Theodore Roosevelt's

Foreign Policy
"Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick"

Teddy Werkheiser
HIS 378-020
Dr. Kelleher
4/21/2015
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Introduction

Theodore Roosevelt's presidency has shaped the office into what it is today. He

wielded more power than any president before him except Abraham Lincoln with his war

powers and George Washington who did not want the power in the first place. He was

revered by the American people as a hero while leading the Rough Riders in the Spanish

American War and especially his charge up San Juan Hill. Roosevelt believed that America

was a rising world power and that it was time to act like it. Roosevelt inherited a blossoming

empire with the territories gained after the Spanish American War. Roosevelt wanted to

make sure they were brought into the fold of what he saw as the civilized world. Theodore

Roosevelt is well known for his favorite saying, "speak softly and carry a big stick" which

was his foreign policy motto and turned the United States into a military policing power that

controlled the Western Hemisphere. The world would be an extremely different place today

were it not for all the gains that Theodore Roosevelt made on the global stage. Aside from his

big stick motto he also strongly believed in working things out diplomatically if at all

possible which eventually. That approach would win him a Nobel peace prize. Roosevelt was

viewed at by other nation's leaders as an extremely skilled mediator and problem solver and

some personally requested his presence in developing treaties. Theodore Roosevelt made an

immense impact on both the United States and the global arena with his imperialistic goals

and his aggressive foreign policy. My aim is to analyze the successes and many

accomplishments that Theodore Roosevelt made during his time as president in foreign

policy. I contend that these accomplishments in foreign policy and his imperialistic goals

have laid the foundation of the United States as the world power it is today with an immense

impact on the global community.

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Imperialism

Theodore Roosevelt was ardent imperialist. He took on the beginnings of an empire

that former president McKinley started with his defeat of the Spanish and the gaining of

several new territories for the United State. Roosevelt and McKinley shared a common

imperial goal in the Philippines that the war was America's duty to civilization.1 Roosevelt

however separated himself from McKinley with thoughts and aspirations of his own on

imperialism. In the Philippines he shows his imperialistic thoughts when arguing that it is not

subjugating a people but rather making them law-abiding, educated, and industrious people.

The people of these nations might not have seen things the same way but they had little

choice but to accept Roosevelt's will in the end. This could be converted to the present day

foreign policy idea of nation-building.2

Roosevelt wanted to keep a balance of power throughout the world and preserve that

peace. This of course did not apply to the Western Hemisphere where the United States has

supreme policing authority show Roosevelt still believed the United States better than

everyone else.3 Diving deeper into Roosevelt's view on justice and peace he held that war

between civilized nation should remain infrequent to preserve balance and peace. On the

other hand war with savage nations was unfortunate, but necessary for the advance of

enlightenment and civilization. He believed that war with savage or barbaric nations was

performed for the welfare of mankind and would eventually better those savage people if any

remain.4

1
Leslie Butler, "Dead President and Progressive Reform," 405.
2
Serge Ricard, "Theodore Roosevelt: Imperialist or Global Strategist in the New Expansionist Age?," 644.
3
Ibid., 645.
4
James R. Holmes, Theodore Roosevelt and World Order : Police Power in International Relations, 69.
 Werkheiser 4

On the whole Roosevelt lived up to his ideals and goals in the area of imperialism.

There was never evasion or deviousness about his policies and he never backed down from

any of his positions. Roosevelt was able to reinforce control of America's new territories as

well as act as an international mediator between European powers to keep them from the

brink of war with each other or conquering lands under the protection of the United States.5

Roosevelt's imperialist ideals were in full swing before he even became president

while Assistant Secretary of the Navy in a letter to Alfred Thayer Mahan he has several

strong thoughts on the matter. He talks about the danger of Japan and their expansion in the

Pacific that could threaten U.S. interests. He also goes into great detail about wanting to plant

an American flag in Hawaii and annex it into the United States before Japan can take it. He

also believes the number of naval ships should be doubled which would later aid in backing

his "big stick" policy that relied on the threat of a powerful navy. He even discusses taking

the West Indies from Spain because of the trouble they are causing. He even gives hints to

his thoughts that formed the Roosevelt Corollary when talking about preventing European

powers especially Germany from gaining footholds by supplanting weaker nations.

