Woodrow Wilson's Vision For Us Diplomacy

Woodrow Wilson's goals for US diplomacy were primarily focused on promoting world peace through American influence, building the military, and acquiring new territories peacefully. Wilson believed in the role of the United States as a global leader and wanted to spread American values and influence to maintain international peace and stability. He advocated for a moral approach to foreign policy, emphasizing democratic values and self-determination for nations. Wilson's vision for a new world order was outlined in his famous Fourteen Points speech, which included ideals such as open diplomacy, free trade, and the creation of the League of Nations to foster international cooperation and prevent future conflicts through diplomacy.

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Promote world peace through American influence

Woodrow Wilson's foreign policy goals were largely centred around the idea of promoting world peace through American influence. This was to be achieved by encouraging democratic values and norms, and by acting only when it was morally imperative to do so.

Wilson's belief in the superiority of American values was a driving force behind his foreign policy. He thought that democracy was the best system to promote peace and stability, and that the United States should act as a moral compass for the world. This was reflected in his policy of "missionary diplomacy", an expansion of the Monroe Doctrine, which held that the US had a moral responsibility to deny recognition to any non-democratic Latin American governments. Wilson also believed in the importance of self-determination for nations, and this was a key part of his Fourteen Points speech, delivered in 1918.

Wilson's approach to diplomacy was also shaped by his desire to minimise American involvement abroad and to pursue a less imperialistic foreign policy than his predecessors. He appointed William Jennings Bryan, a noted anti-imperialist and proponent of world peace, as his Secretary of State. Bryan encouraged nations to sign cooling-off treaties, agreeing to resolve disputes through diplomacy and outside fact-finding commissions rather than war. However, in practice, Wilson found it difficult to avoid intervention, particularly in Latin America, where he sent troops to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba, to protect American interests.

Wilson also believed in the role of the United States as a global leader and wanted to spread American influence to maintain peace and stability. He advocated for the creation of the League of Nations, an international organisation aimed at fostering international cooperation, collective security, and the prevention of future wars through diplomacy.

Build the military, especially the navy

Woodrow Wilson's goals for US diplomacy included building the military, with a particular focus on the navy. This was part of a broader vision to promote world peace and stability through American influence and leadership.

Wilson believed that the United States had a responsibility to spread its values, particularly democracy, and enhance global democratic norms. He saw the military as a tool to achieve this goal, ensuring peace and stability, and maintaining America's position as a global leader.

In practice, Wilson's approach to building the military, especially the navy, was influenced by his desire to minimise American involvement abroad and reduce expansionism. He inherited a complex situation, with the outbreak of World War I in Europe in 1914, and initially sought to maintain American neutrality. However, he was wary of the risks of an Allied defeat and the potential impact on American interests.

In 1917, after several American ships were sunk and the Zimmermann telegram outraged Americans, Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. Despite entering the war, Wilson continued to emphasise that the main goal was not merely defensive but to end militarism and make the world "safe for democracy".

Wilson's focus on the navy is evident in his actions towards Mexico. In 1914, he ordered the US Navy to land forces at Veracruz to prevent a German ship from delivering weapons to Mexican strongman Victoriano Huerta, who had executed the democratically elected president Francisco Madero. This incident also highlights Wilson's broader goal of promoting democracy and his willingness to intervene when he believed it was morally imperative.

Overall, Wilson's goal of building the military, especially the navy, was driven by his belief in American exceptionalism and the responsibility to spread democratic values. He aimed to use America's military strength as a tool to promote peace and stability, while also navigating complex foreign affairs and maintaining America's global influence and leadership.

Acquire new territory peacefully

Woodrow Wilson's foreign policy goals were to promote world peace, build the military, and acquire new territory peacefully. Wilson believed in the role of the United States as a global leader and wanted to spread American values and influence to maintain peace and stability.

Wilson's foreign policy was based on his messianic philosophical belief that America had the utmost obligation to spread its principles while reflecting the 'truisms' of American thought. He believed that the United States should act as a moral compass for the world and ensure that international politics would not resort to war.

