United States foreign policy impacted political and diplomatic change from 1900 to 1941 through their policies of intervention, but only to the extent that the United States would benefit from it
By Emma.Levon
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Foraker Act
The act allowed the people of Puerto Rico to set up a popular government run by their own citizens, instead of being completely controlled by the American government. This act complies with the thesis since America intervened and created political change in Puerto Rico. America was able to control the people's rights to local government, and made the island into a territory. This affected foreign diplomacy within Latin America in that the United States had the power to control the areas there. -
Platt Amendment
This amendment said that the United States was Cuba's protectorate and could intervene there if they got into debt or agreed to certain treaties. It created diplomatic change in Latin America by taking control of Cuba's actions and representing the United States' power in the western hemisphere. Further, it created political tension between the two countries in the coming years. This policy benefited America, since the nation was able to keep their naval base in Cuba, but harmed Cuba. -
Hay-Pauncefote Treaty
In this treaty, Britain gave America the power to build the Panama canal and fortify it as they please. This canal would greatly benefit American trade as it would provide a shorter route to the Pacific ocean. The foreign policy impacted political change because it gave the U.S. more power over the other nations within the hemisphere and prioritized their agenda. It created diplomatic change because it inspired dislike for the U.S. as a result of their abuse of the Latin American countries. -
Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty
This treaty gave America the rights to the Panama Canal if they would protect and pay Panama for it. This deal greatly benefited the U.S. through the reduction of cost to use the canal, and they once again intervened in these Latin American affairs. However, political change occurred with the new creation and recognition of Panama as a country. Also, a diplomatic change occurred in that the U.S. interacted with Panama, as a country, instead of controlling them like they normally would. -
Roosevelt Corollary
The corollary stated that America had the right to intervene in Latin American affairs and protect the hemisphere from any European control. This foreign policy impacted political change by giving America the most power within the hemisphere and allowing control of the decisions of other countries there. Further, this impacted diplomatic change by creating negative relationships with the Latin American countries since they were controlled by the U.S's jurisdiction. This power benefited the U.S. -
Root-Takahira Agreement
The agreement, between America and Japan, solidified each country's influence within China and the Far East. The U.S. consistently intervened in the east with their control of the Philippines and benefited from the trade in that area of the world. The agreement sparked diplomatic change because it helped the U.S. prevent a war, rather than starting one, over their territories such as they had in the Spanish-American War. It was a change politically because it foreshadowed Japan's rise to power. -
Fourteen Points
The Fourteen Points was a plan created by America's Woodrow Wilson in order to create peace and justice internationally after World War I. Such terms included creating the League of Nations and giving fair punishment to the Central Powers. It represented America intervening on the mainly European decision for peace and aimed to diminish European revenge. This sparked diplomatic change because it showed a softer side to American diplomacy with the willingness to help others. -
Four Power Treaty
This treaty, created after World War I, gave countries such as Japan and America the right to intervene within East Asian affairs. Not only did this further American's policies of intervention, but it gave America the benefit of maintaining control in the East. However, this treaty and further U.S. foreign policy, impacted diplomatic change by giving more power and prestige to the growing Japanese empire. Further, the treaty allowed Japan to grow and slowly become a modern world power. -
Nine Power Treaty
The treaty was created in order for Japan and the U.S. to continue trade with respect the open-door policy in China after World War I. The U.S. would benefit from the continued free trade it could enjoy with China and therefore continued to be active in Asia. However, this treaty furthered the U.S.'s interference within the East Asian economy and sparked diplomatic change by giving more diplomatic power to Japan in the East, which helped boost their empire's rise to power. -
Dawes Plan
The plan was economic and stated that America would lend money to Germany so that Germany could pay its war reparations from WWI to the Allies, and the Allies could in turn pay their reparations back to America. The plan created political change with the economic ruin of Germany after the plan eventually failed, and it led to the rise of European fascism due to desperation for relief. The plan was to simply get the U.S.'s money back after lending it to various European countries during the war. -
Kellogg-Briand Pact
The pact was a agreement of many countries that would outlaw war, except for defense purposes, in the wake of World War I. The U.S. was one of the leaders of this pact and this policy impacted political change by trying to stop war among countries. The policy also impacted diplomatic change by trying to force all countries to "get along" despite their differences. With this, the U.S. would benefit from not being involved in war, and intervened to help appease its own citizens. -
Johnson Debt Default Act
This act stopped nations who already owed money to the U.S. after World War I from borrowing even more money in the event of another war. This problem was created through previous U.S. intervention in World War I by lending the European nations money. The policy affected diplomatic change by sparking economic tensions between the U.S. and other nations. It also fostered political change by angering the people suffering with the depression and sparked the rise of European fascism. -
Neutrality Act of 1939
The act stated the European democracies would be able to buy war materials from the U.S. during the beginning of World War II. This incited diplomatic change because it sided the U.S. with the Allies, even when they claimed to be neutral. The U.S. created this change simply for their own interest since they wanted to increase their industrial commerce from the war. They intervened on the European war to make a profit, even when they claimed that they wanted to distance themselves from it. -
Lend Lease Bill
The bill lent American weapons and other war materials to the European Allies in World War II, despite America being neutral. It impacted diplomatic change since the U.S. intervened in Europe's war and took a place with the Allies despite calling themselves neutral. The U.S. became enemies to the Axis powers, but passed the bill to have the European Allies protect the U.S. from Hitler's army rather than fighting in the war themselves. Further the U.S incited this change for their own benefit. -
Atlantic Charter
The charter was a meeting of the European Allies and the U.S. where they discussed their goals for democracy after the war, even through the U.S. had not joined the war. By intervening in Europe's war affairs when they were not involved, the U.S. impacted diplomatic change by creating an enemy of Axis Japan. They also furthered political change by taking part in secret international agreements which where frowned upon during this time. The U.S. benefited by having security among the Allies.
