What Is The Origin Of American Interventionism

Yong Hui Chin
INTL1443
Prof. Stephen Kinzer
September 21, 2016

The Origins of American Interventionism
The doctrine of manifest destiny was indispensable in explaining the initial origins of American expansion across the North American region in the early to mid-1800s. By the late 1890s, the idea of manifest destiny also saw a re-emergence during the Spanish-American War, fueling pro-war sentiment in the American public and helping to push Congress towards the path of interventionism outside of the North American region, namely in the territories of Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. However, American politicians also held strategic and economic reasons for the annexation of these new territories, reasons that oftentimes coincided
This idea became extremely pervasive in the late 1890s during the Spanish-American War, and was deeply evident in the annexations of Hawaii, Cuba and the Philippines. The beliefs of the Hawaiian people were seen as shocking to the United States in the 19th century, such as the practice of animism, was seen as proof that it was the duty of the United States to impose culture and civilization upon the kingdom of Hawaii. In the case of the Philippines, Rudyard Kipling’s famous poem, The White Man’s Burden, was written specifically to urge the United States to take up this ostensible ‘burden’ of empire in the Philippine islands, where the native Filipino people were seen as backwards and in need of uplifting. The case of Cuba is perhaps the most telling, as originally public sentiment swung decisively towards the notion of Cuban independence; however, the Platt Amendment, which gave Cuba only very limited powers of self-governance, was later justified by the idea that the Cuban people were unfit for self-rule. As General Samuel Young said, “The insurgents are a lot of degenerates, absolutely devoid of
While the political climate at the time undoubtedly urged the United States towards war against Spain, its importance should not be overstated. The Cuba Libre movement resulted in the idea that the United States was going to war on behalf of Cuba for purely humanitarian reasons, and the American public, fueled by popular songs as well as the highly inflammatory and sensationalized press, was gripped by the notion that the United States was undertaking a mission of liberation in Cuba, and Cuba Libre became a potent means to rally public support for war. However, as proved by the Platt Amendment, it once again becomes apparent that despite the romantic notion of Cuban independence and liberation, strategic concerns still took priority and total independence was not, contrary to what the Cuba Libre movement stood for, ultimately achieved. It is also important to note that public opinion was also divided, evidenced by the emergence of the Anti-Imperialist League, and despite the growing number of people who opposed American intervention in Cuba, the American government nonetheless decided to undertake the path of limited self-governance for Cuba, effectively becoming a colonizing (or indeed, imperialist) power on the