Missionary Diplomacy: Why Did It Fail?

Missionary diplomacy was a foreign policy approach that emerged during the early 20th century under US President Woodrow Wilson, which emphasized the moral responsibility to promote democracy and ethical governance worldwide. This policy was based on the belief that the United States had a duty to spread democratic values and principles of freedom, particularly in Latin America and China. However, despite Wilson's admirable objectives, missionary diplomacy ultimately failed, leading to a legacy of ill will and negative consequences in the regions where it was applied.

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Wilson's refusal to recognise oppressive governments

US President Woodrow Wilson's missionary diplomacy was a foreign policy approach that emerged during the early 20th century. It was based on the belief that the United States had a moral obligation to promote democracy and ethical governance worldwide. Wilson's ethical and religious beliefs profoundly influenced his foreign policy as president. He believed that nations, like individuals, should adhere to high ethical and moral standards, and that democracy was the most Christian form of government, suitable for all peoples.

Wilson's refusal to recognize oppressive governments that did not align with American values was a key tenet of his missionary diplomacy. This approach stood in contrast to other diplomatic strategies of the time, which often prioritized economic interests or power politics over moral considerations. One notable example was his stance towards Mexico. Wilson refused to recognize the regime of Victoriano Huerta, whom he viewed as a dictator, and instead supported leaders who he believed would establish a democratic government. Wilson saw Huerta's rise to power, which included the overthrow and killing of President Francisco Madero, as morally unacceptable. He believed that Huerta's government was characterized by authoritarianism and violence and was opposed to democratic reforms.

Wilson's actions in Mexico, including military intervention, were aimed at promoting a legitimate democratic government. He ordered the US Navy to intervene in Veracruz to stop arms shipments to Huerta, demonstrating his commitment to democratic principles over diplomatic recognition of oppressive regimes. Wilson also supported Venustiano Carranza, who opposed Huerta. However, negotiations with Carranza failed, and the United States did not recognize his successor, Obregón, until 1923.

Wilson's missionary diplomacy was not limited to Mexico but also extended to other regions, including Central America and the Caribbean, as well as China. He related his missionary diplomacy to his concepts of morality and democratic government, believing that the United States had a mandate for world leadership. At the end of World War I, Wilson saw the League of Nations as an instrument to apply his democratic ideals on an international scale. He proposed a 14-point program for world peace, which included calls for freedom of the seas, the removal of economic barriers between nations, and the promise of "self-determination" for oppressed minorities. Despite Wilson's tireless campaign for the adoption of the treaty, the United States never joined the League of Nations, and his missionary diplomacy ultimately failed to achieve its objectives.

Wilson's legacy is complex, and in recent years, there have been growing calls to reappraise his legacy due to his views on race. Wilson's administration was marked by discriminatory hiring policies and segregation in federal government offices, and he defended the segregation of government offices and educational institutions.

Failure to secure agreement on the draft pact

Missionary diplomacy was a foreign policy approach under President Woodrow Wilson that emerged during the early 20th century. This policy was based on the belief that the United States had a moral obligation to promote democracy and ethical governance around the world.

The draft pact was a multilateral agreement to guarantee territorial integrity, political independence, republican government, arbitration of disputes, and arms control. The United States would presumably forgo the unilateral right of intervention in Latin America. Edward M. House, who was responsible for much of the planning for the proposal, envisioned it as a way to promote hemispheric peace, much like Wilson later saw the world role of the League of Nations.

However, efforts to secure agreement on the draft pact failed. Some larger countries, such as Chile, rejected the idea of guaranteeing territorial integrity before settling existing boundary disputes. Given the contemporary interventions by the United States, the pact was seen as a mere cover for established policy. Wilson and his advisers were not willing to renounce the practice of intervention.

The failure to secure agreement on the draft pact highlights the challenges faced by Wilson's administration in promoting their democratic ideals and the complexities of international relations. It also underscores the limitations of missionary diplomacy, which often prioritized democratic values over economic interests or power politics. This failure contributed to the overall legacy of failure and ill will associated with Wilson's use of missionary diplomacy in Latin America and beyond.

Ignoring State Department protests

Missionary diplomacy was a foreign policy approach of the US during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921). It was based on the belief that the United States had a moral obligation to promote democracy and ethical governance worldwide. This policy was influenced by Wilson's ethical and religious beliefs.