Roosevelt was an ardent imperialist even before he had the chance to take office and just

continued his beliefs when he was thrust into the position.6

The Philippines

Roosevelt always felt strongly about the United States position in the Philippines and

he actively supported McKinley's decision not to immediately grant independence to the

5
Serge Ricard, "Theodore Roosevelt: Imperialist or Global Strategist in the New Expansionist Age?," 647.
6
Theodore Roosevelt, "Obstacles to Immediate Expansion," letter to Alfred Thayer Mahan, 1897.
 Werkheiser 5

nation. Roosevelt viewed the rule of the Spanish as cruel and inept arguing that it was not

just justifiable but admirable to bring in American rule after that of the Spanish.7 The United

States would not steal or actively suppress their progress like the Spanish but instead make

the Filipinos fit for self-government after the fashion of truly free nations.8 Roosevelt thought

that if he granted freedom immediately that it would have lead to another European power

establishing an oligarchy over the Philippines, he suspected Germany in particular.9

Roosevelt tended to look at the Filipino's as weak and childlike mainly because they were not

of Anglo-Saxon heritage.10

Roosevelt constantly faced criticism from anti-imperialists over keeping the

Philippines under U.S. control but he never backed down from a challenge, instead he stated

his reasons he chose not to grant them independence immediately. The anti-imperialists

argued that you could not put the American flag where the inhabitants are not given full

protection under the Constitution. To this Roosevelt compared the acquisition of the

Philippines to the Louisiana Purchase where most of the native inhabitants did not agree to

the deal with the United States and that military forces had to be sent immediately to secure

the region against possible uprisings. He argued that this was the same thing in the

Philippines where McKinley sent troops to a newly acquired territory to secure order and

prevent any uprising which did occur but were suppressed rather quickly.11

By 1904 American forces had subdued the obstinate, as Roosevelt viewed it, Filipino

uprising. They put a native constabulary in place and worked hard to establish an indigenous

7
Jeffrey A. Engel, "The Democratic Language of American Imperialism," 680.
8
Ibid
9
James R. Holmes, Theodore Roosevelt and World Order : Police Power in International Relations, 66.
10
Una Kimokeo-Goes, "Theodore Roosevelt, Imperialism, and the Construction of American Identity," 14.

11
James R. Holmes, Theodore Roosevelt and World Order : Police Power in International Relations, 66.
 Werkheiser 6

parliament to foster economic development. President Roosevelt also constantly argued with

congress to remove the tariff on Filipino goods so that the nation can develop faster on their

way to eventual emancipation.12 Even though Roosevelt obviously looked down on the

Filipino people he did seem to have their best interests at heart in his American democracy

mindset. The outcome of the Philippines however is much better than that of the Native

Americans who also saw what America's best interests looked like in the worst of ways.

Roosevelt Corollary

This is one of Theodore Roosevelt's most lasting contributions to the entire Western

Hemisphere and originally he did not prevent European nations from interfering with Latin

nations that owed them money.13 Roosevelt looked at the Monroe Doctrine in a very narrow

sense that as long as the European nations did not try and seize land they cold "spank" the

Latin nations for ignoring their debt.14 Roosevelt was always weary of European nations as

possible enemies to the Western Hemisphere and in turn the Unites State.15 Before he added

his famous corollary he put a permanent attack squadron in the Caribbean to police the

waters.16 Roosevelt could apparently see the future as well because he especially feared that

Germany would challenge the United State.17 In 1906 Roosevelt and the Navy set up the

Haiti-Santo Domingo which assumed Germany would be the enemy.18 That very same year

12
Ibid, 74
13
Matthias Maass, "Catalyst for the Roosevelt Corollary," 385.
14
Ibid
15
Serge Ricard, "Theodore Roosevelt: Imperialist or Global Strategist in the New Expansionist Age?," 648.
16
Ibid
17
Ibid
18
Ibid
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the Navy and Army started to draft war plans for this suspected outcome and to be

prepared.19

This was only the start however at the beginning of the Venezuela crisis of 1902/03

which pitted Venezuela against its largest debt collectors in Germany, Britain, and eventually

Italy joined the fray.20 Roosevelt originally wanted to stay out of the conflict as long as the

European nations did not overstep their bounds in relation to the Monroe Doctrine that

viewed any attempt by Europeans to re-colonize parts of the America's as an immediate

threat to the safety of the United States.2122 This would then give the United States

permission to involve itself with force if necessary to protect our nations safety. 23

During this conflict the nations of Germany and Great Britain would not give up their

claim for preferential treatment in repayment of loans and their ability to blockade Venezuela

if the debts are not paid. The whole conflict and deliberations that took place at the Hague

Tribunal decided in Germany and Great Britain's favor on preferential treatment which

greatly disappointed the United States, Roosevelt in particular. The entire conflict had

Roosevelt rethink his view of the Monroe Doctrine and its need to be adapted to the modern

imperialistic world.24

A major contributor to Roosevelt's dismay at the decision of the Hague Tribunal was

the information he was getting from his friends in the German government as well as his

admirals and generals watching Germany closely. In correspondence with Rear Admiral

19
Ibid
20
Matthias Maass, "Catalyst for the Roosevelt Corollary," 383-402.
21
James Monroe, The Monroe Doctrine
22
Matthias Maass, "Catalyst for the Roosevelt Corollary," 383-402.
23
James Monroe, The Monroe Doctrine
24
Matthias Maass, "Catalyst for the Roosevelt Corollary," 383-402.
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Henry Clay Taylor Roosevelt was told that the only real goals Germany would have with

