Although often recognized for the aggressiveness of his foreign policy, Roosevelt was also a peacemaker. He longed for a world in which countries would turn to arbitration instead of war to settle international disputes, and he offered his services to this end.
Roosevelt's "big stick diplomacy" was a political approach used by the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The term "big stick diplomacy" is derived from the phrase, "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far," which Roosevelt claimed was a West African proverb, although there is little evidence for that. Roosevelt's first noted public use of the phrase occurred when he advocated before Congress for increasing naval preparation to support the nation's diplomatic objectives.
Roosevelt believed that while the coercive power wielded by the United States could be harmful in the wrong hands, the Western Hemisphere's best interests were also the best interests of the United States. He felt that the United States had the right and the obligation to be the policeman of the hemisphere. This belief, and his strategy of "speaking softly and carrying a big stick," shaped much of Roosevelt's foreign policy.
Roosevelt's desire for arbitration was demonstrated in his mediation of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. Japan’s defense against Russia was supported by President Roosevelt, but when Japan’s ongoing victories put the United States’ own Asian interests at risk, he stepped in. He offered his good offices to help negotiate a peace, and the countries eventually accepted, meeting with Roosevelt in 1905 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For his role as mediator, Roosevelt won the Nobel Prize for Peace, the first U.S. President to do so. Roosevelt also arbitrated a dispute between France and Germany over the division of Morocco.
Roosevelt also demonstrated his desire for arbitration in Latin America. Venezuela became a focus of his attention in 1902 when Germany and Britain sent ships to blockade that country's coastline due to Venezuela's refusal to repay loans from the European nations. Although both Germany and Britain assured the Americans that they did not have any territorial designs on Venezuela, Roosevelt felt aggrieved by their actions and demanded that they agree to arbitration to resolve the dispute. Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic) also encountered problems with European countries over debt, and Roosevelt ordered an American collector to assume control of the customs houses and collect duties to avoid possible European military action.
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Canal diplomacy in Central America
The Canal Diplomacy in Central America was a significant application of Roosevelt's "'Big Stick'" foreign policy approach. This policy, derived from the proverb "speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far," aimed to negotiate peacefully while also wielding military strength if needed.
The construction of a canal across Central America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, was a long-standing interest driven by trade considerations. The discovery of gold in California in 1848 further heightened the desire for such a canal. Several attempts by France to construct one between 1881 and 1894 failed due to financial crises and health hazards like malaria and yellow fever.
In 1901, Secretary of State John Hay pressed Nicaragua for approval of a canal, offering $1.5 million in ratification, $100,000 annually, and a guarantee of "sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity." However, it was in Panama where Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy was most evident. In 1903, Roosevelt sent American battleships to the coast of Colombia as the Panamanian revolution against Colombia unfolded. These warships prevented Colombia from reinforcing its troops, facilitating Panama's successful revolution and independence. Roosevelt immediately recognized the new country, and Panama became an American protectorate until 1939.
The Panama Canal's construction, completed in 1914, was a massive engineering feat requiring the labour of nearly 30,000 workers over ten years. It shortened the voyage from San Francisco to New York by over 8,000 miles and brought about technological and engineering advancements for the United States. The canal's strategic importance converted the Panama Canal Zone into a major staging area for American military forces, solidifying the country's dominant military position in Central America.
While Roosevelt's "big stick" diplomacy achieved the construction and control of the Panama Canal, it also had its weaknesses. The policy's aggressive nature, particularly evident in the intervention in Latin America, created resentment in the region. Roosevelt's belief that the United States had the right and obligation to be the "policeman" of the hemisphere led to a more coercive approach to foreign policy, with military strength always looming as a threat. This approach, while successful in some instances, generated tensions and potentially limited the pursuit of more cooperative international relations.
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Frequently asked questions
Roosevelt's Big Stick diplomacy was based on the idea of "speaking softly and carrying a big stick", which implied negotiating peacefully while having the military strength to back up threats. A weakness of this approach was that it relied on a credible military threat, and in regions where the US lacked a strong military presence, like China, the strategy was less effective.
Without a strong military presence in China, Roosevelt was unable to use his "big stick" threat to achieve his foreign policy goals. As a result, when conflicts arose in the Pacific, he was forced to adopt a more balanced approach, supporting Japan in the Russo-Japanese War until American interests were threatened by Japan's victories.
Roosevelt's Big Stick diplomacy, particularly the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, asserted US domination in Latin America and created resentment in the region. The US intervened in Latin American countries like Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, often to protect American economic interests and maintain stability.
Roosevelt's Big Stick diplomacy played a significant role in the construction of the Panama Canal. He supported Panamanian independence from Colombia and sent American battleships to block Colombian troops from quelling the uprising. After Panama gained independence, it became an American protectorate, and the Panama Canal Zone became a major staging area for US military forces, solidifying US dominance in Central America.
