Big Stick Abroad Analysis

Big Stick Abroad

John Milton Cooper

To get involved or not to get involved in global politics? That was not a question that Theodre Roosevelt ever had. Global politics were at the forefront of his mission as President. Within a year of Roosevelt becoming President he had interceded with Latin American affairs. I believe this was because Roosevelt felt that the problem threatened his visions for the United States. Roosevelt put the United States in the middle of Germany and Venezuela to help collect a debt that Venezuela owed Germany. He did the same thing to Heidi for Europe. By 1904 Roosevelt had made America the financial protector over the Dominican Republic. Roosevelt was impartial to English speaking Countries. In 1902 Roosevelt
yet again conspired to gain Alaska land from Canada, but in 1903 he agreed to have an international tribunal settle the dispute. Canada was permitted three judges and so was America. Roosevelt conspired with Senator Lodge and Justice Holmes to side with America’s claim.
Which in turn won America the rights to the land. One might think of Roosevelt as a bully when it came to foreign affairs because he did not always play fair and would always seem to get his way. As President sometimes you have to do what you think is best for your Country and look further down the line to decide if what you are doing will help or harm your Country. I believe the Roosevelt did what he had to do to make America a bigger and fiercer Country to mess with. I believe that his proudest moment was when he was able to strike a deal for America to have territory that would run through the of the new country. This would not only cut down on the time our men were out to sea but it would also protect them from the disease if they chose to take the path through the mountains. With Roosevelts help we were able to take Panama from Colombia and this was not the biggest victory. The biggest victory would come after Roosevelt had left office and the waterway that we called the Canal Zone was open. This ended up showing the world the maturity of America’s engineering and was thought to be the biggest triumph of technology. I believe that this
could have only been done with the help of Europe. When Roosevelt left office he had remorse and guilt for the way that we took the Panama canal. While in office Roosevelt wrote several letters and had a section in his autobiography book on the way that we took Panama and what he did was morally right. Roosevelt was the bully to all of the weaker countries and would be cautious in his approach with countries of equal or greater power than he United States. I believe that the writer of the article Mr.
Copper was trying to explain to us that Roosevelt did what he thought was best for America and that he pushed the envelope when it came to foreign affairs. Roosevelt prided himself on his accomplishments with how far he was able to take America with foreign affairs. Mr. Copper writing never seemed to be one sided and told the story based on facts. I believe that this article was well written and places the facts out there for the reader to take it in and doesn’t distract the readers' views on Roosevelt. This is done by not having a one sided article this helps with not clouding the reader's judgement. After reading the article I have a different perspective on Roosevelt. I feel that he was a bully when he needed to be, but in all honesty isn’t that what America is and always will be? Roosevelt had a goal and a vision and he was able to accomplish them, and for that I applaud him for doing so. The way that he went about gain land and bullying the smaller countries that did not have as much power as we do, to me is not setting a good impression on us as a country. That if you do not give us what we feel is ours or that we want we will take it by force. I also do not agree with interfering in other countries business. Roosevelt felt the need to be the mediator in the Germany and Venezuela situation and the Heidi and Europe transactions. I feel if other countries owe other countries that is for them to deal with not for anyone else
to get involved. America has too many other things that should be a higher priority to deal with them to play in other countries affairs. With that being said I do feel that overall that Roosevelt was an amazing president. I am not sure if Roosevelts actions were always justified or made much sense to the citizens at the time. Without Roosevelt we would not have the Panama Canal and that was a major milestone for everyone.