On the Verge of Empire: American Motivations at the Turn of the Century

1. On the Verge of Empire:American Motivations at the Turn of the Century

2. Motivations Overview • Economic Expansion • New Markets • Raw Materials • Nationalism • Jingoism • Militarism • Competition • Social Darwinism • Missionaries • White Man’s Burden • Only the fittest shall rule

3. The Imperial grab-bag, a free-for-all for all world powers.

5. Arguments For Expansion: Economic • Industrialization/Mechanization = More production = need for raw materials • Production (supply) exceeds demand = Surplus = New markets needed

6. Other Economic Considerations • Overseas expansion was sound economic policy • New business regulations at home = seek other avenues Picture of the Panic of 1893 as it would have affected the New York Stock Exchange.

7. Ideological Arguments • Manifest Destiny: • Advocated by vocal expansionists: F.J. Turner, Theodore Roosevelt, and Henry Cabot Lodge • The frontier was quickly vanishing (due, in part, to population boom, agricultural, and industrial expansion) • The frontier symbolized the democratic ideal of freedom and self reliance • International expansion must replace geographic barriers in North America “Westward Ho” The angel of “progress leading Americans westward. The West, considered the Promised Land, brought millions in search of cheap land.

8. History of Foreign Policy

9. The White Man’s Burden • White Man’s Burden: • Derived from Rudyard Kipling’s poem • U.S. has a duty • Tied to social Darwinism • US’s duty as “the fittest” “The Cares of a Growing Family.” Paternalism, a condescending approach taken by imperialist countries to the natives, implied that the civilized country should treat other countries like children.

10. Social Darwinism • Derived from science, eugenic, and pseudo-scientific (racial) theory • All countries, in order to survive, must compete • The fittest (militarily, culturally, and economically) country and the one which can adapt, will prevail Eugenics, the 19th century study of racial genetics became the main justification for racial superiority. This, and phrenology, the study of the bumps on a human head, explained group and individual psychology

11. Two Views of Social Darwinism Ideology

12. American Nationalism • Advocated in national elections • America was destined to be the most powerful protector of all things good: money to spend, food to eat, human rights, culture, etc • America must compete with rival imperial powers: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Britain, France, and Russia (all the powers involved in WWI) • America has the responsibility to share the right of self-determination, democracy, self-government and human rights The power of the American eagle is clearly evident in its wingspan which covers the world. Note, also, that the light from the sun emanates from behind the bird. Incidentally, the national bird was originally proscribed, by Ben Franklin, to be the turkey.

13. Strategic Arguments for Expansion • Based on Admiral Alfred T. Mahan’s Book, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History • Powerful navy to: • Be a world power • To ensure tranquility • To secure economic interests Mahan’s treatise on naval control and supremacy set off the first arms race of the twentieth century. The race to mobilize a steel navy and develop new naval technology was first accomplished by the Germans, then the British in Europe. The Germans were the first to develop the submarine

14. Strategic Militarism • Arms Race • Control of the seas depended on: • Modern steel fleet • Deployment of navy over the seas • Strategic naval outposts American shipbuilding was a slow process, with shipyards primarily in the East Coast. It would often take over 240 days to construct and fit a naval ship. By World War II, Henry Kaiser cut the time it took to 22 days

15. In Short • The imperialist agenda won out • Character of agenda depended on presidency and key leadership • Arguments in favor of imperialism outweighed arguments against imperialism • All superpowers, throughout history, have succeeded on a balanced imperialist policy • All superpowers, throughout history, have failed if their policy overextended their ability and resources

16. We have a foundation Now for the story

17. Hawaii • US interest in Hawaii begins in the mid 1800s • American businessmen invested in Hawaiian plantations • American govt. saw Hawaii as a strategic naval location • Hawaiians seen as inferior

18. Hawaii: A rebellion • American farmers revolted against Queen Liliuokalani • American marines support rebellion • Establish “Committee of Safety” to “protect” the workers • Queen sought to regain more control of the islands • Queen ousted and a new constitution was drafted • Grover Cleveland opposed annexation but congress voted to go ahead in 1898

19. Cuba • Cuba, Spain’s last prized possession • 1868- 10 years of rebellion against the Spain ends in failure • US ignores pleas for help • 1895– Maximo Gomez and Jose Marti lead another rebellion against Spain

20. Spain reacts • 1896 Reconcentrationpolicy–Spanish General Valeriano (Butcher) Wyler orders Cubans into fortified towns: • Disease, starvation, etc • Shot if failed to obey • Burning and destruction of Cuba’s infrastructure by both rebels and Spanish

21. Yellow Journalism • William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer • Yellow Journalism-- Publications exaggerate the atrocities to gain American Support for intervention. • Hearst is said to have told his photographer who was about to return home from an uneventful trip to Cuba, “Please remain. You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war.”

