La estructura organizativa de la unidad educativa 1 Misión y Visión:

POL344 FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSIS

policeman, kind to the law abiding but to lay a stern hand upon little nation’s that fall into disorder or defaulted in their obligations”.

The idealist, President Wilson added another dimension when he said that the United States would support democratic regimes in Latin American countries. He said he would frown upon revolution in the neighbouring Republics’ and teach the South American Republics to elect good men”.

Thus, having served notice on the European powers to keep off Latin America, the United States continued to assert its monopolistic rights, and regarded the region as her exclusive sphere.

The three principles mentioned above namely: Neutrality, Monroe Doctrine and Open Door can be easily summed in one word, isolation.

Americans then consistently insisted on the utility of isolation. The United States did not wish to involve herself in the disputes, conflicts and politics of Europe and she would not allow any European country to interfere in the Americas. But this policy of isolation has never been absolute for the following reasons:

Firstly, the United States has remained aloof if there has been necessary balance of power in Europe, but she did not hesitate to intervene in European politics when the balance was disturbed. As Schuman noted, the policy of isolation has actually been a shadow of balance of power between major international actors.

Secondly, the United States interpreted its policy, particularly the Monroe Doctrine to mean that they had the exclusive right to intervene in South American Republics. Thus, while European nations must keep away, the United States must have freedom to involve herself in South America.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

Explain the principles of American foreign policy.

POL344 FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSIS

entry as an allied power the United States had been lending millions of dollars to the Allies, mainly to Britain.

When U. S. entered the war, President Wilson the prophet of peace, repeatedly said that the U. S. was fighting the war to end all future wars, to protect democracy and to establish lasting peace. One important reason why the United States joined the war was the necessity to restore European balance that the central powers had disturbed. When President Monroe declared on December 1923 that the American continents were

“henceforth not to be considered as subjects for colonisation by European powers”he laid down the principle of America for Americans.

Monroe Doctrine was based on a unilateral stance of the United States.

It was not the outcome of any consultation with the Latin American countries. The Monroe Doctrine saved South American States from further European imperialism.

An attempt was made in 1825-26 at the initiative of Simon Bolivar (the liberator of South America) to keep the United States away from Latin America. A conference of all the states of the region was convened at Panama on October 1, 1925 to which United States was also invited.

However, the Americans showed no enthusiasm in the conference because they wished to use the Monroe Doctrine for their commercial enterprise. Nothing came out of the Panama conference which wanted to put the United States at par with the European powers.

The United States began its penetration into Latin America. Texas was annexed in 1845, which as mentioned earlier led to a war with Mexico in 1846 resulting in the occupation of New Mexico and Upper California. After the American Civil War and subsequent industrial revolution in the U. S., Latin American countries were used for investment of dollars and dumping of surplus products. After the war of 1898 in which Spain was defeated, the United States acquired Cuba, Guam, Philippines and Puerto Rico. According to President Taft, the objective of U. S. policy was to use dollars instead of bullets.

By the end of nineteenth century, the United States had assumed to herself the role of sole defender of Latin America and promoter of her commerce in the region. Britain, France and the Netherlands already held areas in the Caribbean and Germany was then trying to establish herself in the area. So in order to secure Latin America even further, President Roosevelt issued a corollary to the Monroe Doctrine” on December 6, 1904. Thus, the United States assumed the right to intervene in the domestic affairs of the Latin American countries and adjust their political disorder to prevent European interference.

While Monroe had denied, the right of interference became an instrument of offence. Earlier in 1895 Secretary of State, Olney had asserted that

POL344 FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSIS

United States was the Supreme power in the Western Hemisphere and her wishes were laws for the peoples of the region.

P. T. Moon, therefore, commented that the means used by the United States were surprisingly similar to the means of European imperialism.

During the first decade of the twentieth century, Panama became a protectorate of the United States. America got the right of adjusting all foreign and domestic obligations of Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua was next victim of dollar imperialism.

Meanwhile, Pan-Americanism had begun to grow with the first conference held in 1889 at Washington. The relations between the United States and Latin American Republics would never become cordial. For example, when the United States entered into the first world war in 1917, only eight of the Latin American countries followed her and declared war on Germany. The United States called the “Colossus of the North”emerged more powerful from the war. And when she did not join the League of Nations most of the Latin American countries became members of the League to contain U. S.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 2 Discuss the Corollaries of Monroe Doctrine.