Wilson's idea of "missionary diplomacy" was that Washington had a moral responsibility to deny diplomatic recognition to any Latin American government that was not democratic. This was an expansion of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine. In 1913, Wilson stated that the United States should prove itself as a true friend to the Latin American peoples, emphasizing the spiritual unity and sympathy between the two regions.

In practice, Wilson struggled to maintain his idealistic foreign policy goals and often found himself following the interventionist footsteps of his predecessors, especially in South and Central America. For example, he sent troops to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba to protect American interests. 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 practiced an old-fashioned form of imperialism by buying the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million.

Wilson also struggled to maintain neutrality in the years leading up to World War I. He was wary of the risks of an Allied defeat and wanted to help broker peace between the warring parties. However, after several American ships were sunk and the public release of the Zimmermann telegram outraged Americans, Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany in 1917.

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Encourage democracy and self-determination

Woodrow Wilson's foreign policy was based on his belief that America had a responsibility to spread its principles and values, such as democracy and self-determination, across the world. Wilson's idealistic foreign policy was a departure from the selfish materialism and "Dollar Diplomacy" of his predecessors. He believed that American interference in another nation's affairs should only occur when it was morally imperative.

In his “Fourteen Points” speech delivered to Congress on January 8, 1918, Wilson outlined his vision for a new world order, which included his ideas regarding nations' conduct of foreign policy, including freedom of the seas, free trade, and the concept of national self-determination. Wilson's Fourteen Points called for the abolition of secret treaties, a reduction in armaments, an adjustment in colonial claims, and the creation of an international organization to promote collective security and prevent future wars: the League of Nations.

In Latin America, Wilson's insistence on democracy undermined the promise of self-determination. He refused to recognize the new Mexican government after the execution of the democratically elected president Francisco Madero in 1913, demanding free elections. When Mexican forces arrested American sailors in Tampico in 1914, Wilson used this as an opportunity to apply additional pressure on the Mexican government, asking Congress for authority to use force. In 1915, Wilson sent American marines to Haiti and the Dominican Republic to restore order, but the military occupations that followed failed to create the democratic states that were their stated objective.

Wilson's goal of encouraging democracy and self-determination was not limited to Latin America. In 1916, the Democratic-controlled Congress promised the residents of the Philippine Islands independence, and the next year, Puerto Rico achieved territorial status, and its residents became U.S. citizens. Wilson's Secretary of State, William Jennings Bryan, worked to establish effective self-government in the Philippines in preparation for an eventual American withdrawal.

Reduce armaments and adjust colonial claims

Woodrow Wilson's goals for US diplomacy were outlined in his Fourteen Points speech to Congress on January 8, 1918. These points were designed as guidelines for the rebuilding of the postwar world and for world peace, addressing what he perceived as the causes of World War I.

One of the key points was the reduction of armaments among all nations, with the aim of decreasing military capabilities to the lowest point necessary for domestic safety. This was a significant aspect of Wilson's vision for international relations, as he believed that ending militarism and reducing the means for warfare would make the world "safe for democracy."

In addition to reducing armaments, Wilson also called for an adjustment of colonial claims. This adjustment was to be free, open-minded, and impartial, taking into account the interests of both native peoples and colonists. The goal was to provide adequate guarantees for national armaments reduction while respecting the principle of self-determination for oppressed minorities. This included the dismantling of European empires and the creation of new states, with the understanding that the interests of the populations concerned must be given equal weight in determining questions of sovereignty.

Wilson's approach to colonial claims was influenced by his desire to minimize American involvement abroad and move away from the expansionist policies of his predecessors. He aimed to base his foreign policy decisions on moral principles rather than self-interest, only intervening when it was deemed morally imperative. However, in practice, Wilson struggled to fully disengage from interventionist policies, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. For example, he sent troops to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and he purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million, exhibiting a form of imperialism.

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