22. Yellow Press

23. Yellow Journalism • Nickname came from the newly created colored comics that left many of the newspapers covered in yellow ink • Immediately pointed to the Spanish as the perpetrators of the explosion even though they had no motive or evidence • McKinley immediately jumped on the bandwagon

24. De Lome Letter • Spanish ambassador to America sends letter to Spanish friend in Cuba making McKinley look week • Cuban rebels intercept the letter and expose the contents • Hearst published it in his paper • The letter states: “McKinley is weak and catering to the rabble and, besides, a low politician who desires to leave a door open to himself and to stand well with the jingos of his party."

25. Remember the Maine!!!

26. Spanish Reaction • Spanish, wanting nothing to do with a war and quickly removed the accused officials from the country • Also offered Cubans autonomy but this fell way short of establishing Cuba as independent.

27. US Reaction • President McKinley wanted an investigation prior to war • Hearst’s paper incited anger toward the Spanish with definitive accusations .

28. War!!! • April 19th 1898, after McKinley’s request, congress declared Cuba free and independent, demanded Spanish leave and gave the military permission to take action to help liberate Cubans. • “Any Means Necessary” • Spanish declare war on US

29. McKinley Asks for Support • McKinley gets $50 million approval from congress • Only 26000 troops • Congress increased to 62000 and 125000 volunteers added • Ill equipped with civil war armsand supplies • Wool uniforms, civil war rifles, etc.

30. Transporting of troops was difficult

31. Backfiring of Racism and Yellow Journalism • Most news had led Americans to believe that the Cubans were civilized, well trained and intelligent light-skinned people and the Spaniards as barbaric dark-skinned savages • Reality=Opposite (in the eyes of the soldiers) • Racism prevented the American military from taking advantage of what was truly a well trained Cuban population. They Refused to fight along side because of the racism brought about by Social Darwinists and Racist Ideals in America.

32. Dewey’s Victory • Late April- Dewey, while visiting Hong Kong, Gets word of war and turns fleet toward Manila (Philippines) • Paints Ships Grey (were white) and destroys all wood cargo (notorious for splintering and killing sailors) • Attacks and sinks Spain’s pacific fleet

34. A Sailor on the Boston Wrote • Just two hours after the beginning of the battle we hauled out and, withdrawing a few miles, the order was given for breakfast. I was exhausted from the heat, loss of sleep, and lack of proper food. I went up on deck. Below the thermometer was at 116°, and the fresh air was a great relief. From this vantage point, I could see the destruction we had wrought.

35. Total American Casualties 0

36. Rough Riders • Army lacked organization • Some groups outfitted themselves • Theodore Roosevelt and Leonard Wood gathered a group of primarily cowboys, ivy league gentleman, native Americans, prospectors, and some Latin Americans and began organizing while in Tampa, Fl. We drew recruits from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and many another college; from clubs like the Somerset, of Boston, and Knickerbocker, of New York

37. Rough Riders

38. Now or Never • Environment was taking the biggest toll on the soldiers Roosevelt-- • Armed with a pistol and a saber, ordered the charge up the hill.

39. The 9th and 10th Cavalry • Several regiments of blacks showed extreme bravery in battle. • “If it had not been for the Negro cavalry, the Rough Riders would have been exterminated” • I am a Southerner by birth, and I never thought much of the colored man. But…I never saw such fighting as those Tenth Cavalry men did . They didn’t seem to know what fear was.” • Even pro-imperialist and supporter of social Darwinist ideas Theodore Roosevelt stated that the black troops were, “an excellent breed of Yankee.”

40. Objectives: Examine the events of the Spanish American War • Do Now: • What did you find most interesting regarding the movie we watched Wednesday?

42. Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill 1st stop—Kettle Hill was taken by the Rough Riders 2nd stop--Roosevelt rode to the top of San Juan Hill to find that it had already been taken by the 10th African American regiment.

43. Atop the High Ground

44. Spanish Naval Defeat • Just as the Americans began loosing moral ground, the Spanish fleet tried to retreat from Santiago Harbor but were crushed by the American Fleet.

46. Meanwhile, half-way around the world… • US, even though the Filipinos had fought with us against Spain, took over the Philippines by force • Filipinos fought back but were placed in concentration camps just like the Spanish used in Cuba • More casualties fighting in the Philippines than against Spain

47. Anti-Imperialist Leagues • Andrew Carnegie, Mark Twain, Grover Cleveland, Benjamine Harrison, Samual Gompers, Jane Addams, William James • Annexing without plan for statehood was unconstitutional • Occupation without consent violated Declaration of Independence • Reforms at home needed attention • Too costly • Fighting Filipinos reflected American Hypocracy

48. Economic • Federal government didn’t have the money • Would require private contracts which would further corrupt government • Too much labor unrest, urban poverty, agricultural depression, and unemployment required focus on domestic spending Uncle Sam, ever the symbol of American virtue (and vice) is here seen as a nonchalant guardian of the world. His posture is unworried and his expression, unconcerned.

49. Ideological Arguments • Imperialism fundamentally opposed to American ideals of self-government, self-determination, and democracy • “Manifest Destiny” was an excuse for greed and gaining profit • “White Man’s Burden” was inherently patronizing and racist

50. Politics • The government had failed to ensure the right of democracy to African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, most immigrant groups, the poor, and all women