Venezuela would be territorial gain like in Kiaochow, China, where the Kaiser acquired a 99

year lease, or complete economic dependence on Germany. He also got constant updates on

Germany's general expansion plans, military goals, and how other major German individuals

looked at the United States and Roosevelt from his friend Baron Speck von Sternburg.25

This lead to Roosevelt adding his own thoughts and imperialist goals into the Monroe

Doctrine in 1904 in what is now known as the Roosevelt Corollary. In this excerpt from the

Roosevelt Corollary Roosevelt proclaimed to Congress and in turn the world:

"If a nation shows that it knows how to act with reasonable efficiency and decency in social
and political matters, if it keeps order and pays its obligations, it need fear no interference
from the United States. Chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in a general
loosening of the ties of civilized society, may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require
intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence of the
United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in
flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police
power. If every country washed by the Caribbean Sea would show the progress in stable and
just civilization which with the aid of the Platt Amendment Cuba has shown since our troops
left the island, and which so many of the republics in both Americas are constantly and
brilliantly showing, all question of interference by this Nation with their affairs would be at an
end. Our interests and those of our southern neighbors are in reality identical."26

It did not take long for Roosevelt to use his new addition to the Monroe Doctrine in

practice when Europeans tried to intervene in the Santo Domingo's, now the Dominican

Republic, debts and moved in to use the United States new policing power. Roosevelt came

to an agreement with Santo Domingo that put all the custom houses under United States

control. He intervened before the European Nations could do similar things that they did in

Venezuela and told European creditors that a imperialist interpretation of the Monroe

Doctrine which is his own corollary required American responsibilities in the Western

Hemisphere. Roosevelt marked the United states as the protectors of nations that Europeans

25
Edmund Morris, "A Matter of Extreme Urgency," 75-77
26
Theodore Roosevelt, Roosevelt Corollary
 Werkheiser 9

viewed as less civilized and were vulnerable to invasion. It also gave Roosevelt the power he

needed to balance the world powers because he could interfere if he believed it threatened the

United States and he could keep peace and order where possible.2728

Panama Canal

Whereas war with Spain presented Roosevelt an model of an ineffectual and aging

empire powerless of meeting the obligations toward its lesser territories, his experience with

Columbia during his time in office provided a clear case of Roosevelt's belief that civilized

nations were not only accountable for protecting lesser people from inept imperial rule, but

that they also held a responsibility to protect subjugated peoples from their own incompetent

leaders. The details of this case centers on the Panama Canal which Roosevelt viewed as his

greatest contribution to the world. In the fall of 1903, after a failed attempt between the

United States and Columbia to negotiate a treaty for the right to build an Isthmuthian canal

through the northern region of Panama at that time under the control of Columbia Roosevelt

went on the offensive he would have his canal one way or another. Roosevelt decided to back

the" people" in Panama that were violently opposing the rule of Columbia. The people that

Roosevelt was supporting were only the citizens actively participating in the revolution while

most of the others were indifferent in the conflict. He order American troops and warships to

immediately block any military suppression of revolutionary forces in Panama attempted by

the Columbian government. Roosevelt tacitly encouraged the revolution with loose military

support as well as financial aid to the people of Panama. He believed that he was aiding

Panama by freeing them from the yoke of a useless leader in Columbia and tying them into a

27
Matthias Maass, "Catalyst for the Roosevelt Corollary," 383-402.
28
Serge Ricard, "Theodore Roosevelt: Imperialist or Global Strategist in the New Expansionist Age?," 648.
 Werkheiser 10

prosperous relationship with the United States which of course included the right to build a

canal through Panama. This is also a prime example of Roosevelt's big stick diplomacy using

military force to create an entire new nation and to get what he wants and believes is best for

the Western Hemisphere. 29

Roosevelt basically supported a coup in Columbia tearing a piece out of it to allow

for the United States to built his canal.30 Roosevelt did act for strategic reasons, desiring both

the canal for the American economy and military but also for global trade to flourish. Just as

many other imperialist at the time would say Roosevelt defended his support of the revolt as

an intervention on behalf of the Panamanian people. He said that the Columbian leaders had

failed them by breaking their social contract and therefore forfeiting their legitimacy. They

also failed the United States demanding over double for the canal over what newly created

Panama agreed too.31

Peace Maker

Though often acknowledged for the assertiveness of his foreign policy, Roosevelt was

moreover a peace maker. Roosevelt's most triumphant effort at bringing confrontational

powers to the negotiating table concerned the crisis that had occurred in East Asia. Hostility

had erupted between Russia and Japan in 1904, following Japan's attack on the Russian fleet

at Port Arthur. As the Russo-Japanese War raged on with many unexpected Japanese

victories, Roosevelt approached both nations about arbitrating a peace negotiation. Roosevelt

was a huge supporter of a world in which countries would turn to arbitration instead of war to

