Roosevelt helped Panama gain independence from Colombia in order to build the Panama Canal. He also mediated the Russo-Japanese War and established the Roosevelt Corollary, stating the US would intervene to protect its interests in Latin America. Taft continued Dollar Diplomacy by guaranteeing private US loans abroad. Wilson believed the US had a moral duty to promote democracy in Latin America, but this caused tensions with Mexico during its revolution as the US sent troops after Pancho Villa.

1. Unit 8- Imperialism

2.  I. Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy
 A. Panama Canal
 Panama was a territory of Columbia-
negotiations broke down for a canal
 US helped Panama fight for independence
 15 days later, US payed Panama $10M plus
$.25M/year in land rental fees for the canal

3.  B. Russo-Japanese War
 Russia and Japan were competing for Korea
 Japan won several battles, but were running
out of men and money
 Japan asked TR to mediate- he helped
negotiate a treaty on his Pres. Yacht in NH
 TR won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906

4.  C. Roosevelt Corollary
 Monroe Doctrine (1823) demanded that
Europe stay out of Latin American affairs
 TR added his corollary in 1904 saying that US
would use force to protect its LA interests
 “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go
far” (Big Stick Diplomacy)

5.  II. Dollar Diplomacy- The US government
guaranteed loans to foreign countries by American
businesspeople (Taft)
 Kept Europe out of Latin America

6.  III. Missionary Diplomacy- Wilson believed the
US had a moral duty to ignore LA countries that
were not democracies
 A. Mexican Revolution- Political unrest in
Mexico threatened US investments and
diplomacy
 B. US and Mexico came close to war

7.  C. Pancho Villa- Mexican rebel leader that
opposed new Mexican government
 Villa and his men killed several Americans in
Mexico that were operating mines
 They later killed 17 Americans in NM

8.  D. John J. Pershing- General sent by Wilson to
Mexico to find Villa dead or alive
 150,000 troops were sent to Mexican border
 US and Mexico almost went to war, US backed
down because of WWI

9.  IV. US achieved foreign policy goals in the 20th
Century:
 1. Expanded access to foreign markets
 2. Built a modern navy to protect interests
abroad
 3. Used int’l police power to dominate LA