One notable example of missionary diplomacy was Wilson's stance towards Mexico. He refused to recognize the regime of Victoriano Huerta, who he viewed as a dictator. Instead, he supported leaders who he believed would establish a democratic government. This approach contrasted with other diplomatic strategies that prioritized economic interests or power politics.

Now, onto the specific instance you asked about: Ignoring State Department Protests.

In 1919, Mexican troops moved into oil fields to stop unauthorized drilling operations, ignoring protests from the US State Department. Secretary of State Robert Lansing, backed by the Association for the Protection of American Rights in Mexico, urged Wilson to take a more aggressive stance. However, Wilson rejected Lansing's recommendations, and the oil producers eventually reached an agreement with Mexican President Venustiano Carranza. This incident demonstrated Wilson's reluctance to enforce missionary diplomacy through aggressive means, even when faced with protests from his own State Department.

Another example of Wilson's handling of the situation in Mexico was his approach to Carranza's successor, Álvaro Obregón. A Senate subcommittee recommended that the US delay recognizing Obregón's government until American citizens gained exemptions from certain articles of the Mexican Constitution. While Wilson and Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby initially favored this approach, negotiations ultimately failed, and the US did not recognize Obregón's government until 1923.

These instances highlight the challenges Wilson faced in implementing missionary diplomacy in Mexico and his willingness to prioritize other considerations over the protests of his own State Department.

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Lack of knowledge and interest in foreign affairs

Missionary diplomacy was a foreign policy approach of the US during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921). It was based on the belief that the United States had a moral obligation to promote democracy and ethical governance worldwide.

Woodrow Wilson came to the presidency with little knowledge of or interest in foreign affairs. This is evident in his remark to a Princeton friend: "It would be the irony of fate if my administration had to deal chiefly with foreign affairs." Wilson's ethical and religious beliefs profoundly influenced his foreign policy as president. He believed that nations, like individuals, should adhere to high ethical and moral standards, and that democracy was the most Christian form of government, suitable for all peoples.

Wilson's missionary diplomacy was a continuation of President James Monroe's 1823 Monroe Doctrine. It was specifically applied to the policies and practices of the United States in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and China. Wilson refused to recognize oppressive governments and leaders he viewed as dictators, instead supporting leaders he believed would establish democratic values. For example, he refused to recognize the regime of Victoriano Huerta in Mexico, considering him a dictator.

However, Wilson's missionary diplomacy ultimately failed, as demonstrated by the Senate subcommittee's recommendation to delay recognition of the government of Álvaro Obregón until US citizens gained exemption from certain articles of the Mexican constitution. Negotiations failed, and the United States did not recognize Obregón until 1923. Wilson's approach to missionary diplomacy led to a legacy of failure and ill will in Mexico and other countries where it was applied.

The negative legacy of missionary diplomacy

Wilson's missionary diplomacy was based on the belief that the United States had a moral obligation to promote democracy and ethical governance worldwide. This policy was a significant shift from traditional diplomatic strategies, which often prioritised economic interests and power politics. Wilson's approach, driven by his ethical and religious beliefs, held that nations should adhere to high ethical and moral standards, with democracy seen as the most Christian form of government.

However, this policy led to a legacy of failure and ill will, particularly in Mexico, where Wilson refused to recognise the regime of Victoriano Huerta, whom he viewed as a dictator. This refusal to recognise governments that did not align with American values and democracy created tensions and negatively impacted US relations with several countries. For example, in 1916, Costa Rica and El Salvador brought charges against Nicaragua in the Central American Court of Justice, which the US had helped establish, but the US refused to accept the court's decisions, undermining its credibility.

Furthermore, Wilson's missionary diplomacy was criticised for its interventionist nature, as he was unwilling to renounce the practice of intervention in Latin America. This contradicted the ideals of territorial integrity and political independence that the policy ostensibly promoted, leading to accusations of hypocrisy and questions about US motives. The failure of Wilson's missionary diplomacy had negative repercussions for US foreign relations, creating mistrust and tensions with countries in the region.

Additionally, the legacy of missionary diplomacy was marred by the disappointing results of the Protestant missionary enterprise. Despite the optimism at the turn of the 20th century that large-scale conversions would soon occur, the rates of conversion abroad were meagre, and the intra-Christian violence of World War I cast doubt on the superiority of Western and Christian societies. This led to self-examination and criticism of the missionary enterprise, further tarnishing the legacy of the Wilson administration's missionary diplomacy.

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