29
Jeffrey A. Engel, "The Democratic Language of American Imperialism," 682.
30
Steven Mintz, "Taking Stock of Our Resources: A Request from Theodore Roosevelt," 45-46.
31
Jeffrey A. Engel, "The Democratic Language of American Imperialism," 682.
 Werkheiser 11

settle international disputes and he made sure he would assist wherever possible. Even

though Russia and Japan originally refused his offer, they eventually accepted his offer to

facilitate a peace agreement at a summit with Roosevelt in 1905 in Portsmouth, New

Hampshire. Roosevelt stood as the mediator and in resolving the conflict peacefully with the

Treaty of Portsmouth Roosevelt won the Nobel Prize for Peace, the first U.S. President to do

so.32

Roosevelt also arbitrated a quarrel between France and Germany over the distribution of

Morocco. Britain had acknowledged French control over Morocco and in return for French

acknowledgment of British power in Egypt. Germany felt excluded by this accord and

challenged France's position in Morocco. While the French had a fragile claim to Morocco,

the United States could not discard it without discarding Britain's claim over Egypt.

Roosevelt tactfully did this all from a distance and without acting officially as the president

of the United States to avoid involving isolationist Congress. The resolution in 1906 reached

at Algeciras, Spain, preserved Germany's dignity but gave France unquestionable control

over Morocco; it also cemented the way for British control over Egypt. It is very possible

that this resolution prevented the spark that would have engulfed Europe in War almost a

decade before the real spark for World War I.33

In an address in 1910 accepting the Nobel Peace Prize at the National Theatre in

Oslo, Norway Roosevelt focused his speech on international peace and arbitrations. He

believed that it was the responsibility of all industrialized nations to work toward balance and

peace on the global landscape. Roosevelt argued peace of righteousness and justice was

necessary for an industrial civilized world and that it is the only peace worth striving for.

32
James R. Holmes, Theodore Roosevelt and World Order : Police Power in International Relations, 70-71.
33
Serge Ricard, "Theodore Roosevelt: Imperialist or Global Strategist in the New Expansionist Age?," 649-650.
 Werkheiser 12

Roosevelt went on to talk about several avenues for nations to accomplish this world peace

and a large proponent of it was international arbitration. He believed that any issue should be

given to arbitration before any armed conflict and this would solve most problems unless a

nation deliberately violated an arbitration treaty. Roosevelt talked about giving more support

to the Hague Tribunal courts and wanted other nations to get more involved with it so that

international conflicts can be brought before the Tribunal with a greater of possibility of

resolving conflicts peacefully. The final part of Roosevelt's speech was on the creation of a

League of Peace that unlike the Hague Tribunal had actual policing powers with physical

forces that can be sent to aid nations if peace is violated. Roosevelt also said that nations

should build to protect themselves until such a league can be created and so when it does

each nation has enough forces to aid a fellow nation if it was attacked without cause.34 This

speech exemplifies Roosevelt's view that diplomacy and peace should always be the first

option and only when necessary does it have to be backed up with force.

Conclusion

Theodore Roosevelt has laid the foundations for America's foreign policy and even

how they deal with the global community. Roosevelt believed that diplomacy was the best

route but that to be successful you needed to have a "big stick" to back up your words or

nations will ignore you. Roosevelt was indeed a little racist from our perspective but during

the time nobody looked at it that many agreed with his view that it was the United States duty

to help defend less civilized nations and if required bring them into the world of democracy

step by step like with the Philippines. What would the United States look like or even the

34
Theodore Roosevelt, "International Peace," Speech.
 Werkheiser 13

world without the imperialist contributions that Theodore Roosevelt made, we could

speculate but never know for sure. Roosevelt believed he was balancing the world powers

and in doing so preventing a possible world conflict and he was very successful in resolving

conflicts as he garnered respect from many nation's leaders. During his time as president

Theodore Roosevelt made an enormous impact in the United States foreign policy and in the

global arena that laid the foundations that shaped what he world looks like today. Everything

from creating countries by supporting coups to negotiating between world powers preventing

war Roosevelt had his hands in everything. I believe he did his best to keep balance and

order. Theodore Roosevelt has played a major role in the United States history and it is

important to look closely at the accomplishments that he made specifically within the field of

foreign policy which had a major global impact that survives to today in the Roosevelt

Corollary. Roosevelt is a complex man to analyze and many interpretation can be made on

his reasoning for all the things he did or why he did them. Roosevelt has earned his

immortalization on Mount Rushmore with his contribution to the United States and to history

in general you tie many things after Roosevelt's time to things that he did exemplifying the

massive ripples he made during his time on this Earth.

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