Teddy Roosevelt
To what extent can a president exert nationalistic ideals without being seen as a jingoist whose policies are blinded by the extremes of patriotism? The transition into the 20th century was characterized by the widespread of imperialism. Defined as the policy to extend power and dominion of a nation for economic or political gain, imperialism was proved to exist through the territorial acquisitions made by dominant European nations.1 As these European enacted the cspheres of influence¯ where different countries would divide smaller countries for occupation, disputes broke out frequently. During this time, President Theodore Roosevelt used his diplomatic skills by intervening in these international affairs. Ultimately, his successful efforts averted possible wars and ended the Russo-Japanese War as well. Yet, this image of a peacekeeping mediator was contradicted by the sequence of actions Roosevelt had taken before his presidency as the Assistant Secretary of Navy. These actions described a distinctive cwarmonger¯ who advocates war or tries to bring about a war. However, Theodore Roosevelt¯s bellicose actions taken before his terms in office did not accurately depict his international policies as his later means to promote pea
Reflecting back, Theodore Roosevelt prevented potential wars but simultaneously promoted nationalistic ideals. In 1902, he settled a border dispute between the U.S. by sending armed forces to Alaska. Thus, he avoided war but also showed the effect of the powerful armed forces. He exemplified this again during 1907 to 1908 when he sent a naval fleet on an international tour. Called The Great White Fleet, this was not an ostentatious attempt embodying his diplomatic concept of the °big stick± It was, rather, a peaceful display of national power that impressed the world and convinced the Japanese that the America also had vital interests in the western Pacific. Thus, he asserted America¯s intentions to maintain peace and amazed the world on the magnitude of the army. With the publication of Alfred Mahan¯s books in the 1890s, imperialism in the seas attracted additional interest. This idea supported the establishment of an imperial navy that would be essential for a naval prominence. Among those who supported Mahan¯s theory was Theodore Roosevelt. He also shared the belief that trade, navy and colonies were intertwined in a relationship that contributed towards imperialism. This idea of °New Navy± was put into action when Roosevelt was the Assistant Secretary of Navy.2 On May 1, 1898, he commanded the New Navy led
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Approximate Word count = 897
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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